Numerical simulation of plasma flow downstream in an ECR plasma depositionapparatus

The plasma flow along the divergent magnetic field of an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma source has been simulated. We assume that ions unde rgo charge exchange and elastic scattering collisions with the neutral gas in the downstream region. An iterative scheme for solution of the Boltzmann equation and quasineutrality has been developed, based on a Monte Carlo de scription for ion dynamics and reasonable data in our experimental device. We studied the effects of the magnetic field configuration and neutral gas pressure on the plasma potential, density distribution along a divergent ma gnetic field, and the ion flux density and energy incident on a substrate. The numerical simulated results have been compared with the experimental da ta measured by using Langmuir probe in our ECR plasma chemical vapor deposi tion system. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.