THE EEDF IN A DIAMOND DEPOSITING MICROWAVE-DISCHARGE AND THE VALIDITYOF ASSUMING A MAXWELLIAN EEDF

She validity of assuming a Maxwellian electron energy distribution fun ction (EEDF) is examined for the case of a diamond depositing microwav e discharge in H-2 (with the effects of the carbon bearing species CH4 neglected). A Boltzmann kinetic model is developed for computation of the EEDF and this is used to predict rates for electron impact proces ses of interest. Particular attention is paid to the effects of supere lastic and electron-electron collisions. The rate coefficients are com pared with those obtained by assuming a Maxwellian EEDF of the same av erage energy as the calculated EEDF. Under typical reactor conditions, assumption of a Maxwellian EEDF is found to be satisfactory for predi cting the H-2 dissociation rate and local energy balance may be used t o predict the average electron energy.