Phase Resolved Plasma Dynamics Of A Capacitively Coupled Plasma Using Particle Trajectory Analysis

Spatial nonuniformity at the electrode edge is an essential issue in RF capacitively coupled plasmas because of the degradation of etching or deposition rates. We utilize a two-dimensional particle-in-cell Monte Carlo collision (PIC MCC) simulation using a graphics processing unit (GPU) to observe the formation of spatial nonuniformity for the variations in the electrode structure. The electron trajectories were examined for the distance between the electrode edge and the sidewall compared with the energy relaxation length. At low pressure, nonlocal electron kinetics induces a local potential minimum in the horizontal direction by the energy-dependent electron transport. At high pressure, electron energy dissipates in a short distance, and the density profile changes monotonically.