Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “capacitance”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 433 records · Page 24
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2011

Power absorption in electrically asymmetric dual frequency capacitive radio frequency discharges

The symmetry of capacitive radio frequency discharges can be controlled via the electrical asymmetry effect by driving one electrode with a fundamental frequency and its second harmonic. In such electrically asymmetric discharges, the mean ion energies at both electrodes are controlled separately from the ion flux by tuning the phase angle {theta} between the harmonics at fixed voltage amplitudes. Here, the question why the ion flux is nearly independent of {theta} is answered by investigating the power absorbed by the electrons P{sub e} as a function of {theta} and time experimentally, by a particle in cell simulation, and an analytical model. The dynamics of P{sub e} is understood by the model and is found to be strongly affected by the choice of {theta}. However, on time average, P{sub e} is nearly constant, independently of {theta}. Thus, the ion flux remains approximately constant. In addition, it is shown that the absolute value of the individual voltages across the powered and grounded electrode sheath vary linearly with the dc self-bias. However, their sum remains constant. This yields, in combination with the constancy of the ion flux, a constant power absorbed by the ions and, in conclusion, a total power absorption that is independent of {theta}.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

Making a geometrically asymmetric capacitive rf discharge electrically symmetric

The electrical asymmetry effect in a spherical, geometrically asymmetric capacitive argon discharge driven by two consecutive harmonics is investigated using particle in cell simulations and analytical modeling. We find that the discharge asymmetry can be reduced electrically by tuning the phase shift between the driving frequencies, i.e., the absolute value of the dc self-bias voltage can be completely reduced and the mean ion energies at both electrodes can be adapted.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

PIC-MCC/Fluid Hybrid Model for Low Pressure Capacitively Coupled O{sub 2} Plasma

Low pressure capacitively coupled plasmas are extensively used for advanced microelectronic device fabrication. Due to long electron mean free path and large bias voltages in this regime, kinetic effects play an important role in the dynamics of low pressure discharges. To take account of the kinetic effects, a one-dimensional hybrid plasma model has been developed that couples the Particle-In-Cell (PIC) technique for charged species and a fluid method for neutral species. The PIC model uses the Monte Carlo Collision (MCC) method to account for collision processes. The fluid model for neutral species takes into account species transport in the plasma, chemical reactions, and surface processes. An electronegative O{sub 2} plasma is simulated for a range of pressures (10-300 mTorr) and rf voltages (200-600 V) at 60 MHz. Our model for the O{sub 2} plasma considers electrons, O{sub 2}{sup +}, O{sup -}, O, and O*. The reaction mechanism includes electron impact dissociation, ionization, dissociative attachment and ion-ion recombination. Computational results are compared to our previous simulations for an electropositive Ar discharge. The electrons primarily absorb power from the external power supply at the sheath edge during sheath expansion. Energetic beam electrons are generated at the sheath edge during electron heating, which are responsible for plasma production and sustenance through collisions. The negative ions are found to be confined in the bulk plasma due to the potential well. The ratio of negative ions to electrons increases with increase in pressure and decrease in rf voltage. The spatial profiles of charged and neutral species in the plasma are found to primarily depend on species sources due to collisional processes.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

PIC-MCC Simulations of Capacitive RF Discharges for Plasma Etching

A numerical study of parallel-plate rf discharges in Ar has been performed including the transport of ions and electrons in the sheath on the substrate. We employ a two-dimensional particle-in-cell with Monte Carlo collisions (PIC/MCC) method for an asymmetric capacitive discharge with an external electrical circuit containing a blocking capacitor and an rf power supply. The model gives self-consistently the dc self-bias voltages that usually occur on the rf-powered electrode, along with the energy and angular distribution of ion and electron fluxes incident on substrate surfaces. The peak electron density obtained in the discharge is 5.0x10{sup 8} cm{sup -3} at the Ar gas pressure of 20 mTorr, rf frequency of 13.56 MHz, and rf voltage of 100 V, where the dc self-bias voltage is determined to be -60 V. For the range of rf voltage (50-400 V) and frequency (13.56-40.68 MHz) examined, the peak electron density increases linearly with rf voltage and frequency squared. Higher rf frequency leads to larger distribution at lower incident angle of ions (more normal to the substrate surface), so that more desirable angular distribution is obtained.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

