Abstract: A PIC/MC model is developed for electrons,atomic ions N⁺ and molecular ions N₂⁺ in a capacitively coupled rf glow discharge.Modeling results are compared with those in a dc glow discharge at similar conditions.It reveals that the mean densities of particles(e,N₂⁺,N⁺) in rf discharge are nearly ten times greater than those in dc discharge,the mean energy near a rf electrode is about three times less than that near a cathode in dc discharge;the ions N⁺ have higher energy near two electrodes,the ions N₂⁺ have higher density,and the density of N₂⁺ is about six times the density of N⁺.The simulated electron energy probability distributions agree with measured results.

Key words: nitrogen rf discharge, particle-in-cell-Monte Carlo method, nitrogen plasma