A kinetic model of the plasma-sheath problem is presented that includes the effects of charge-exchange collisions of the ion. The collisions are modeled as a sink for accelerated ions and as a source of cold ions. Solutions are obtained by numerical integration of Poisson’s equation from a point near the plasma midplane to the wall. In the quasineutral region, these solutions agree with earlier analytic work. As the mean free path is decreased, the current density at the wall decreases and the potential profile in the quasineutral region shows a smooth transition from a parabolic profile to a nearly cubic profile determined by the ion mobility. An approximate expression is found for the ion flux to the wall in the collisional limit.

• Received 6 January 2004

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.70.026408