The breakdown process of capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) in the presence of a matching network is rarely studied, even though it is the indispensable part of the most laboratory and industrial devices of CCP. Based on the method of Verboncoeur, the solution method of the general “L”-type match circuit coupled with a particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo code is deduced self-consistently. Based on this method, the electrical breakdown process of CCP is studied. Both the plasma parameters and the electric parameters of the matching network during the breakdown are given and analyzed. In the pre-breakdown phase, the entire circuit can be considered as a linear system. However, the formation of the sheath during breakdown significantly enhanced the capacitance of the discharge chamber, which changed the electric signal amplitude of the external circuit. With the stabilization of plasma, the equivalent capacitance of CCP increases, which continues to change the electrical signal until the steady-state is reached. Accompanied by plasma stabilization is the appearance of high-order harmonics of discharge current caused by the gradually oscillating CCP capacitance. The breakdown characteristics can be obviously affected by the capacitance of the matching network. In the case of a breakdown zone, some breakdowns with special characteristics can be obtained by choosing the different capacitors. These works might be a reference for understanding the interaction between the plasma and the external circuit during the breakdown process and how to modulate the gas breakdown by controlling the external circuit.

The pulse plasma discharge breakdown is a longstanding research topic in plasma physics, yet the formation process remains elusive. In this study, we investigate the breakdown process under nanosecond pulses with different pulse widths (1 ns, 10 ns, and 100 ns), utilizing the 1D implicit Particle-in-Cell/Monte Carlo collision (PIC/MCC) method. Our simulation results indicate that pulse width plays a crucial role in the evolution of plasma breakdown. Specifically, under 1 ns pulses, the breakdown occurs after the pulse voltage ceases, demonstrating that increasing pulse width accelerates the changes in plasma parameters but does not affect the breakdown time. Under 10 ns pulses, the removal of voltage leads to a significant increase in anode sheath thickness. Under 100 ns pulse, the ions collide in the cathode sheath after the pulse ends, resulting in ion energy loss. Finally, by scanning the parameter space, we give the Paschen curve and observe higher breakdown voltage in the pulse case and the impact of ion secondary electrons.