Work

Localized heating of electrons in ionization zones: Going beyond the Penning-Thornton paradigm in magnetron sputtering

Year: 2014

Type: article

Abstract: The fundamental question of how energy is supplied to a magnetron discharge is commonly answered by the Penning-Thornton paradigm invoking secondary electrons. Recently, Huo and coworkers (Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 22, 045005 (2013)) used a global discharge model to show that electron heating in the electric field of the magnetic presheath is dominant over heating by secondary electrons. In this contribution, this concept is applied locally taking into account the electric potential structure of ionization zones. Images of ionization zones can and should be interpreted as diagrams of the localization of high electric potential and related electron energy.

Source: Applied Physics Letters

DOI: 10.1063/1.4904713

Author: André Anders

Institution: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Language: English

Topic: Low-Pressure Plasma Processing and Diagnostics

Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funder: U.S. Department of Energy

Award: G42916606