Modeling plasma discharges

Complete models are needed to understand the basic scaling behavior of properties such as species density, temperature and ionization rate as control parameters such as gas composition, pressure, electrical power and discharge geometry are varied. Such models become increasingly useful for physical understanding and design as the number of control parameters or the discharge complexity increases; e.g., combined dc-rf discharges, discharges with dc magnetic fields, complicated geometries, heating mechanisms, chemistry, etc. These effects must be incorporated into the simple models. The authors are studying reflex heating of electrons by the oscillating sheaths in a parallel plate rf discharge. This mechanisms can compete with the usual rf ohmic heating in low pressure, high frequency discharges. They are also studying geometrical effects in the dc, planar magnetron discharge