Modeling of dust in a silane/hydrogen plasma

A dusty radio-frequency silane/hydrogen discharge is simulated, with the use of a one-dimensional fluid model. In the model, discharge quantities like the fluxes, densities, and electric field are calculated self consistently. A radius and an initial density profile for the spherical dust particles are given and the charge and the density of the dust are calculated with an iterative method. During the transport of the dust, its charge is kept constant in time. The dust influences the electric field distribution through its charge and the density of the plasma through recombination of positive ions and electrons at its surface. In the model this process gives an extra production of silane radicals, since the growth of dust is not included. Results are presented for situations in which the dust significantly changes the discharge characteristics, both by a strong reduction of the electron density and by altering the electric field by its charge. Simulations for dust with a radius of 2 mum show that the stationary solution of the dust density and the average electric field depend on the total amount of the dust. The presence of dust enhances the deposition rate of amorphous silicon at the electrodes because of the rise in the average electron energy associated with the decrease of the electron density and the constraint of a constant power input. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.