Diffusion Dynamics of Charged Dust Particles in Capacitively Coupled RF Discharge System

Dusty plasma is loosely defined as electron-ion plasma with additional charged components of micron-sized dust particles. In this study, we developed a particle diagnostic technique based on light scattering and particle tracking velocimetry to investigate the dynamics of micron-sized titanium oxide particles in Argon gas capacitively coupled rf-discharge. The particle trajectories are constructed from sequence of image frames and treated as sample paths of charged Brownian motion. At specific sets of plasma parameters, disordered liquid-like dust particle configuration are observed. Mean-square-displacement of the particle trajectories are determined to characterize the transport dynamics. We showed that the dust particles in disordered liquid phase exhibit anomalous diffusion with different scaling exponents for short and large time scales, indicating the presence of slow and fast modes which can be related to caging effect and dispersive transport, respectively.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

Effects of gas pressure on 60/13.56 MHz dual-frequency capacitively coupled plasmas

The electron energy probability functions (EEPFs) were measured with increasing gas pressure in 60/13.56 MHz dual-frequency capacitively coupled plasma (DF-CCP) using compensated Langmiur electrostatic probe. The transition pressure of heating mode from collisionless to collisional heating in 60/13.56 MHz DF-CCP is found to be significantly lower than that in 13.56 MHz single-frequency CCP. As the pressure increases, the EEPFs change from bi-Maxwellian to Druyvesteyn type which is similar with that in 60 MHz single-frequency CCP. The pressure dependence of electron densities, effective electron temperatures, floating potentials, and plasma potentials in 60/13.56 MHz DF-CCP were measured and were compared with that in 60 MHz single-frequency CCP. The pressure dependence of these plasma parameters in 60/13.56 MHz DF-CCP is similar with that in 60 MHz single-frequency CCP.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

Impact of phase lag on uniformity in pulsed capacitively coupled plasmas

Process uniformity of macro-scale parameters such as electron and ion densities is critical during any plasma process. Pulsed operation of multiple frequency capacitively coupled plasmas (CCPs) has been shown to improve profile characteristics of features during plasma etching. In this work, we consider pulsing of both power sources in a dual frequency CCP. The impact of phase lag between the high frequency and low frequency power pulses on plasma uniformity is examined using a two-dimensional computational plasma model. Results for Ar/CF{sub 4} gas mixture indicate that phase lag allows one to control plasma uniformity by modulating the time for which the high or low frequency source is on.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

Theoretical investigation of phase-controlled bias effect in capacitively coupled plasma discharges

We theoretically investigated the effect of phase difference between powered electrodes in capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) discharges. Previous experimental result has shown that the plasma potential could be controlled by using a phase-shift controller in CCP discharges. In this work, based on the previously developed radio frequency sheath models, we developed a circuit model to self-consistently determine the bias voltage from the plasma parameters. Results show that the present theoretical model explains the experimental results quite well and there is an optimum value of the phase difference for which the V{sub dc}/V{sub pp} ratio becomes a minimum.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2011

Phase-shift effects on growth and transport of dust particles in VHF capacitively coupled silane discharges: Two dimensional fluid simulation

A two-dimensional (2D) self-consistent fluid model is developed to describe the formation, subsequent growth, transport, and charging mechanisms of nanoparticles in a capacitively coupled silane discharge applied by two very high frequency (VHF) sources with phase shift. In this discharge process, large anions are produced by a series of chemical reactions of anions with silane molecules, while the lower limit of the initial nanoparticles are taken as large anions (Si{sub 12}H{sub 25}{sup -} and Si{sub 12}H{sub 24}{sup -}) to directly link the coagulation module with the nucleation module. And then, by using the coagulation module, the particle number density quickly decreases over several orders of magnitude, whereas the particle size strongly increases. We investigate in particular the growth of the nanoparticles ranging in size from {approx}1 to 50 nm in coagulation processes. The influences of controlled phase shifts between VHF (50 MHz) voltages on the electron density, electron temperature, nanoparticle uniformity, and deposition rate, are carefully studied. It is found from our simulation that the plasma density and nanoparticle density become center high and more uniform as the phase shift increases from 0 to 180 deg. Moreover, the role of phase-shift control in the silane discharge diluted with hydrogen gas is also discussed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2011

Influence of oxygen traces on an atmospheric-pressure radio-frequency capacitive argon plasma discharge

