Sensitivity studies for volume averaged models of plasma etch reactors

A well-stirred reactor model is employed to model the etching of silicon in low pressure chlorine/argon plasmas. The model gives the spatially average d species composition and etch rate in a plasma etch reactor by solving con servation equations for species, mass and electron energy distribution func tion (EEDF). Systematic sensitivity analyses, made possible by a new iterat ive approach, allows the identification of key parameters for improved faul t detection and model based process control of plasma reactors. (C) 2001 El sevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.