Study of the sputtered Cu atoms and Cu{sup +} ions in a hollow cathode glow discharge using a hybrid model

Journal Article · Mon Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 2005 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2005381· OSTI ID:20714010

Baguer, N; Bogaerts, A ^[1]

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1. Department of Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Wilrijk-Antwerp (Belgium)

The role of the Cu atoms sputtered from the cathode material in a cylindrical hollow cathode discharge (HCD) and the corresponding Cu{sup +} ions are studied with a self-consistent model based on the principle of Monte Carlo (MC) and fluid simulations. In order to obtain a more realistic view of the discharge processes, this model is coupled with other submodels, which describe the behavior of electrons, fast Ar atoms, Ar{sup +} ions, and Ar metastable atoms, also based on the principles of MC and fluid simulations. Typical results are, among others, the thermalization profile of the Cu atoms, the fast Cu atom, the thermal Cu atom and Cu{sup +} ion fluxes and densities, and the energy distribution of the Cu{sup +} ions. It was found that the contribution of the Ar{sup +} ions to the sputtering was the most significant, followed by the fast Ar atoms. At the cathode bottom, there was no net sputtered flux but a net amount of redeposition. Throughout the discharge volume, at all the conditions investigated, the largest concentration of Cu atoms was found in the lower half of the HCD, close to the bottom. Penning ionization was found the main ionization mechanism for the Cu atoms. The ionization degree of copper atoms was found to be in the same order as for the argon atoms (10{sup -4})

• OSTI ID: 20714010
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 98; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ARGON
ARGON IONS
ATOMS
COPPER
COPPER IONS
CYLINDRICAL CONFIGURATION
ELECTRONS
ENERGY SPECTRA
GLOW DISCHARGES
HOLLOW CATHODES
IONIZATION
MONTE CARLO METHOD
PLASMA
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA SIMULATION
SPUTTERING
THERMALIZATION