Particle-in-cell method for numerical simulation of beam and plasma dynamics

The finite particle methods are widely applied for the numerical simulation of a continuous medium including continuum electrodynamics and simulation of charged particle beams. This method allows studying the detailed beam and plasma characteristics, the distribution function of particles, the nonlinear self and external fields. The so-called “particle-in-cell” method is the most effective for simulations in the physics of plasma and charged particle beams.Two examples illustrate the application of the particle-in-cell method in beam dynamics and plasma physics. The first is a program library for numerical simulation and optimization of multi-component ion beam transportation from ion sources where RFQ accelerators are presented. The latest version of the library was applied for simulations of transverse dynamics of an argon ion beam in the beam line from the 18 GHz ECR Ion Source to the linear RFQ accelerator of the RIKEN Beam Factory. A partial neutralization of ion beam charge due to secondary electrons was assumed to realize the real experimental conditions in the beam line and was used in simulation. The second is a summary of recent development of physical and mathematical basements and the first version of a computer code library aimed for the three-dimensional (3D) simulation of the ECR plasma and ion production in the ECR ion source.