Computer-aided design tools for plasma etchers

The prospects for computer aided design (CAD) tools for use in designing plasma etchers and plasma processing systems are discussed. Accurate numerical models of etching and film- depositing plasmas are becoming available, so that the main limitations on modeling are increasingly due to lack of cross-section and other similar data. These plasma models must still be validated, however, not just against each other but quantitatively or qualitatively against experiment. CAD tools will very probably consist of several modules, such as a plasma module, a plasma-chemistry module, and a surface module. The coupling of the modules amplifies errors, increasing the need for precision. The state of available calculation techniques is considered, emphasizing the way we have created a flexible framework for setting up and combining numerical tools, to minimize time and errors in developing simulations.