Radio-frequency discharges in Oxygen. Part 1: Modeling

In this series of three papers we present results from a combined experimental and theoretical effort to quantitatively describe capacitively coupled radio-frequency discharges in oxygen. The particle-in-cell Monte-Carlo model on which the theoretical description is based will be described in the present paper. It treats space charge fields and transport processes on an equal footing with the most important plasma-chemical reactions. For given external voltage and pressure, the model determines the electric potential within the discharge and the distribution functions for electrons, negatively charged atomic oxygen, and positively charged molecular oxygen. Previously used scattering and reaction cross section data are critically assessed and in some cases modified. To validate our model, we compare the densities in the bulk of the discharge with experimental data and find good agreement, indicating that essential aspects of an oxygen discharge are captured.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figure

Particle-in-cell Monte Carlo and fluid simulations of argon-oxygen plasma: Comparisons with experiments and validations

This article was published in the journal, Physics of plasmas and is also available at: http://pop.aip.org/pop/top.jsp or http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.2179430Particle-in-cell Monte Carlo collision (PIC-MCC) and fluid simulations of argon-oxygen plasmas in capacitively and inductively coupled plasma reactors are presented. Potential profiles and electron/ ion kinetic information such as electron/ion energy distributions and temperatures are compared with experimental data as well as with other analytical and numerical results. One-dimensional PIC-MCC simulations compare favorably with experimental data obtained in capacitively coupled reactors over a wide range of pressure and power. Two-dimensional fluid simulations of capacitive discharges differs from the results of PIC-MCC simulations as nonlocal effects play an important role in these discharges. Fluid simulations as nonlocal inductively coupled plasmas, however, agree favorably with experimental observations