61st Annual Gaseous Electronics Conference
Volume 53, Number 10
Monday–Friday, October 13–17, 2008;
Dallas, Texas
Session WF3: Computational Methods for Plasmas
10:00 AM–12:00 PM,
Friday, October 17, 2008
Room: Addison Room
Chair: J.P. Boeuf, LAPLACE, CNRS - University of Toulouse
Abstract ID: BAPS.2008.GEC.WF3.5
Abstract: WF3.00005 : 3-Dimensional Modeling of Capacitively and Inductively Coupled Plasma Etching Systems
11:15 AM–11:45 AM
Preview Abstract
Abstract
Author:
Shahid Rauf
(Applied Materials, Inc.)
Low temperature plasmas are widely used for thin film etching
during micro and nano-electronic device fabrication. Fluid and
hybrid plasma models were developed 15-20 years ago to understand
the fundamentals of these plasmas and plasma etching. These
models have significantly evolved since then, and are now a major
tool used for new plasma hardware design and problem resolution.
Plasma etching is a complex physical phenomenon, where
inter-coupled plasma, electromagnetic, fluid dynamics, and
thermal effects all have a major influence. The next frontier in
the evolution of fluid-based plasma models is where these models
are able to self-consistently treat the inter-coupling of plasma
physics with fluid dynamics, electromagnetics, heat transfer and
magnetostatics. We describe one such model in this paper and
illustrate its use in solving engineering problems of interest
for next generation plasma etcher design. Our 3-dimensional
plasma model includes the full set of Maxwell equations,
transport equations for all charged and neutral species in the
plasma, the Navier-Stokes equation for fluid flow, and
Kirchhoff's equations for the lumped external circuit. This model
also includes Monte Carlo based kinetic models for secondary
electrons and stochastic heating, and can take account of plasma
chemistry. This modeling formalism allows us to self-consistently
treat the dynamics in commercial inductively and capacitively
coupled plasma etching reactors with realistic plasma
chemistries, magnetic fields, and reactor geometries. We are also
able to investigate the influence of the distributed
electromagnetic circuit at very high frequencies (VHF) on the
plasma dynamics. The model is used to assess the impact of
azimuthal asymmetries in plasma reactor design (e.g., off-center
pump, 3D magnetic field, slit valve, flow restrictor) on plasma
characteristics at frequencies from 2 -- 180 MHz.
With Jason Kenney, Ankur Agarwal, Ajit Balakrishna, Kallol Bera,
and Ken Collins.
To cite this abstract, use the following reference: http://meetings.aps.org/link/BAPS.2008.GEC.WF3.5