Experimental observation of the inductive electric field and related plasma nonuniformity in high frequency capacitive discharge

Journal Article · Mon Jul 21 04:00:00 EDT 2008 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2965118· OSTI ID:21123990

Ahn, S K; Chang, H Y ^[1]

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1. Low-Temperature Plasma Laboratory, Department of Physics, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 373-1 Guseong-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 305-701 (Korea, Republic of)

To elucidate plasma nonuniformity in high frequency capacitive discharges, Langmuir probe and B-dot probe measurements were carried out in the radial direction in a cylindrical capacitive discharge driven at 90 MHz with argon pressures of 50 and 400 mTorr. Through the measurements, a significant inductive electric field (i.e., time-varying magnetic field) was observed at the radial edge, and it was found that the inductive electric field creates strong plasma nonuniformity at high pressure operation. The plasma nonuniformity at high pressure operation is physically similar to the E-H mode transition typically observed in inductive discharges. This result agrees well with the theories of electromagnetic effects in large area and/or high frequency capacitive discharges.

• OSTI ID: 21123990
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 93; ISSN APPLAB; ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ARGON
CYLINDRICAL CONFIGURATION
ELECTRIC FIELDS
H-MODE PLASMA CONFINEMENT
HIGH-FREQUENCY DISCHARGES
LANGMUIR PROBE
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MHZ RANGE 01-100
PLASMA
PRESSURE RANGE PA