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An rf sheath model for high plasma density equipment simulations

Book ·
OSTI ID:178261
;  [1]
  1. Univ. of Illinois, Urbana, IL (United States). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering

In modeling plasma etching equipment, accurate representation of the rf sheath is required to properly simulate the dc bias, ambipolar field and electron heating. From a practical standpoint, numerically resolving the thin sheath encountered in high plasma density reactors in computer models of these devices is not feasible. Much progress has been made towards analytical solutions for radio frequency (rf) sheaths as encountered in plasma etching reactors. However, since these models typically require a priori knowledge of the bulk plasma conditions they must be integrated with plasma equipment models to be applied to conditions of interest. To address these issues, the authors have developed a sheath model which can be solved self-consistently within the framework of a 2-dimensional plasma equipment model. The sheath model has been incorporated into the fluid and electron Monte Carlo modules of a 2-dimensional hybrid model for Inductively Coupled Plasmas (ICPs). Results are presented for plasma potential profiles and electron heating in ICP reactors in which the substrate is independently biased.

OSTI ID:
178261
Report Number(s):
CONF-950612--; ISBN 0-7803-2669-5
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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