Modeling of the Inductive Coupled Plasma Discharges

Abstract

Inductively Coupled Plasma Discharges (ICP) currently are considered as the main tool for plasma processing in the microelectronics industry. A comprehensive understanding of ICP's functionality and behavior is fundamental for the evolution of this technology. This understanding requires its modeling as an electrical lumped circuit. Existing electrical models cannot explain all the characteristics of an ICP discharge, especially the E-to-H mode transition. In this work, preliminary results on the modeling of ICP plasma and the possibility to incorporate the plasma kinetics, particularly the effect of metastables on the transitions, is discussed.