Influence of dust particles on non-local kinetic behavior in low-pressure radio frequency plasma

Low-pressure radio-frequency inductively coupled discharges can produce uniformly distributed monodisperse particles and plasma densities, making them widely used in nanodevice fabrication. The manufacturing of nanodevices typically requires the generation of particles ranging from nanometer to submicron scales. These particles, usually carrying negative charges, can significantly influence the discharge characteristics of the plasma. This study investigates the effects of particle size and density on electron bounce resonance heating (BRH) and fundamental plasma properties in low-pressure ICPs using a hybrid model. The hybrid model consists of kinetic equation, electromagnetic field equation, global model equation. Simulation results show that with increasing dust radius or density, the BRH effect—characterized by the formation of a plateau in the electron energy probability function—is gradually suppressed and eventually vanishes, accompanied by a decrease in electron temperature, an increase in electron density, and an increase in particle surface potential. The dust charge decreases with increasing particle density, while exhibiting a nonmonotonic variation with particle radius. The results indicate that the loss of high-energy electrons induced by the presence of dust particles may create a more favorable plasma environment for the growth of low-defect, monodisperse nanoparticles. Such improvement in particle quality is crucial for reducing trap densities and enhancing the electrical performance of nanoparticle-based electronic devices.