An experimental study of the plasma parameters of a hybrid low-pressure RF discharge

This paper presents an experimental study of the plasma parameters of a hybrid radio-frequency (RF) discharge, which is a new modification of an RF discharge. The discharge is maintained by both vortex and potential RF electrical fields. To generate a hybrid RF discharge, an RF power input unit is used in the form of a parallel-connected inductor and capacitor coatings. A blocking capacitor is included in the capacitive channel of the discharge. The paper presents data from the study of the influence of power coupled to the plasma, argon pressure, and blocking capacitance on the plasma parameters, i.e., the electron energy distribution, temperature, and density and plasma potential. The role of the capacitive channel in the variations in properties and the characteristics of the discharge are considered.     

Plasma parameters in a dual-camera low-power inductive RF discharge with an external magnetic field

The results from studying a dual-camera inductive radio-frequency (RF) discharge that was placed in an external magnetic field are presented. The operating conditions were as follows: an argon pressure of 5 × 10^–5–6 × 10^–2 Torr, an external magnetic field strength of 0–60 G, and an RF generator power supply of 25–300 W. During the experiment the resonant RF power consumption and the correspondence between the local power-consumption maxima and spatial maxima of the plasma concentration as a function of the external magnetic field were observed. The comparison of the experimental results with the results of the mathematical simulation indicates that the resonant character of the discharge is associated with the excitation of helicons and Trivelpiece–Gould waves.     

Kinetic modeling of positive ions in a low-pressure RF discharge

The evolution of the ion-velocity distribution function in a planar RF discharge is computed by numerically solving the Boltzmann equation in phase space. The electric field in this equation is computed with regard to the ion density, assuming Maxwellian electrons with a given uniform temperature. The collision term in the Boltzmann equation contains creation of ions by electron-impact ionization of the background gas and the effect of charge-exchange collisions. Examples are given of the behavior of discharges in argon at RF frequencies of 50 kHz, 300 kHz, and 15 MHz at a very low pressure and at a pressure of approximately 40 Pa. A good agreement is found with published experimental observations of the time-dependent behavior of the electric field profile in the RF sheath     

Kinetics of an RF low-pressure discharge with a condensed phase

The electron energy distribution function in an RF low-pressure plasma is found in the presence of dust particles. The effect of microscopic objects on the electroneutrality of the plasma and the electron energy distribution is estimated.     

The inductive channel effect on the parameters of the space-charge electrode sheaths in a hybrid RF discharge

The physical properties of a new modification of RF discharge—hybrid RF discharge (HRFD)—are studied experimentally. A HRFD is sustained by both the vortical RF electric field and the potential one generated by the inductive and capacitive channels of the discharge. The inductive channel effect on the parameters of the space-charge electrode sheaths, which determine the capacitive component of the physical mechanism of a HRFD, is discussed.     

Generation of homogeneous plasma in a low-pressure glow discharge

The possibility of producing homogeneous plasma in a low-pressure discharge with the use of a hollow anode or hollow cathode is analyzed. It is shown that, in contrast to the high-pressure discharge, where uniform ionization is needed to produce homogeneous plasma, in the low-pressure discharge, nearly uniform radial distribution of the plasma parameters can be achieved under nonuniform ionization conditions by increasing the ionization probability at the system periphery and reducing it near the system axis. It is shown that the magnetic field can facilitate generation of the homogeneous plasma instead of interfering with it.     

Scaling characteristics of plasma parameters for low-pressureoxygen RF discharge plasmas

For a low-pressure (1-100 mtorr) oxygen RF discharge plasma, the scaling laws for the densities of charged species such as positive ion, negative ion, and electron are estimated in terms of external and internal plasma parameters for the ion-flux-loss-dominated region based on the global balance equations. The scaling formulas are compared with Langmuir probe measurement results performed on a planar inductively coupled oxygen plasma. The transition point from the ion-flux-loss-dominated region to the recombination-loss-dominated region moves to a lower pressure region as the absorbed power increases     

Analytical model for the behavior of electric fields in a collisional low-pressure RF discharge

A simple analytical model is presented making it possible to determine the amplitudes and phases of the rf field in the electrode sheaths and quasineutral plasma of an rf discharge in the presence of electronneural collisions. The collisional case ω≪ν is considered in detail. Measurements are also made of the electron temperature, plasma density, thickness of the electrode sheaths, and rf field amplitude in the quasineutral plasma of an rf discharge in argon. The rf field amplitudes predicted by this model are in satisfactory agreement with both our experimental data and the results of theoretical calculations of other authors. Kharkov State University, Kharkov. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, Vol. 41, No. 12, pp. 31–38, December, 1998.     