An atmospheric-pressure capacitive discharge source driven by radio-frequency power supply at 13.56 MHz has been developed experimentally that is capable of producing a homogeneous and cold glow discharge in O{sub 2}/Ar. With respect to the influence of oxygen component when diluted into argon plasma discharge on the discharge characteristics, the measurements of the electrical parameters (impedance, phase angle, resistance, and reactance) are made systematically and the densities of the metastable and resonant state of argon are determined by means of optical emission spectroscopy (OES). It is shown that the admixture of oxygen into argon plasma not only changes the electric characteristics but also alters the optical emission spectra greatly due to strong interaction between the oxygen content and the argon in the plasma environment.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

Langmuir probe diagnostics of electron energy distributions with optical emission spectroscopy in capacitively coupled rf discharge in nitrogen

Measurements with a rf compensated Langmuir probe and optical emission spectroscopy are carried out in capacitively coupled rf (13.56 MHz) pure nitrogen N{sub 2} discharges at fixed rf voltage over a wide range of pressure, 30 to 400 mTorr. The electron energy probability function (EEPF) measured below 100 mTorr resembles a bi-Maxwellian-type distribution. At pressure range of 100-200 mTorr, the EEPF has non-Maxwellian distribution with a ''dip'' near 4.5 eV. At the highest pressure of 400 mTorr, the EEPF evolves into a Druyvestein-like distribution and the ''dip'' disappears. The electron density significantly decreases with increase in the N{sub 2} pressure. On the other hand, the electron temperatures gradually decrease with an increase in N{sub 2} pressure, reaching minimum at 150 mTorr, beyond which it abruptly increases. Such evolution of the EEPFs shape with gas pressure has been discussed in terms of non-local electron kinetics and heating mode transition. The emission intensities of nitrogen (0-0) band of second positive system at 337.1 nm and (0-0) band of first negative systems at 391.4 nm are used to determine the dependence of their radiative states N{sub 2}(C{sup 3}{Pi}{sub u}) and N{sub 2}{sup +}(B{sup 2}{Sigma}{sub u}{sup +}) with nitrogen pressure. It is observed that the pressure influences the radiative states differently owing to their different populating mechanisms. The vibrational temperature T{sub {nu}ib} and rotational temperature T{sub rot} are measured for the sequence ({Delta}{nu}=-2) of N{sub 2} second positive system (C{sup 3}{Pi}{yields}B{sup 3}{Pi}{sub g}) using the method of comparing the measured and calculated spectra with a chi-squared minimization procedure. It was found that both T{sub {nu}ib} and T{sub rot} have similar dependences with N{sub 2} pressure; peaked at 100 mTorr beyond which it monotonically decreases with increase in the N{sub 2} pressure. The correlation between the observed maximum value of T{sub {nu}ib} around 100 mTorr and the detected ''dip'' in the EEPF in the same pressure range has been discussed.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2012

Altering the sulfur content in the propanethiol plasma polymers using the capacitive-to-inductive mode transition in inductively coupled plasma discharge

The effect of the transition from capacitive (E) to inductive (H) mode on propanethiol plasma polymer films properties was investigated by optical emission as well as by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The E mode is characterized by low deposition rate and by high sulfur content in the films ({approx}40% vs {approx}20% in H mode). After aging, a strong decrease of sulfur to carbon content (from {approx}0.75 to 0.13), attributed to desorption of unbounded sulfur-based molecules (e.g., H{sub 2}S), is detected at low power in E mode. The importance of the E-H transition for altering the film properties is highlighted.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2012

Enhanced sheath heating in capacitively coupled discharges due to non-sinusoidal voltage waveforms

Through the use of particle-in-cell simulations, we demonstrate that the power deposition in capacitively coupled discharges (in argon) can be increased by replacing sinusoidal waveforms with Gaussian-shaped voltage pulses (with a repetition frequency of 13.56 MHz). By changing the Gaussian pulse width, electron heating can be directly controlled, allowing for an increased plasma density and ion flux for the same gas pressure and geometrical operating conditions. Analysis of the power deposition profiles and electron distribution functions shows that enhanced electron-sheath heating is responsible for the increased power absorption.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2012

The discharge mode transition and O({sup 5}p{sub 1}) production mechanism of pulsed radio frequency capacitively coupled plasma

