Diagnostic techniques for plasma stability in electron cyclotron resonance plasma processing

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Abstract
Three complementary, qualitative diagnostics concerned with the global properties of electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) microwave plasmas of the type used in materials processing applications are presented. Specifically, it is first shown that both ECR and sub-ECR plasmas can occur in distinct modes, between which discontinuous and sometimes bistable transitions take place. Each mode is characterized by a specific radial structure and dependence on system variables. We then describe several easily performed diagnostics which provide a means to classify the modes, delimit their range in the system’s parameter space and characterize their unstable transition regions. Some comments regarding the possible origins of the modes are also given.

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