Monte Carlo simulation of a microwave plasma in hydrogen

Monte Carlo simulations bf a microwave plasma (frequency 2.35 GHz, pressure 2-15 kPa) in hydrogen are reported. The simulation follows the chaotic mot ion of a number of electrons and ions under the influence of outer (microwa ve) and inner (other charge carriers) electric fields. The charge carriers collide with the neutral gas particles either in an elastic or inelastic ma nner. In such a simulation only basic physical laws have to be applied. The simulations produce reaction rates for the different reaction paths of main importance in a straightforward way. The electron energy distribution function (EEDF), which is simply a time average of the actual energies of t he electrons, deviates from the Maxwell distribution by a depletion at low and high electron energies. Correction functions are derived which allow EE DFs under widely different plasma conditions to be calculated from the resp ective Maxwell distributions. Finally the results are applied to calculate mean mass densities in a closed plasma tube which are then compared with me asured values.