Plasma kinetics of c-C4F8 inductively coupled plasma revisited

Abstract

In this work, we improve the plasma kinetics of perfluorocyclobutane (c-C4F8), one of the most important gases in plasma etching applications. We use the self-consistent plasma fluid simulation model coupled with a comprehensive finite-rate chemical reaction mechanism. First, we discuss the deficiencies of the existing mechanisms of plasma chemical reactions found in the literature and the approach to improve these mechanisms. Second, we compare the results of our self-consistent simulations of inductively coupled plasmas in pure c-C4F8 with the experimental results obtained using the Gas Electronics Conference reference cell plasma reactor. Finally, we analyze the influence of various model parameters such as the surface reactions mechanism, gas pressure, discharge power, and electron stochastic heating length scale on the plasma parameters. We discuss how these parameters influence the kinetics of the dominant plasma species.