Effective electron collision frequency and electrical conductivity of radio frequency plasmas

Abstract

The electron transport collision frequency in a radio frequency (rf) field νen and the effective rf field frequency ωeff have been found as appropriate integrals of the electron energy distribution function measured in an argon inductively coupled plasma (ICP) at 6.78 MHz. Also, the effective electron collision frequency νeff and ωeff have been found from the plasma conductivity measured with a magnetic probe. It is shown that due to the Ramsauer effect and collisionless power absorption in the ICP, νeff and νeff/ωeff vary unexpectedly slowly with gas pressure.