Basic principles of modeling reactive sputtering

This work describes a number of principles, which are proved to be effective in modeling various physical and chemical processes. In the article, a process model is defined as its representation using another similar (or identical) process built on a number of simplifying assumptions. This model is called physicochemical. The main phenomena on the surfaces and in the gas environment of the sputtering system, used for modeling, are identified. A scheme for deriving a system of equations describing the process is given. An example of modeling based on a non-isothermal surface chemical reaction is described. It shows the possibility of studying experimentally immeasurable dependencies characterizing the process of reactive sputtering. The article is addressed mainly to aspiring researchers who have dared to try to understand the features of reactive sputtering models proposed by different authors.