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Formation of atomic hydrogen and negative ions in low-pressure inductively coupled hydrogen plasmas: two-dimensional simulations incorporating vibrational kinetics and gas heating

ORAL

Abstract

Low-pressure hydrogen plasmas are of interest for the study of basic plasma physics and applications including materials surface processing and negative-ion sources. For relatively high power densities, which are often present in inductively coupled plasmas, spatial gradients in the neutral gas temperature can develop in the bulk plasma that influence the vibrational kinetics. In this study we undertake two dimensional fluid-kinetic simulations of planar inductively coupled hydrogen plasmas, and investigate the response of atomic hydrogen and negative ions to the inclusion of self-consistent heating of neutrals and gas-temperature dependent reaction rates. The results show that the implementation of an isothermal background gas at 325 K can result in a factor 3 increase in the maximum density of atomic hydrogen, and a significant change to the spatial distribution of vibrational states, compared to when the gas temperature is self-consistently determined.

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Presenters

  • James Dedrick

    York Plasma Institute, Department of Physics, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK

Authors

  • James Dedrick

    York Plasma Institute, Department of Physics, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK

  • Gregory J Smith

    York Plasma Institute, Department of Physics, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK

  • Paola Diomede

    Maastricht University, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Maastricht University, Paul Henry Spaaklan 1 6229 GS Maastricht, the Netherlands

  • Andrew R Gibson

    Research Group for Biomedical Plasma Technology, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Sciences, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany., 1) Research Group for Biomedical Plasma Technology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany; 2) Institute for Electrical Engineering and Plasma Technology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germ, Research Group for Biomedical Plasma Technology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150 D-44801 Bo­chum, Germany, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, Institute of Electrical Engineering and Plasma Technology, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany, Ruhr University Bochum

  • Scott J Doyle

    Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, 1301 Beal Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2122, United States of America

  • Vasco Guerra

    Instituto de Plasmas e Fusão Nuclear, Instituto Superior Técnico - Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto de Plasmas e Fusão Nuclear, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal, Instituto de Plasmas e Fusão Nuclear, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto de Plasmas e Fusão Nuclear, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal, Instituto de Plasmas e Fusão Nuclear, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal

  • Mark J Kushner

    University of Michigan, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, 1301 Beal Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2122, United States of America

  • Timo Gans

    York Plasma Institute, Department of Physics, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK, School of Physical Sciences & National Centre for Plasma Science and Technology (NCPST), Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland, Dublin City University