Energy Control of Ions from a Capacitively Coupled Plasma Using RF Resonance Method

Abstract

Simulation results obtained, using a particle-in-cell simulation code show that the RF resonance method can induce a strong electric field, even in the bulk, which maintains a high plasma density under the condition that plasma cannot be maintained without resonance at a pressure of 0.133 Pa. The high plasma density can be controlled by magnetic flux density and applied voltage. The magnetic flux density is a parameter which determines the strength of the resonance and the applied voltage increases the magnitude of the electric field in the bulk. A constant bulk condition, i.e., electron energy and plasma density distribution in the bulk, is shown to be realized for different combinations of the applied voltage and magnetic flux densities by adjusting the magnitude of the electric field in the bulk. Voltage across the sheath varies with the magnetic flux density. Since the ion energy at the electrode depends on the sheath feature, different ion energy distributions at an electrode are obtained under a constant bulk condition.