Low Pressure Discharges in Plasma Reactors: Modelling and Computer-Aided Diagnostics

A one-dimensional, self-consistent hybrid plasma model is presented which describes both electro-positive and electro-negative radio frequency (RF) discharges within a unified formalism. The model allows for the simultaneous application of inductive and capacitive heating and is capable of representing RF-driven low pressure discharges as used in the processing of VLSI semiconductors. Our hybrid approach combines a streamlined fluid-dynamic plasma description with a microscopic Monte-Carlo scheme, and provides a more efficient method of plasma modeling than other methods which resolve the electron energy distribution. As an application, Id simulation results for an electro-negative gas (CI) and an electro-positive gas (Ar) are presented. A comparision with experimental Langmuir probe data shows a qualitative agreement.