Modeling and measurement of submicron particles in rf plasmas in Ar

The work is focused on the growth and transport of submicron particles in nonreactive radiofrequency plasma in Ar at 13.56 MHz, studied by numerical modeling using the relaxation continuum model, and by experiment using spatio-temporally resolved optical emission spectroscopy with Mie scattering. The particle growth/decay under conditions of the initially injected (CF2)n, and the related spatiotemporal change of the rf plasma structure, are discussed in terms of their numerical and experimental results. The results give suggestions with respect to the influence of particles in a dusty rf plasma system, such as dry etching and sputtering. 17 refs., 8 figs