An analytical model of multi-component single frequency capacitively coupled plasma and experimental validation*

An analytical model describing the hydrogen added argon capacitively coupled plasma (CPP) is pesented and its predictions are tested with the experimental results. In the analytical model, it is found that the radio frequency (rf) current density, electron temperature and density, as well as the density of ion in multi-component plasma collectively influence the normalized sheath potential and thickness. As for low pressure rf plasma, the sheath potential is the qualitative measure of the DC self bias, the trend of variation of DC self bias with hydrogen addition is predicted in this model. The behavior of single frequency multi-component CPP is experimentally studied by a homogeneous discharge model using discharge parameters. In the experiment with hydrogen added argon plasma, the rf power as well as the working pressures are varied. The addition of hydrogen to the argon discharge leads to a decrease of electron density and DC self bias. It also results an increase of electron temperature. Agreements of the experimental results with theoretical predictions are obtained at different experimental conditions.