Mechanisms of the formation of the electron distribution function in the low-pressure capacitively coupled RF discharges

Conference · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:213002

Berezhnoi, S V; Kaganovich, I D; Schweigert, V A ^[1]

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1. St. Petersburg State Technical Univ. (Russian Federation); and others

The method of the fast modelling M of the low-pressure capacitively coupled RF discharge is proposed. The electron kinetics is described by the spatially and temporally averaged Boltzmann equation, the electron distribution function (EDF) is considered as a function of the full energy {epsilon} = mv{sup 2}/2 + e{Phi}(x). The electric field in quasi-neutral plasma phase where (and when) n{sub e} {approx} n{sub i} is small. It can be divided into oscillatory part, which leads to ordinary ohmic heating, and dc part {Phi}(x) which doesn`t lead to heating and is to be included in {epsilon}. The interaction of electrons with the high electric field in the sheath of the ionic space-charge was treated as elastic collisions with rigid moving wall in the electron Boltzmann equation. It corresponds to the phenomenon of the electron stochastic heating. The width of the transition region (which is of order of Debye radius) was neglected. The profiles of electric fields were found self-consistently. For this procedure the explicit solution of the Poisson equation in the plasma is not necessary.

• OSTI ID: 213002
• Report Number(s): CONF-950749--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

66 PHYSICS
BOLTZMANN EQUATION
CURRENT DENSITY
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
ELECTRON COLLISIONS
ELECTRON DENSITY
HIGH-FREQUENCY DISCHARGES
ION DENSITY