Effect of electron energy distribution function on the global model for high power microwave breakdown at high pressures

Abstract

Most volume-averaged global models assume a Maxwellian distribution for the electron energy distribution function (EEDF) in plasma discharges. The electrons, however, are not in the equilibrium in most discharges unless the electron-electron collision is dominant. The assumption of a Maxwellian EEDF can result in inaccurate reaction rate coefficients for the plasma discharge and lead to the wrong breakdown behavior prediction. Since the collisional plasma properties strongly depend on those coefficients, they are important to predict the plasma breakdown properly. This work will demonstrate the effect of the EEDF on the global model and propose a method to find an approximation of the EEDF that can improve the fidelity of the global model for prediction of high power microwave (HPM) breakdown in the high pressure regime.