2D & 3D computer modelling of low-temperature plasma sheaths with a particular focus on their mutual interaction

The presented thesis deals with the study of the sheath layer which is formed during the interaction of a low-temperature plasma with a solid object using computer modelling techniques. The theoretical part of the thesis summarizes knowledge about the physics of the sheath layer of electropositive and electronegative plasma and presents the theory of measuring plasma parameters using a Langmuir probe, including a discussion of the effect of collisions of charged particles with neutrals on the probe measurements. Further, theoretical descriptions of the plasma are presented which are the basis of the computer models created in the framework of the thesis: a particle model based on the Particle-in-Cell method and a fluid model of the drift-diffusion approximation of the plasma. The developed particle model works in 3D space, uses the null-collision Monte Carlo method to account for the effects of collisions of charged particles with neutrals and implements the Intel Math Kernel Library functions to solve the Poisson's equation. The fluid model is implemented using FeniCS software. At first, the developed models are used for the calculation of the sheath layer and the current-voltage characteristics of free-standing Langmuir probes of several types: a 1D model of an infinitely large planar probe, a 2D model of..