Tuning Effect on the Electron Energy Distribution Function of an Inert Gas Mixture in nitrogen Inductively Coupled Plasma Discharges

By using a Langmuir probe, the electron energy distribution function (EEDF) is measured in inductively coupled plasma discharges in N2/Ar mixtures at 200W rf powers. In pure N2 discharges a Maxwellian EEDF is observed.When the mixing ratio of Ar increases, the distribution of high-energy electrons evolves with a different trend from that of low-energy electrons, resulting in an apparent “two temperature structure” of the EEDF. We discuss this non-Maxwellian EEDF and its effect on the measurement and the interpretation of “electron temperature”by both the probe and line ratio technique.