Analysis of electron energy probability functions in Ar/SiH<sub>4</sub> inductively coupled plasmas with varying gas mixing ratios

POSTER

Abstract

In this study, electron behavior was investigated in an Ar/SiH₄ inductively coupled plasma based on electron energy probability functions (EEPFs) and density of neutral species. Langmuir probe and quadrupole mass spectrometry measurements were employed with varying SiH₄ mixing ratios. As the SiH₄ mixing ratio increased, both electron density and electron temperature decreased, although with different trends. These differences were analyzed in terms of changes in the EEPF. A significant variation in the composition of neutral species was observed with increasing SiH₄ fraction, leading to an evolution of the EEPF from Maxwellian to Bi-Maxwellian shape. This change is attributed to the increased density of neutral species generated at higher SiH₄ mixing ratios, which contributes to electron heating and cooling mechanism. The effect was analyzed by comparing the electron-neutral collision frequency with the driving frequency.

*This research was supported by the Technology Innovation Program, funded by the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy (MOTIE, Korea) (grant nos. RS-2024-00507767, 00508070, 2410000200, 2410000258, 2410003567); Ministry of Science and ICT and the R&D Convergence Program of the National Research Foundation (NRF) of Korea (grant no. CRC20014-000); Korea Semiconductor Research Consortium (KSRC) (grant nos. 00235950, 00237058); Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (grant no. KRISS GP2025-0013-02); 2023 Korea Aerospace University Faculty Research (grant no. 202300250001);

Presenters

  • SEONGHYEON KIM

    • Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science

Authors

  • SEONGHYEON KIM

    • Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science
  • Hee-Jung Yeom

    • Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science
  • Min Young Yoon

    • Korea Aerospace University
  • Yeong-Jae Jeong

    • Department of electrical engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
    • Hanyang University
  • Seong-Bin Park

    • Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science
  • Chin-Wook Chung

    • Department of electrical engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea1
    • Hanyang University
  • Jung-Hyung Kim

    • Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science
  • Hyo-Chang Lee

    • Korea Aerospace University