Comparison of Kinetic and Fluid Simulation Models for RF Capacitively Coupled Plasmas in Semiconductor Processing

As low-temperature plasmas (LTPs) have gained significant attention in materials processing for the microelectronics industry, challenges in spatiotemporal analysis of plasma parameters in a radio frequency capacitively coupled plasma (RF-CCP) system necessitate multidimensional numerical simulations. This study investigated the conditions under which a kinetic simulation or a fluid model is effective for low-pressure CCPs, focusing on the critical role of energy-dependent electron kinetics in LTPs by comparing symmetric and asymmetric electrode structures. We provide a comprehensive investigation of particle energy distributions, elucidating the kinetic effects of non-Maxwellian distributions. The validity of standard fluid approximations, such as the drift–diffusion approximation and isotropic pressure assumptions, is assessed by comparing results from a two-dimensional fluid model with those from a particle-in-cell simulation. The dominance of the ion pressure tensor over isotropic approximations in the sheath has been observed, especially in an asymmetric electrode structure, which is more representative of realistic process chambers.