Evolution of Particle-in-Cell Plasma Simulation

Particle-in-cell (PIC) methods first made it feasible to simulate plasmas and microwave devices in two dimensions on 1960s computers. In this approach, the electromagnetic interactions between charged particles are mediated by a spatial mesh, on which currents and field are defined. The dominance of long-range forces in weakly coupled plasma means that the mesh and time-step do not have to resolve nearest neighbor interactions. Advances in algorithms and parallel computers have greatly expanded the applicability of PIC. We review this evolution, with particular emphasis on the contributions of Prof. Ned Birdsall and those he influenced.