Wall loss of atomic nitrogen determined by ionization threshold mass spectrometry

Abstract

In the afterglow of an inductively coupled N2 plasma, relative N atom densities are measured by ionization threshold mass spectrometry as a function of time in order to determine the wall loss time twN from the exponential decay curves. The procedure is performed with two mass spectrometers on different positions in the plasma chamber. twN is determined for various pressures, i.e., for 3.0, 5.0, 7.5, and 10 Pa. For this conditions also the internal plasma parameters electron density ne and electron temperature Te are determined with the Langmuir probe and the rotational temperature TrotN2 of N2 is determined with the optical emission spectroscopy. For TrotN2, a procedure is presented to evaluate the spectrum of the transition υ′=0→υ″=2 of the second positive system (C3Πu→B3Πg) of N2. With this method, a gas temperature of 610 K is determined. For both mass spectrometers, an increase of the wall loss times of atomic nitrogen with increasing pressure is observed. The wall loss time measured with the first mass spectrometer in the radial center of the cylindrical plasma vessel increases linearly from 0.31 ms for 3 Pa to 0.82 ms for 10 Pa. The wall loss time measured with the second mass spectrometer (further away from the discharge) is about 4 times higher. A model is applied to describe the measured twN. The main loss mechanism of atomic nitrogen for the considered pressure is diffusion to the wall. The surface loss probability βN of atomic nitrogen on stainless steel was derived from twN and is found to be 1 for the present conditions. The difference in wall loss times measured with the mass spectrometers on different positions in the plasma chamber is attributed to the different diffusion lengths.