Simulation benchmarks of the PIC-MCC codes XPDP1 and VSim for capacitively coupled plasma helium and argon discharges

In the field of plasma physics, the combination of the particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations with Monte Carlo collisions (MCC) has proven to be a significant tool for exploring the complexities of capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) discharges. Our prior work has showcased the effectiveness of the XPDP1 code, a PIC-MCC simulation tool, in aligning with the VSim simulation package for low-temperature helium CCP discharges. Advancing from this baseline, the current study broadens the examination to include argon discharges, presenting a detailed benchmarking of the XPDP1 code for argon gas settings. Argon CCP discharges introduce unique challenges compared to those of helium, including increased sensitivity to simulation variables like the number of particles and mesh sizes, and a more complex route to stabilization. To improve the precision of our simulations, we replaced the functional cross-sectional data in XPDP1 with the more detailed LXCat database, consistent with our method for helium discharges. This modification has led to a good agreement between the XPDP1 and the VSim simulations for both helium and argon CCP discharges. The thorough benchmarks of the XPDP1 code against VSim package not only validate both codes for different CCP discharges but serve as a foundation for extending the study of CCP discharges to higher dimensions. The findings confirm the adaptability and accuracy of XPDP1 in managing different gas environments in CCP simulations. Detailed simulation results and discussions will be presented.