《Sparse field level set method for non-convex》.pdf

Computer Physics Communications 174 (2006) 127–132 /locate/cpc Sparse field level set method for non-convex Hamiltonians in 3D plasma etching profile simulations ´ ∗ ´ ´ Branislav Radjenovic , Jae Koo Lee, Marija Radmilovic-Radjenovic Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 790-784, South Korea Received 5 May 2005; received in revised form 28 July 2005; accepted 17 September 2005 Available online 27 October 2005 Abstract Level set method [S. Osher, J. Sethian, J. Comput. Phys. 79 (1988) 12] is a highly robust and accurate computational technique for tracking moving interfaces in various application domains. It originates from the idea to view the moving front as a particular level set of a higher dimensional function, so the topological merging and breaking, sharp gradients and cusps can form naturally, and the effects of curvature can be easily incorporated. The resulting equations, describing interface surface evolution, are of Hamilton–Jacobi type and they are solved using techniques developed for hyperbolic equations. In this paper we describe an extension of the sparse field method for solving level set equations in the case of non-convex Hamiltonians, which are common in the simulations of the profile surface evolution during plasma etching and deposition processes. Sparse field method itself, developed by Whitaker [R. Whitaker, Internat.