The possibility of multi-step ionization realization

[zhongerting]

Hello PICLas team,

I am writing to express my strong interest in using PICLas for simulating low-temperature plasmas relevant to thermionic energy conversion. In our current research, excitation and ionization processes are of critical importance. We are particularly keen to investigate multi-step ionization, whereby atoms are first excited to higher energy states, which then undergo subsequent ionization.

Would it be feasible to simulate such a process using PICLas?

[pnizenkov]

Dear Haocheng,

if you want to use the PIC-MCC approach using a constant background gas, you currently cannot model multi-step ionization processes in PICLas. If you want to use PIC-DSMC, this would be possible, however, this means that every species in the simulation is considered using simulation particles. Depending on the application this may result in a large number of simulation particles for the neutral species and may be impractical.

We are looking at this issue as well, so there might be a development in the future introducing multi-step ionization in the PIC-MCC module.

Best,
Paul