The discharge mode transition from uniform plasma across the gas gap to the {alpha} mode happens at the rising phase of the pulsed radio frequency capacitively coupled plasma (PRF CCP). This transition is attributed to the fast increasing stochastic heating at the edge of sheath. In the second stage with the stable current and voltage amplitude, the consistency between experimental and numerical spatial-temporal 777 nm emission profile suggests that He* and He{sub 2}* dominate the production of O({sup 5}p{sub 1}) through dissociation and excitation of O{sub 2}. Finally, the sterilization efficiency of PRF CCP is found to be higher than that of plasma jet.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2012

Extraction of negative ions from pulsed electronegative capacitively coupled plasmas

Charge buildup during plasma etching of dielectric features can lead to undesirable effects, such as notching, bowing, and twisting. Pulsed plasmas have been suggested as a method to achieve charge-free plasma etching. In particular, electronegative plasmas are attractive as the collapse of the plasma potential during the after-glow period of pulsed capacitively coupled plasmas (CCPs) can allow for extraction of negative ions into the feature. The extraction of negative ions in the after-glow of pulsed CCPs sustained in CF{sub 4} containing gas mixtures is computationally investigated. In this paper, the consequences of pulse frequency and gas chemistry on negative ion flux to the wafer are discussed. A low negative ion flux to the wafer was observed only in the late after-glow period of low pulse frequencies. The negative ion flux was found to significantly increase with the addition of highly electronegative gases (such as thermally attaching Cl{sub 2}) even at a high pulse frequency of 10 kHz. As the production of negative ions during the after-glow diminishes, alternative strategies to enhance the flux were also pursued. The flux of negative ions was found to increase by the addition of a pulsed dc voltage on the top electrode that is 180 Degree-Sign out-of-phase with the rf pulse.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2012

The electrical asymmetry effect in geometrically asymmetric capacitive radio frequency plasmas

The electrical asymmetry effect (EAE) allows an almost ideal separate control of the mean ion energy, , and flux, {Gamma}{sub i}, at the electrodes in capacitive radio frequency discharges with identical electrode areas driven at two consecutive harmonics with adjustable phase shift, {theta}. In such geometrically symmetric discharges, a DC self bias is generated as a function of {theta}. Consequently, can be controlled separately from {Gamma}{sub i} by adjusting the phase shift. Here, we systematically study the EAE in low pressure dual-frequency discharges with different electrode areas operated in argon at 13.56 MHz and 27.12 MHz by experiments, kinetic simulations, and analytical modeling. We find that the functional dependence of the DC self bias on {theta} is similar, but its absolute value is strongly affected by the electrode area ratio. Consequently, the ion energy distributions change and can be controlled by adjusting {theta}, but its control range is different at both electrodes and determined by the area ratio. Under distinct conditions, the geometric asymmetry can be compensated electrically. In contrast to geometrically symmetric discharges, we find the ratio of the maximum sheath voltages to remain constant as a function of {theta} at low pressures and {Gamma}{sub i} to depend on {theta} at the smaller electrode. These observations are understood by the model. Finally, we study the self-excitation of non-linear plasma series resonance oscillations and its effect on the electron heating.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2012

The discharge condition to enhance electron density of capacitively coupled plasma with multi-holed electrode

The multi-holed electrode that has been reported to enhance the electron density of the capacitively coupled plasma is now being adopted to speed up the processes. However, the discharge condition when the multi-holed electrode enhances the electron density of the discharge at fixed power is not studied. At low pressure, the multi-holed electrode increased the electron density of the plasma at fixed power. However, the multi-holed electrode is experimentally revealed to lower the electron density at high pressure. In this paper, the different roles of the multi-holed electrode are experimentally studied.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2012

Effect of bulk electric field reversal on the bounce resonance heating in dual-frequency capacitively coupled electronegative plasmas

The electron bounce resonance heating (BRH) in dual-frequency capacitively coupled plasmas operated in oxygen and argon has been studied by different experimental methods. In comparison with the electropositive argon discharge, the BRH in an electronegative discharge occurs at larger electrode gaps. Kinetic particle simulations reveal that in the oxygen discharge, the bulk electric field becomes quite strong and is out of phase with the sheath field. Therefore, it retards the resonant electrons when traversing the bulk, resulting in a suppressed BRH. This effect becomes more pronounced at lower high-frequency power, when the discharge mode changes from electropositive to electronegative.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