Oxygen ion energy distribution: Role of ionization, resonant, and nonresonant charge-exchange collisions

Capacitively coupled rf discharge operating in oxygen/argon mixtures has been investigated using the particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo method. The roles of ionization, resonant and nonresonant charge-exchange collisions in the formation of ion energy distribution (IED) at the electrodes is investigated. By turning off/on the corresponding collisional processes, it is shown that ionization can play an essential role in formation of the IED structure. The relative contribution of ionization to IED is estimated.