Plasma Module

New Functionality in Version 5.2a

The DC Discharge and Capacitively Coupled Plasma interfaces have been replaced and consolidated into a new interface called Plasma. The Plasma interface includes all the functionality of the DC Discharge and Capacitively Coupled Plasma interfaces. Upon opening a model containing a DC Discharge and Capacitively Coupled Plasma interface, it is converted to the new Plasma interface. The original interface Label, Name, and Tag are retained for backward compatibility.

The Inductively Coupled Plasma and Microwave Plasma interfaces have been reimplemented as multiphysics interfaces combining the Plasma and Magnetic Fields interfaces and Plasma and Electromagnetic Waves, Frequency Domain interfaces, respectively. A table summarizing these changes is as follows:

Table 1-4: summary of changes to the physics interfaces in the plasma module

Old Interface name (prior to V5.2a)	new interface name(s)
DC Discharge	Plasma
Capacitively Coupled Plasma	Plasma
Microwave Plasma	Plasma Electromagnetic Waves, Frequency Domain
Inductively Coupled Plasma	Plasma Magnetic Fields

Coupling between the high-frequency fields and plasma for the Inductively Coupled Plasma and Microwave Plasma interfaces is now done using multiphysics coupling features. The Plasma Conductivity Coupling feature computes the electric conductivity required by the Magnetic Fields or Electromagnetic Waves, Frequency Domain interfaces based on the electron density, collision frequency, and angular frequency, using the cold plasma approximation. The Electron Heat Source feature computes the collisional heating of electrons based on the plasma conductivity and electric field.