Characterization of electron kinetics regime with electron energy probability functions in inductively coupled hydrogen plasmas

Abstract

Electron kinetics regime is characterized with the evolution of electron energy probability functions (EEPFs) in inductively coupled hydrogen plasmas. Measurements on EEPFs are carried out with a radio-frequency-compensated single Langmuir probe at the center of a planar-type hydrogen plasma driven by 13.56 MHz wave frequency. Measured EEPFs deviate considerably from the Maxwellian distribution only at relatively high pressures (15–40 mTorr), and the effective electron temperature steeply decreases as the gas pressure increases. Such evolution of the EEPF shapes with pressures is discussed in the consideration of the electron energy relaxation length and various characteristic frequencies. It is found that the EEPFs show locally depleted electron energy distribution where the electron-molecule vibrational collision frequency exceeds the electron-electron collision frequency at the local kinetics regime, while the measured EEPF is not dependent on the vibrational collision frequency at the non-local kinetics regime. Variation of the EEPF shape with distance from the heating region at the local kinetics regime is also well explained in the context of the energy relaxation length and electron-molecule collision frequencies. This study indicates that the control of electron energy distribution should be carried out in the consideration of electron kinetic regime depending on the energy relaxation length for various hydrogen plasma sources.