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Title: Unified model of the rf plasma sheath

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/70709· OSTI ID:70709

By developing an approximation to the first integral of the Poisson equation, one can obtain solutions for the voltage-current characteristics of a radio-frequency (rf) plasma sheath that are valid over the whole range of inertial response of the ions to an imposed rf voltage or current-specified conditions. The theory adequately reproduces the time-dependent voltage-current characteristics of the two extreme cases corresponding to the Lieberman rf sheath theory and the Metze-Ernie-Oskam theory. Contained within the approximation is a time constant which controls the amount of ion response to the rf electric field. A prescription is given for determining this ion relaxation time constant, which also determines the time-dependent ion impact energy on the electrode surface.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000
OSTI ID:
70709
Report Number(s):
SAND-95-0775; ON: DE95012114; TRN: 95:004775
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: May 1995
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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