Computational simulation of a particle-laden RF inductively coupled plasma with seeded potassium

In the present study, the plasma properties, the thermofluid fields and the induction electromagnetic fields and further the in-flight particle behaviors in the radio frequency inductively coupled plasma (RF-ICP), which is electrically enhanced by seeding potassium vapor, are investigated by computational simulation. Since an electrically enhanced plasma is also influenced considerably by the applied coil frequency, the plasma structure and the in-flight particle behaviors in seeding potassium vapor are correspondingly influenced and have distinctive profiles. Due to the electrical enhancement of RF-ICP with potassium seeding, the frequency effect on particle heating becomes more considerable. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.