Experiments with microrods in a radio-frequency plasma sheath

Abstract

This paper presents an experimental analysis of the behavior of elongated particles suspended in an rf-enhanced plasma sheath and subjected to different forces. The linear motion of the particles through the chamber was tracked, and the forces acting on the particles were analyzed. Two different experiments shall be presented here, involving the balance of the Lorentz force or the electrostatic force with the neutral drag force on the microrods. In both experiments, the sheath electric field, charging of the particles, floating potential, as well as many other factors, were used to quantify the forces and interpret the experiments.