Modeling and characterization of hydrogen and hydrogen-argon discharges in resonant cavity microwave plasma reactors

Summary form only given. Resonant-cavity microwave plasma reactors used to generate hydrogen and hydrogen-containing mixed gas discharges are modeled and characterized over a pressure range from 0.1 mTorr to 100 Torr. The model developed describes the electromagnetic fields in the cylindrical resonating microwave cavity which excites and maintains the discharge. The numerical technique used is 3-D finite-difference time-domain solution of the Maxwell equations. The moderate-pressure discharges (1-100 Torr) are dominated by collisional heating of the electron gas and the low-pressure discharges are dominated by electron cyclotron resonant heating of the electron gas. The simulation results have been compared to experimentally measured discharge characteristics.