PIC/MCC analysis of a photoresonance plasma sustained in a sodium vapor

A parallel 1d3v Particle in Cell/Monte Carlo Collision (PIC/MCC) code was derived and applied for the investigation of the formation of photoplasma in sodium vapor. The effects of particle weighting and the Courant number on the computed plasma properties were examined, and the convergence of the numerical method with respect to these parameters was demonstrated. Simulations were carried out for the stepwise spatial profile of the resonant sodium atoms density. The basic plasma parameters (such as eedf, iedf, atomic and molecular ion and electron densities, and electric field and potential) were computed. The results of the PIC/MCC simulations were compared to those obtained from the fluid model. Simulations revealed a strong spatial non-uniformity in the electron density and the electric potential over the computational domain that provides evidence in favour of photovoltaic conversion of light energy into electrical energy.