On the charge of dust particles in a low-pressure gas discharge plasma

Self-consistent molecular-dynamics calculations of the charge of micron-size particles in a low-pressure gas-discharge plasma are performed. It is shown that charge exchange of ions on neutrals starts to affect the charge of dust particles at pressures corresponding to ion mean free paths much greater than the Debye radius. The computational results show that the potential of a particle depends nonmonotonically on the pressure and on the particle size.     

The space-time-averaging procedure and modeling of the RF dischargeII. Model of collisional low-pressure RF discharge

For pt.I see ibid., vol.19, p.130-40 (1991). A self-consistent equations system for the low-pressure RF discharge is formulated and qualitatively analyzed. If the plasma and sheath dimensions exceed the electron-energy relaxation length, a simple spatially averaged kinetic equation can be derived that resembles the conventional one for the local case. Since the energy-diffusion coefficient for the slow electrons that are trapped by the average electric field in the discharge center is small, the distribution function slope decreases significantly with the energy growth. Analytic estimates are derived and reasonable agreement with the experiments of Godyak (1976, 1979, 1986, 1990) is obtained     

Method for producing nanomaterials in the plasma of a low-pressure pulsed arc discharge

A new method for the production of nanomaterials in the plasma of a low-pressure arc discharge is developed and experimentally studied. This method can be used to synthesize nanoparticles 5–10 nm in size with a narrow size distribution. In this method, a low-pressure arc discharge is used to melt a material, to disperse the molten material, to deliver liquid material droplets to the plasma, to cool the liquid nanoparticles forming in the plasma up to their solidification, and to deposit the solidified nanoparticles onto a substrate.     

Initiation of a low-pressure glow discharge in a plasma electron source with a ribbon beam

Results are presented from an experimental investigation of a low-pressure glow discharge with a wedge-shaped hollow cathode in a plasma electron source, where this discharge is initiated by reflex and magnetron discharges. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 69, 135–137 (July 1999)     

Radial distribution of the atom concentration in a nitrogen discharge plasma

The radial distribution profile of the atom concentration in a nitrogen discharge plasma has been determined by means of the Lewis-Rayleigh afterglow radiation. The profile has been investigated in dependence of the pressure and of the discharge current.     

Peculiarities of plasma decay in the afterglow of a low-pressure pulsed discharge in oxygen

Weakly ionized plasma of a pulsed-discharge afterglow in oxygen at low pressures (0.05–0.15 torr) is investigated using probe diagnostics. The plasma conductivity is measured by supplying an additional probing current pulse at a certain instant during the afterglow. The spectral line intensities are also measured to additionally monitor the densities of charged particles. The measurements of the time behavior of the electron density in an oxygen afterglow plasma confirm the previous conclusion that the electrons escape due to enhanced diffusion, which results in the formation of an ion-ion plasma. The possibility of realizing the opposite ultimate case—the detachment decay regime with an increase in the electron density to the density of positive ions in the first stage and the transition to the electron-ion plasma in the second stage—is demonstrated.     

Extension of the perturbed plasma region in a low-pressure discharge near the negative probe

It is suggested to consider the region in which the electric field intensity changes its sign as a perturbed plasma region near the negative probe. It is demonstrated that the size of this perturbed region can considerably exceed the probe radius and depends not only on the probe radius but also on the dimensions of the discharge chamber. Within the framework of the considered problem, the chosen criterion is equivalent to another condition that the number of particles in the perturbed zone is equal to the number of particles striking the probe. This contradicts the approach conventionally used in the probe theory according to which particles are accelerated rather than generated in the perturbed region. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 6, pp. 10–12, June, 2007.     

Accumulation of hydrogen by silicon powders in HF inductive discharge plasma

The possibility of saturation with hydrogen of micro- and nanostructured silicon powders in electrodeless plasma is demonstrated. It is established that the hydrogen concentration in the bulk of the powder is determined by the size of its particles, the hydrogen pressure in the reaction chamber, and the HF power. The mechanism of plasma saturation with hydrogen is based on the chemical interaction of hydrogen atoms and active radicals with the surface of particles of the silicon powder, which is a surface with a distorted order of stacking of silicon atoms.     

The influence of external parameters on the peculiarities of a hybrid low-pressure radio-frequency discharge

This paper deals with the experimental study of the patterns of the RF power input into the plasma of a hybrid RF discharge that was sustained by an RF power unit, which consisted of a spiral antenna connected in parallel with capacitor electrodes. At low values of RF generator power, RF power has been shown to be derived in the hybrid discharge through the capacitive channel; the role of the inductive channel becomes more significant at higher RF generator power as the power of the RF generator increases. It was demonstrated that at a low power of the RF generator the RF power occurs in the hybrid discharge essentially through the capacitive channel and then increases as the power of the RF generator increases. The larger the contribution of the inductive channel is, the smaller the value of the dividing capacity included in the capacitive discharge chain is.