Particle-particle interaction plays a crucial role in determining the movement and alignment of particles under dielectrophoresis (DEP). Previous research efforts focus on studying the mechanism governing the alignment of spherical particles with similar sizes in a static condition. Different approaches have been developed to simulate the alignment process of a given number of particles from several up to thousands depending on the applicability of the approaches. However, restricted by the simplification of electric field distribution and use of identical spherical particles, not much new understanding has been gained apart from the most common phenomenon of pearl chain formation. To enhance the understanding of particle-particle interaction, the movement of pearl chains under DEP in a flow condition was studied and a new type of tumbling motion with unknown mechanism was observed. For interactions among non-spherical particles, some preceding works have been done to simulate the alignment of ellipsoidal particles. Yet the modeling results do not match experimental observations. In this paper, the authors applied the newly developed volumetric polarization and integration (VPI) method to elucidate the underlying mechanism for the newly observed movement of pearl chains under DEP in a flow condition and explain the alignment patterns of ellipsoidal particles. The modeling results show satisfactory agreement with experimental observations, which proves the strength of the VPI method in explaining complicated DEP phenomena.

A multi inductively coupled plasma (ICP) system can be used to maintain the plasma uniformity and increase the area processed by a high-density plasma. This article presents a source in two different configurations. The distributed planar multi ICP (DM-ICP) source comprises individual ICP sources that are not overlapped and produce plasma independently. Mutual coupling of the ICPs may affect the distribution of the produced plasma. The integrated multicoil ICP (IMC-ICP) source consists of four low-inductance ICP antennas that are superimposed in an azimuthal manner. The identical geometry of the ICP coils was assumed in this work. Both configurations have highly asymmetric components. A three-dimensional (3D) plasma model of the multicoil ICP configurations with asymmetric features is used to investigate the plasma characteristics in a large chamber and the operation of the sources in inert and reactive gases. The feasibility of the computational calculation, the speed, and the computational resources of the coupled multiphysics solver are investigated in the framework of a large realistic geometry and complex reaction processes. It was determined that additional variables can be used to control large-area plasmas. Both configurations can form a plasma, that azimuthally moves in a controlled manner, the so-called “sweeping mode” (SM) or “polyphase mode” (PPM), and thus they have the potential for large-area and high-density plasma applications. The operation in the azimuthal mode has the potential to adjust the plasma distribution, the reaction chemistry, and increase or modulate the production of the radicals. The intrinsic asymmetry of the individual coils and their combined operation were investigated within a source assembly primarily in argon and CO gases. Limited investigations were also performed on operation in CH₄ gas. The plasma parameters and the resulting chemistry are affected by the geometrical relation between individual antennas. The aim of this work is to incorporate the technological, computational, dimensional scaling, and reaction chemistry aspects of the plasma under one computational framework. The 3D simulation is utilized to geometrically scale up the reactive plasma that is produced by multiple ICP sources.

The plasma produced by a radial line slot antenna (RLSA) source is discussed based on a simulation using a multiphysics coupled 2D fluid model. The technological aspects in a silicon nitride chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process using a disilane and ammonia mixture are addressed. The model includes the incompressible Navier–Stokes module (INSM), the multiple convection and diffusion transport modules (CDTM), the convection and conduction heat transport (CCHT) for gas and electron temperature, and the transverse electromagnetic (TEM) wave propagation for a planar microwave source structure coupled to the plasma. The dominant precursors, deposition rate and mechanisms, and performance of the CVD process in terms of the film properties are investigated. The ionic and radical component 2D distributions are calculated and the simulation results are correlated with experimental data. The significant impact of the surface reactions with the involvement of H, NH, and N_xH_y radicals and ions is established.

Summary form only given. The IPVD has been utilized in semiconductor processing for metallization and is promising to extend performance up to sub-mum technology. The plasma fluid model was developed for an ionized physical vapor deposition (IPVD) source and used to study impact of the geometry and characteristics of the inductively coupled plasma source, DC magnetron and RF biased substrate holder on metallization process performance in scaled up IPVD system. The model is comprised of a 2D equipment simulation considering a gas heating and rarefaction effect. A variable ion mobility approach has been implemented to achieve self-consistency of the model solutions. Mechanism of a thermalization of a sputtered metal from the conical annular target was estimated by an analytical approach. Deposited RF power distribution from scaled antenna into plasma was simulated by commercial EM software. The initial simulation results were validated and calibrated through experimental measurements of the plasma characteristics in baseline IPVD system. The model outputs were related to process variables to characterize deposition/etching rates at the 300 mm wafers, and it was used to study the effect of various IPVD process parameters such as ICP antenna power and geometry, target power, wafer bias power on Cu deposition characteristics across the wafer diameter, In order to aid HW and process development and address extendibility of IPVD technology to future nanoscale fabrication, the results of model were coupled to simple surface profile evolution model and results compared with analytical prediction of feature coverage in advanced IPVD tool