Macromolecule formation in low density CF₄ plasmas: The influence of H₂

Plasma experiments were used to show that macromolecule formation can occur homogeneously in a plasma, and is strongly related to the plasma operating parameters and the amount of hydrogen added to the reactor. A commercially available plasma chemistry model was used in conjunction with the experiments. A growth mechanism and simulated results suggested that macromolecules formed through CF₃ propagation reactions with C_wF_2w+1 radicals produced by electron impact dissociation of fluoroalkane species.