David B Graves and Pascal Brault 2009 J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 42 194011 doi:10.1088/0022-3727/42/19/194011
David B Graves1 and Pascal Brault
Show affiliationsThe mechanisms of physical and chemical interactions of low temperature plasmas with surfaces can be fruitfully explored using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. MD simulations follow the detailed motion of sets of interacting atoms through integration of atomic equations of motion, using inter-atomic potentials that can account for bond breaking and formation that result when energetic species from the plasma impact surfaces. This paper summarizes the current status of the technique for various applications of low temperature plasmas to material processing technologies. The method is reviewed, and commonly used inter-atomic potentials are described. Special attention is paid to the use of MD in understanding various representative applications, including tetrahedral amorphous carbon film deposition from energetic carbon ions, the interactions of radical species with amorphous hydrogenated silicon films, silicon nanoparticles in plasmas, and plasma etching.
52.40.Hf Plasma-material interactions; boundary layer effects
52.65.Yy Molecular dynamics methods
Issue 19 (7 October 2009)
Received 18 September 2008, in final form 15 October 2008
Published 18 September 2009
David B Graves and Pascal Brault 2009 J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 42 194011
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