Hostname: page-component-7bb8b95d7b-s9k8s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-09-06T15:15:49.211Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Parallel implementation of a three-dimensional electrostatic PIC–MCC method using an unstructured tetrahedral mesh

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 December 2006

J.-S. WU
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Chiao-Tung University, Hsinchu 30050, Taiwan
K.-H. HSU
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Chiao-Tung University, Hsinchu 30050, Taiwan

Abstract

A parallel three-dimensional electrostatic particle-in-cell Monte Carlo Collision (PIC–MCC) code using an unstructured tetrahedral mesh is developed and validated in this paper. Poisson's equation is discretized by a nodal finite element method using a linear interpolation function. Charged-particle motion is traced cell by cell using a leap-frog method and the Boris scheme. Code is validated using quasi-one-dimensional radiofrequency gas discharge by observing the bi-Maxwellian electron energy probability distribution function at low pressure. Parallel performance of the PIC code is tested using a three-dimensional radiofrequency gas discharge on a PC-cluster system. Results show that parallel efficiency of 83% can be achieved at 32 processors with dynamic domain decomposition.

Type
Papers
Copyright
2006 Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)