Kinetic modeling of plasma-material interactions by coupling particle-in-cell and binary collision approximation codes

Drobny, Jon

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/120217 Copy

Description

Title

Kinetic modeling of plasma-material interactions by coupling particle-in-cell and binary collision approximation codes

Author(s)

Drobny, Jon

Issue Date

2023-04-07

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Curreli, Davide

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Curreli, Davide

Committee Member(s)

• Sankaran, Mohan
• Rovey, Joshua L
• Ruzic, David N

Department of Study

Nuclear, Plasma, & Rad Engr

Discipline

Nuclear, Plasma, Radiolgc Engr

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

• plasma
• binary collision approximation
• BCA
• plasma-material interactions
• PMI
• particle-in-cell
• PIC
• integrated modeling
• fusion
• fusion materials
• boron

Abstract

Plasma-material interactions are vastly important to the study of plasma physics -- in fact, laboratory plasmas could not exist without them. Thermionic emission, secondary electron emission, the development of plasma sheaths, and ion-material interactions such as reflection, sputtering, and chemical or morphological changes brought about by implantation are but a few of the microscopic interactions that can have a macroscopic effect on plasma. Due to their complexity, plasma-material interactions are often analyzed using reduced models, such as empirical formulas for the sputtering yield or simplifying assumptions such as the logical sheath; however, the use of reduced models obscures much of the complexity of the interaction. To accurately model the plasma-material interface, near-first-principles models must be developed. Most promising among these in terms of feasible computation are the particle-in-cell kinetic plasma model and the binary collision approximation ion-material interactions model. By directly coupling these two models, a fully kinetic, widely applicable model of plasma-material interactions can be developed without resorting to reduced models or overly simplifying assumptions. In order to fill this role, I have developed RustBCA, a from-scratch, high-performance, modern BCA code, and with it, bindings for coupling that have allowed its integration into an advanced particle-in-cell code. Additionally, novel RustBCA features such as arbitrary attractive-repulsive potentials and 3D morphology will allow higher fidelity modeling of the plasma-material interface than has been available previously. In this work, the design and development of RustBCA, its novel features, and the construction of a coupled particle-in-cell and binary collision approximation code will be covered. A validation exercise comparing results to real-time boronization experiments at DIII-D will highlight the practical applications of the model.

Graduation Semester

2023-05

Type of Resource

Thesis

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2023 by Jon Drobny. All rights reserved.

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