Effect of buoyancy on power deposition in microwave cavity hydrogen plasma source

Abstract

A self-consistent model describing the coupling of resonant microwave radiation and plasma has been constructed. This model improves upon the models developed by Hassouni et al and Hagelaar et al, in 1999 and 2004, respectively with inclusion of hydrodynamic effects. The model has been used to study the effect of buoyancy on power deposition in microwave assisted hydrogen plasmas at different operating pressures over the range 25–300 mbar and power over the range 400 and 4000 W. Three cases viz. normal reactor (g = −9.81 m s−2, negative buoyancy), pure diffusion (g = 0 m s−2) and the inverted case (g = 9.81 m s−2, positive buoyancy) were considered. Buoyancy effects in the cavity become important at high power / pressure operating conditions. The formation of a secondary plasma zone is strongly increased in the presence of negative buoyancy, while positive buoyancy and diffusion cases are more stable. Also the density of atomic hydrogen close to the substrate is larger with a wider radial spread for the positive buoyancy case over normal operating conditions which augurs well for achieving good deposition of diamond.