Breakdown modes of capacitively coupled plasma II: unsustainable discharges

Abstract

In this work, the one-dimensional implicit particle-in-cell/Monte-Carlo collision code (PIC/MCC) is used to study the discharge of a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) under extremely low pressure driven by high-frequency rf power in pure argon. With the introduction of high-coefficient electron-induced secondary electron emission (ESEE) and a blocking capacitor, the discharge that cannot be sustained shows a variety of different characteristics: including the normal failure discharge (NFD) of the electron avalanche, bias failure discharge caused by the charging effect of the blocking capacitor, and runaway failure discharge caused by the decrease in the ESEE rate during the forming of the sheath. The discharges in low-pressure regions exhibit a range of discharge characteristics, the sustainable discharges of which have been analyzed in more detail. The study of unsustainable discharge helps to find the reasons for failure discharge and then determine the parameters of sustainable discharge, which is of great value in preventing plasma crack, equipment product yield, and equipment safety to help prevent industrial losses.