Time-Dependent 2D Modeling of Magnetron Plasma Torch in Turbulent Flow

Abstract

A theoretical model is presented to describe the electromagnetic, heat transfer and fluid flow phenomena within a magnetron plasma torch and in the resultant plume, by using a commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code FLUENT. Specific calculations are presented for a pure argon system (i.e., an argon plasma discharging into an argon environment), operated in a turbulent mode. An important finding of this work is that the external axial magnetic field (AMF) may have a significant effect on the behavior of arc plasma and thus affects the resulting plume. The AMF impels the plasma to retract axially and expand radially. As a result, the plasma intensity distribution on the cross section of torch seems to be more uniform. Numerical results also show that with AMF, the highest plasma temperature decreases and the anode arc root moves upstream significantly, while the current density distribution at the anode is more concentrated with a higher peak value. In addition, the use of AMF then induces a strong backflow at the torch spout and its magnitude increases with the AMF strength but decreases with the inlet gas velocity.

Non-equilibrium simulation of the spatial and temporal behavior of a magnetically rotating arc in argon

“…In the plume, the gas temperature predicted by the LTE model exceeds the heavy particle temperature from the two-temperature model by about 2000 K. Note that in this region the non-equilibrium factor expressed by the ratio (T e − T )/T e has values above 0.4. The two-temperature model as well as the LTE model presented here predict significantly lower maximum gas temperatures than the two-dimensional model of a dc torch with the same configuration reported in [21]. Our model performed both in a 2-T description and in the LTE approximation has been validated in simple configuration with the model results and experimental data reported in [2] and [1], respectively.…”

“…Figure 1 shows a schematic view of the electrode region of the dc arc plasma torch studied. The configuration from [21] is used. It consists of a pin cathode with a diameter of 3 mm and 10 mm length, and a hollow anode of a diameter of 10 mm and 25 mm length.…”

A feedback model of magnetron sputtering plasmas in HIPIMS

“…A wide range of mathematical models have been proposed to describe and predict the behaviour of sputtering plasmas. Approaches include particle-in-cell [8], Monte Carlo calculations [9][10][11], fluid models [12][13][14], simple finite element analysis [15], molecular dynamics simulations [16][17][18][19], parametric pathway models [20][21][22][23] and analytical models [24,25]. Hybrid approaches are also being developed to address the shortcomings of any one approach.…”

Simulation of Magnetically Dispersed Arc Plasma

“…The temperature of diffused root arc plasma is lower than the temperature of the contracted root arc plasma. The peak temperature of the diffused root arc plasma is 10.7% less than that of a contracted root arc plasma, which is about 16800 K [10] .…”