Self-Consistent Monte-Carlo Particle Simulations for Collisional Low Temperature Plasmas: Applications to Magnetron Deposition/Etching Systems

粒子模拟现在普遍应用于分析的充分 和部分电离的等离子体。 先进的技术已经 开发自洽模拟完全电离和固态 等离子 相比之下，使用蒙特卡罗粒子模拟 (MCS模拟低温部分电离碰撞 等离子体处于未成熟的发展状态。 这种情况 由于难以自洽地包括影响， 电子-电子碰撞和电荷密度的变化 由于在高度碰撞条件下MCS中的稀疏电离碰撞， 条件 这些过程所处的参数空间 重要的是，MCS是最实用的方法， 分析，包括许多技术上重要的等离子体设备。 在这些装置中有等离子体处理反应器，等离子体开关， 离子源和较高压力放电的鞘区。 在 这项工作，计算技术将被开发，从而MCS的 可以自洽地应用于部分电离的分析。 等离子体，同时包括电荷密度的变化（泊松 方程）和电子传输性质，并且包括电子- 电子碰撞 粒子-粒子，粒子-网格。和混合 将研究粒子连续谱技术。 有效性 这些技术的实用性将通过使用它们来证明， 一种用于磁控管放电源的模型， 开发用于等离子体沉积/蚀刻应用。 这些放电 源具有高处理速率的潜力， 衬底损伤 该模型将通过比较 实验数据的主要研究人员正在获得一个相关的 调查

Particle simulations are now commonly applied to the analysis of fully and partially ionized plasmas. Sophisticated techniques have been developed to self-consistently simulate fully ionized and solid state plasmas. In comparison, the use of Monte Carlo Particle Simulations (MCS's) for modeling low temperature partially ionized collisional plasmas is in an immature state of development. This condition results from the difficulty of selfconsistently including the effects of electron - electron collisions and changes in the charge density due to sparse ionization collisions in a MCS under highly collisional conditions. The parameter space in which these processes are important, and for which MCS's are the most practical method of analysis, includes many technologically important plasma devices. Among these devices are plasma processing reactors, plasma switches, ion sources, and the sheath regions of higher pressure discharges. In this work, computational techniques will be developed whereby MCS's may be self-consistently applied to the analysis of partially ionized plasma while including changes in the charge density (Poisson's equation) and electron transport properties, and including electron - electron collisions. Particle - particle, particle - mesh. and hybrid particle - continuum techniques will be investigated. The validity and utility of these techniques will be demonstrated by using them in a model for magnetron discharge sources of the type now being developed for plasma deposition/etching applications. These discharge sources have the potential for high processing rates with low substrate damage. The model will be validated by comparing to experimental data the principal investigator is obtaining in a related investigation.