AVS 49th International Symposium
    Plasma Science Tuesday Sessions
       Session PS-TuP

Paper PS-TuP16
Simulation of a Micro-Plasma Reactor

Tuesday, November 5, 2002, 5:30 pm, Room Exhibit Hall B2

Session: Plasma Applications
Presenter: S.K. Nam, University of Houston
Authors: D. Economou, University of Houston
S.K. Nam, University of Houston
Correspondent: Click to Email
Recently, there has been interest in microfabricated plasma reactors with potential uses in ion thrusters, plasma displays, as integral parts of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), etc. We have developed a self-consistent simulation model to study microfabricated inductively coupled plasma reactors. The Maxwell equations provide the power deposition profile; this is used in an electron energy equation to predict the electron temperature (assumed Maxwellian EEDF) and the rate coefficients of electron-impact reactions. These are in turn used in ion and neutral species balances to predict their 2-D density profiles. The simulation evolves until convergence. We have studied an argon plasma in a micromachined ICP, including the effect of metastables. Results will be shown and analyzed in view of the large surface-to-volume ratio of the micro-plasma reactor. Simulation results will be compared with the data of Hopwood et al (JVST B, vol. 18, p. 2446, 2000). Work supported by the NSF.