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Boundary function method to find the asymptotic solution of the plasma—sheath equation

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Abstract

We consider the asymptotic solution of the Tonks—Langmuir integro-different equation with an Emmert kernel, which describes the behavior of the potential both inside the main plasma volume and in a thin boundary layer. Equations of this type are singularly perturbed due to the small coefficient at the highest order (second) derivative. The asymptotic solution is obtained by the boundary function method. Equations are derived for the first two coefficients in the regular expansion series and in the boundary function expansion. The equation for the first coefficient of the regular series has only a trivial solution. Second-order differential equations are obtained for the first two boundary functions. The equation for the first boundary function is solved numerically on a discrete grid with locally uniform spacing. An approximate analytical expression for the first boundary function is obtained from the linearized equation. This solution adequately describes the behavior of the potential on small distances only.

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Translated from Prikladnaya Matematika i Informatika, No. 19, pp. 21–40, 2004.

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Filippychev, D.S. Boundary function method to find the asymptotic solution of the plasma—sheath equation. Comput Math Model 17, 14–31 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10598-006-0009-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10598-006-0009-1

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