Ion energy distributions, electron temperatures, and electron densities in Ar, Kr, and Xe pulsed discharges
- Plasma Processing Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, 4800 Calhoun Road, Houston, Texas 77204-4004 (United States)
Ion energy distributions (IEDs) were measured near the edge of Faraday-shielded, inductively coupled pulsed plasmas in Ar, Kr, or Xe gas, while applying a synchronous dc bias on a boundary electrode, late in the afterglow. The magnitudes of the full width at half maximum of the IEDs were Xe > Kr > Ar, following the order of the corresponding electron temperatures in the afterglow, T{sub e}(Xe) > T{sub e}(Kr) > T{sub e}(Ar). The measured decays of T{sub e} with time in the afterglow were in excellent agreement with predictions from a global model. Measured time-resolved electron and positive ion densities near the plasma edge did not decay appreciably, even in the 80 {mu}s long afterglow. This was attributed to transport of ions and electrons from the higher density central region of the plasma to the edge region, balancing the loss of plasma due to diffusion. This provides a convenient means of maintaining a relatively constant plasma density in the afterglow during processing using pulsed plasmas.
- OSTI ID:
- 22051370
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, International Journal Devoted to Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films, Vol. 30, Issue 3; Other Information: (c) 2012 American Vacuum Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1553-1813
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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