Oxygen ion energy distribution: Role of ionization, resonant, and nonresonant charge-exchange collisions

Abstract

Capacitively coupled rf discharge operating in oxygen/argon mixtures has been investigated using the particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo method. The roles of ionization, resonant and nonresonant charge-exchange collisions in the formation of ion energy distribution (IED) at the electrodes is investigated. By turning off/on the corresponding collisional processes, it is shown that ionization can play an essential role in formation of the IED structure. The relative contribution of ionization to IED is estimated. (c) 2005 American Vacuum Society.