A simple analytic ICP model and comparison to experiment

Summary form only given, as follows. An analytic model is developed for a cylindrically symmetric inductively coupled plasma system in order to find the electron temperature and density distribution. Boltzmann's equations solved by a computer code using a 2-term spherical harmonic expansion. Analytic results are compared to experimental measurements made with a probe. The apparatus is a commercial system donated by Materials Research Corporation with an RF coil inserted between the target and substrate. The RF coil deposits additional power into the system, increasing the electron temperature and density. This increases the amount of metal ionization in the plasma. Far from the target, the resulting plasma is dominated by this ionization source, so the plasma at the magnetron target is not accounted for in the analytic model. In the model, electric and magnetic fields from the RF coil are found as a function of position and the power deposition profile is calculated. Insights gained from this model are used to guide research efforts in ionizing the sputter flux in the magnetron.