Developers of LoKI-B sign license agreement with Plasma Matters B.V.
The LisbOn KInetics Boltzmann solver (LoKI-B) is an open-source simulation tool (under GNU GPL 3.0) developed by members of the group N-Plasmas Reactive: Modelling and Engineering (N-PRiME) with the Instituto de Plasmas e Fusão Nuclear of Instituto Superior Técnico, leveraging on its scientific heritage in the field of non-equilibrium plasma kinetics.
LoKI-B solves the time and space independent form, or a time-dependent form, of the two-term electron Boltzmann equation, for non-magnetised non-equilibrium low-temperature plasmas excited by DC/HF electric fields from different gases or gas mixtures, and it was developed as a response to the need of having an electron Boltzmann solver easily addressing the simulation of the electron kinetics in any complex gas mixture (of atomic / molecular species), describing first and second-kind electron collisions with any target state (electronic, vibrational and rotational), characterized by any user-prescribed population. The tool is developed with flexible and upgradable object-oriented programming under MATLAB, to benefit from its matrix-based architecture, adopting an ontology that privileges the separation between tool and data.
Plasma Matters B.V. (PM) is a software company that specializes in plasma modelling and numerical simulations. Plasma Matters offers scientific expertise and the industry-strength plasma simulation software PLASIMO to academic and industrial customers that employ plasma technologies.
The company helps customers to optimize their plasma production processes, solve short-term issues and develop innovative plasma technologies. The in-house developed PLASIMO software is capable of simulating a large variety of plasma sources at a wide range of operating conditions thanks to its state-of-the-art simulation tools and methods, its efficient design and implementation. The software holds a unique combination of high-quality scientific content, usability, configurability and qualified support.
PM is a spin-off of the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), particularly of the activity in modelling and numerical simulation with the group Elementary Processes in Gas Discharges (EPG).
The developers of LoKI-B signed a license agreement granting Plasma Matters permission to convey LoKI-B as part of its own software products. The agreement will promote a technical and scientific collaboration between N-PRiME, PM and EPG, aiming to consolidate LoKI-B, contributing to widen its dissemination, and enhancing the features of PLASIMO. Under this partnership, we have already started the development of LoKI-B under C++; the new version of the tool is currently under verification to be released later. The new partnership will foster also new advances in the modelling and simulation of low temperature plasmas.
