Numerical Simulation of Electron Transport in Electric and Magnetic Fields for Analysis of Electron Temperature and Number Density Profiles Measured in Argon Magnetic Neutral Loop Discharge Plasma

A Monte Carlo simulation of electron transport in electric and magnetic fields was performed to analyze experimental data of the electron temperature $T_{\text{e}}$ and electron number density $n_{\text{e}}$ measured in a magnetic neutral loop discharge (NLD) plasma driven in Ar at 0.13 Pa. $T_{\text{e}}$ and $n_{\text{e}}$ in the vicinity of the substrate holder were measured with a triple probe, and their radial profiles had peaks at different radial positions. The simulation reproduced these peak positions well under the chosen boundary condition that the electron reflectivity of the side wall was lower than that of the reactor ceiling and the substrate holder. It was explained that the $T_{\text{e}}$ peak was formed by high-energy electrons transported from the neutral loop along a separatrix of the quadrupole magnetic field and that the $n_{\text{e}}$ peak consisted of electrons undergoing reciprocating motion between the reactor ceiling and the substrate.