Modeling of breakdown behavior in radio-frequency argon discharges with improved secondary emission model

Abstract

This work represents the investigation of the dependence of the breakdown voltage on the gas pressure and on the frequency in radio-frequency argon discharges. Calculations were performed by using a one-dimensional particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo code with three velocity components with a new secondary emission model. The obtained results show that the multivalued nature of the left-hand branch of the breakdown curve can be achieved only by taking into account energy dependence of the yield per ion. The multivalued nature of the left-hand branch of the breakdown curve is attributed to the influence of the secondary emission characteristics of the electrodes on the breakdown voltage. Simulation results show a good agreement with the available experimental data. Disagreements between simulation results and theoretical predictions based on the phenomenological method indicate that a more accurate determination of molecular constants is needed. As a result of the satisfactory agreement between simulation and experimental data for dependence of the breakdown voltage on the frequency, a frequency scaling law is proposed.