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Title: Probe measurements of plasma potential nonuniformity due to edge asymmetry in large-area radio-frequency reactors: The telegraph effect

Abstract

In large-area radio-frequency (rf) capacitive reactors, the redistribution of rf current to maintain current continuity near asymmetric sidewalls causes a perturbation in rf plasma potential to propagate along the resistive plasma between capacitive sheaths. The damping length of the perturbation can be determined by a telegraph equation. Experiments are described using a surface array of unbiased electrostatic probes in the ground electrode to verify the theoretical model of the telegraph effect in Howling et al. [J. Appl. Phys. 96, 5429 (2004)]. The measured spatial dependence of the plasma potential rf amplitude and circulating nonambipolar current agree well with two-dimensional numerical solutions of the telegraph equation. The rf plasma potential can be made uniform by using symmetric reactor sidewalls.

Authors:
; ; ; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), Centre de Recherches en Physique des Plasmas, CH-1015 Lausanne (Switzerland)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
20711746
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Journal of Applied Physics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 97; Journal Issue: 12; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.1940136; (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0021-8979
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; AMPLITUDES; ASYMMETRY; BOUNDARY LAYERS; CURRENTS; DAMPING; DISTURBANCES; ELECTRODES; ELECTROSTATIC PROBES; EQUATIONS; NUMERICAL SOLUTION; PLASMA; PLASMA INSTABILITY; PLASMA POTENTIAL; PLASMA SHEATH; RADIOWAVE RADIATION; SPACE DEPENDENCE; SURFACES; TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS

Citation Formats

Howling, A A, Derendinger, L, Sansonnens, L, Schmidt, H, Hollenstein, Ch, Sakanaka, E, Schmitt, J P.M., and Unaxis Displays, 5 Rue Leon Blum, F-91120 Palaiseau. Probe measurements of plasma potential nonuniformity due to edge asymmetry in large-area radio-frequency reactors: The telegraph effect. United States: N. p., 2005. Web. doi:10.1063/1.1940136.
Howling, A A, Derendinger, L, Sansonnens, L, Schmidt, H, Hollenstein, Ch, Sakanaka, E, Schmitt, J P.M., & Unaxis Displays, 5 Rue Leon Blum, F-91120 Palaiseau. Probe measurements of plasma potential nonuniformity due to edge asymmetry in large-area radio-frequency reactors: The telegraph effect. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1940136
Howling, A A, Derendinger, L, Sansonnens, L, Schmidt, H, Hollenstein, Ch, Sakanaka, E, Schmitt, J P.M., and Unaxis Displays, 5 Rue Leon Blum, F-91120 Palaiseau. 2005. "Probe measurements of plasma potential nonuniformity due to edge asymmetry in large-area radio-frequency reactors: The telegraph effect". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1940136.
@article{osti_20711746,
title = {Probe measurements of plasma potential nonuniformity due to edge asymmetry in large-area radio-frequency reactors: The telegraph effect},
author = {Howling, A A and Derendinger, L and Sansonnens, L and Schmidt, H and Hollenstein, Ch and Sakanaka, E and Schmitt, J P.M. and Unaxis Displays, 5 Rue Leon Blum, F-91120 Palaiseau},
abstractNote = {In large-area radio-frequency (rf) capacitive reactors, the redistribution of rf current to maintain current continuity near asymmetric sidewalls causes a perturbation in rf plasma potential to propagate along the resistive plasma between capacitive sheaths. The damping length of the perturbation can be determined by a telegraph equation. Experiments are described using a surface array of unbiased electrostatic probes in the ground electrode to verify the theoretical model of the telegraph effect in Howling et al. [J. Appl. Phys. 96, 5429 (2004)]. The measured spatial dependence of the plasma potential rf amplitude and circulating nonambipolar current agree well with two-dimensional numerical solutions of the telegraph equation. The rf plasma potential can be made uniform by using symmetric reactor sidewalls.},
doi = {10.1063/1.1940136},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/20711746}, journal = {Journal of Applied Physics},
issn = {0021-8979},
number = 12,
volume = 97,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jun 15 00:00:00 EDT 2005},
month = {Wed Jun 15 00:00:00 EDT 2005}
}