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

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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.