The expanding thermal arc plasma: the low-flow regime
- 1 February 1998
- journal article
- Published by IOP Publishing in Plasma Sources Science and Technology
- Vol. 7 (1) , 28-35
- https://doi.org/10.1088/0963-0252/7/1/005
Abstract
This paper reports on experiments on an expanding thermal arc plasma using pure argon flows in the 50 to 500 sccm range. From pressure and voltage measurements on the arc it is verified that the arc plasma is still a thermal plasma at these low flows. Langmuir probe measurements of the radial profiles downstream using different flows and chamber pressures are presented and discussed. These measurements indicate an enhanced ion loss for low flows at constant pressure. The enhanced loss is explained by the increase in residence time and due to this a relatively large volumetric recombination. The sputter etch rate of PECVD deposited silicon oxide at 100 mTorr and 400 V DC bias is measured and compared with the results of the Langmuir probe.Keywords
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