Modelling of Secondary Electron Impact on the Self‐Consistent RF Bulk Plasma Description

The impact of a secondary electron beam, generated at the electrodes and accelerated in the sheaths, on the self‐consistent treatment of the electron behaviour in an rf bulk plasma has been investigated by a parametric study. Source of electrons in the plasma are collisional ionization and secondary electron injection. Electrons are lost by ambipolar diffusion to the electrodes of a parallel plate rf discharge configuration. The non‐stationary Boltzmann equation is used to determine self‐consistently the rf field amplitude necessary for maintaining the steady‐state rf bulk plasma as well as the time resolved behaviour of the electron energy distribution function and of all contributions to the electron particle and power balance, at given source rate and energy distribution of secondary electron injection.