New in version PLASIMO-7.0 (compared to 6.0.x):

New features

  • A ray-tracing module has been added. It can be coupled self-consistently with the 2T-ambipolar and LTE models.  
  • A radiation profile module has been added.
  • A surface chemistry module has been added. It can be coupled self-consistently with the Global Model and the Drift-Diffusion Model.
  • A model for calculating diffusion coefficients and mobilities has been added.
  • A model for solving user-specified sets of ordinary differential equations has been added.
  • A built-in BOLSIG+ library is now available in PLASIMO. It can be coupled self-consistently with the Global Model and the Drift-Diffusion Model.
  • A Chemistry Analysis tool is now available for the Global Model and the Drift-Diffusion Model.
  • The Chemistry Analysis tool now allows automatic reduction of chemistries based on user-specified criteria by generating a “blacklist” of non-important species and reactions. Once generated, the blacklist can be used in input files and PLASIMO will ignore all the blacklisted species and reactions.
  • A reaction network graph has been added to the chemistry analysis: it generates a graph with a reaction network based on a selection of species and filtering options.
  • A “TimeSettings” GUI extension is now available for time-dependent models. It allows the adjustment of the following time-dependent settings for the active schedule block: minimum allowed time step, maximum allowed time step and maximum relative change.
  • An option for performing a series of simulations with variable parameters has been added. This functionality is available only for the console application.
  • All models now accept multiple ReactionList and SpeciesList sections inside the mixture definition. This facilitates the composition of a mixture from multiple sources.
  • A number of new ReactionList types have been added that allow automatic construction of vibrational excitation, V-V and V-T reaction groups using scaling laws.
  • A new ReactionList type LXCat is available that enables direct use of electron-impact cross-sections from the LXCat database (https://lxcat.net).
  • A new ReactionList type allows construction of a series of related reactions from a user-defined template.
  • The rate coefficient type K(eps) is now available for all models (this used to be a feature of only the Drift Diffusion Model). It is similar to type K(T), but expects a look-up table that depends on a mean energy. The code calculates this energy from the reaction temperature T as ε=1.5 kB T.
  • Drift-Diffusion model
    • It is possible to calculate magnetostatic fields and take into account magnetized transport for the electrons.
    • It is also possible to set up ICP calculations in the time domain. Apart from the Poisson equation for the electrostatic fields, the time-dependent Maxwell-Ampere equation for the azimuthal E-field is solved.
    • It is now possible to take into account ion inertia in the ion momentum equation. Instead of the drift-diffusion equation, a more complete momentum equation is solved for the ion velocity.
    • This model can now be coupled self-consistently with gas temperature and flow field calculations.
  • Global Model
    • It is now possible to model one- and two-temperature plasmas, quasi neutral, and non-quasi neutral plasmas.
    • An option for E/N-based calculations has been added.
    • An option for initialization from a previous run has been added.
    • An option has been added to account for losses due to flow.
    • A new plugin has been added to account for wall losses. The fluxes to the walls for all species are calculated based on expressions for a collisionless sheaths in contact with a floating wall according to E.G. Thorsteinsson et al, PSST, 19(015001), 2009.

Usability improvements

  • It is no longer necessary to add Plugins sections to your input files. PLASIMO will detect which Plugins are needed, based on the type of the model and the contents of the specific input file. In the very special case that additional plugins are really needed, specify sections AdditionalPlugins instead. Most users will simply need to remove all Plugins sections from their model input files to avoid 'tin file errors' when reading or installing the model.
  • For 1-3D models, the output data per species and per reaction are now grouped in one file per variable, such as densities, sources, transport coefficients, power dissipation, rates, rate coeffcients.

For the complete list of changes and fixes, please refer to the NEWS file in the PLASIMO package.

For any additional information, please send an email to info@plasma-matters.nl.