Etching/Deposition from Distributed Source: Effects of Visibility

Physical Effects/Overview of Mechanism:

In the case of an external source, the flux function may be emitted from many locations; further more, the strength of the flux function may vary according to emitted angle. Since visibility plays an important role in these calculations, techniques are required to rapidly evaluate the visibility from each point of the advancing front at each time step.

Level Set Methodology:

We determine the seen flux at each point of the advancing interface at each time step using the level set methodology. The use of the level set function itself reduces the computational labor required to determine the visibility, since evaluation of the value of the level set function in the test flux direction gives a rapid test of the seen visibility.

Sample Simulation:


Deposition into a well: Visibility (shadowing) is important: (101K) Cutaway view: as neck pinches, inside is shadowed: (244K)


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