Abstract Details
Abstracts
Author: Mark C Zammit
Requested Type: Poster
Submitted: 2026-03-20 12:12:36
Co-authors: E.P.Aubin, R.M.Park, A.J.Neukirch, K.Bartschat, J.Colgan, C.J.Fontes, N.A.Garland, X.Tang
Contact Info:
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Bikini Atoll Rd
Los Alamos, 87545
USA
Abstract Text:
Current particle-in-cell Monte Carlo (PIC-MC) plasma simulation codes utilize an eclectic set of atomic and molecular cross section data to perform calculations. The availability of differential (angle and energy) resolved cross section data suited for simulation purposes is often limited, and simplified scattering models are used in situ. 0D direct simulation plasma codes offer a platform on which to test these more advanced models easily for a variety of purposes.
In this poster, we showcase the effect of differential elastic and ionization cross section models on the electron transport of low-temperature plasmas. Several gases are simulated using high-fidelity anisotropic elastic scattering models and electron ionization energy sharing models
[1-3]. We use our newly developed and publicly available 0D direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) code "ThunderBoltz" [4] to produce high-quality electron velocity distribution functions, kinetic reaction rates, and electron mobility and diffusion coefficients. We compare these transport parameters to demonstrate the importance of using higher fidelity differential collision models and outline scenarios where these more detailed models are necessary.
[1] R. M Park et al., Plasma Sources Science and Technology 31, 065013 (2022).
[2] E. P. Aubin et al., in prep. (2026).
[3] R. M. Park et al., in prep. (2026).
[4] R. M Park et al., Plasma Sources Science and Technology 33, 095007 (2024).
Characterization: 4.0
Comments: