Potential Array

A SIMION potential array (PA) is a 2D or 3D rectangular grid (sometimes called a “mesh”) of points in space. It’s purpose is to store electrode geometries and/or potentials at each point in that geometry.

Each point defines

  • a potential (electrostatic or scalar magnetic potential)
  • a flag marking the point as an electrode or non-electrode point.

Electrode points in a PA do two things:

  • First, they define Dirichlet Boundary Conditions when solving the electric field via the Laplace Equation. This occurs during Refine.
  • Second, they will splat particle touching them if the electrodes are at least one grid unit thick (two rows of points). If an electrode is infinitely thin (one row of points), particles will pass right through them. This occurs during the Fly’m.

A PA also contains a header section with general information about the PA such as the dimensions of the PA and whether the PA has symmetry or mirroring.

Note

This page is abridged from the full SIMION "Supplemental Documentation" (Help file). The following additional sections can be found in the full version of this page accessible via the "Help > Supplemental Documentation" menu in SIMION 8.1.1 or above:
  • File Format