Particle-in-Cell/Monte Carlo simulation of CF4 discharge in capacitively coupled plasma reactor

The structures of the CF4 radio-frequency discharge between parallel electrodes is presented by using the Particle-in-Cell/Monte Carlo method (PIC/MCM). The simulation takes into account four types of charged species, negative and positive ions, and electrons. Positive-negative ion recombination which plays an important role in the charged particle balance is also considered in the model using method proposed by Nanbu and Denpoh. The structure of the CF4 discharge is typically electronegative discharge and is characterized by the presence of negative ions, which are the dominant negative charged species. The abundance of negative ions is considered to be one of the main features in the discharges and this profoundly influences the sheath dynamics such as electric field reversal, double layer structure and local maxima of electron density.