Series resonance sustained plasmas in a metal bound plasma slab

Abstract

The characteristics of series resonance sustained argon plasmas are measured by particle-in-cell Monte Carlo simulation and analysed with various theoretical models. These measurements include discharge gap impedance which is shown to be nearly pure resistive, EEPFs, electron heating profiles, electric field structure and electron density profiles over a range of applied frequencies (110-470 MHz) and neutral gas pressures (2-300 mTorr). The scaling laws, which predict the density and sheath width dependence on operating frequency as and respectively, are verified. These resonant discharges are driven with low applied voltages and are shown to produce low-voltage plasmas. A heating mode transition between a high-pressure collisional regime and a low-pressure collisionless regime is discussed. Also the self-tuning of the discharges, needed to maintain resonance, is explained.