One-dimensional and two-dimensional particle-based kinetic simulations of DC and RF gas breakdown

Anomalous breakdown is detrimental to the quality of plasma processing for semiconductor manufacturing. In the present work, to understand the physical processes of the gas breakdown, we conducted one-dimensional and two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations with a Monte Carlo collision algorithm (PIC-MCC) including the surface effects, i.e., ion-induced secondary electron emission (SEE) and field emission. First, the difference in Paschen curves between vacuum condition and finite initial plasma condition is investigated. The simulation results in the decrease of breakdown voltage as the initial plasma density increases. Second, we simulate the different surface ratio of conducting surface and dielectric surface. DC breakdown and RF breakdown show different trends for the surface ratios in the left branch (low pressure) of the Paschen curve.