Capacitively Coupled Plasma Analysis

Plasmas consist of electrons, ions, and neutral species interacting with each other and with externally imposed electromagnetic fields. Plasma etching and deposition of thin films are critical processes in the manufacture of advanced microelectronic devices. These processes commonly utilize a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP), in which the plasma is initiated and sustained by an oscillating electric field in a region between two or more electrodes. While CCPs are typically generated at frequencies in the 10-100 MHz range, some applications benefit from operation at lower frequencies. In this regime, free electrons are generated both by collisions between electrons and atoms or molecules, and by secondary electron emission caused by ion bombardment of the electrodes.