An efficient kinetic approach to the modeling of the electron distribution function in low-pressure high-density plasma tools

Summary form only given. Plasma tool models are gaining increasing importance in the design of new plasma processing discharges. A major requirement for a plasma model to be suitable for engineering design studies is the computational efficiency of the model. In this paper we focus on one aspect of the problem, namely the efficient modeling of the electron component of low pressure plasmas. The typically non-Maxwellian character of the electron distribution function (EDF) and the kinetic character of the different heating mechanisms requires a kinetic treatment which adds an additional "energy" dimension to the number of spatial dimensions considered in other modules of the model.