Aachen PK 2003 – scientific programme

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P: Plasmaphysik

P 10: Poster II

P 10.29: Poster

Tuesday, March 18, 2003, 17:30–19:15, Foyer

Measurements of the electron energy distribution function in ICP plasmas — •S. Dietrich, U. Fantz, and K. Behringer — Lehrstuhl für Experimentelle Plasmaphysik, Institut für Physik, Universität Augsburg, D-86135 Augsburg

The electron energy distribution function (EEDF) is one of the key parameters in low pressure plasmas. A Langmuir probe measures usually the low energy part of the distribution function, i.e. up to energies of the first inelastic collision for electron on heavy particles. A biased optical probe (BOP [1]) can be used to determine the high energy part of the distribution function. The method is based on the optical emission induced by electrons passing through a negatively biased mesh inside the plasma volume. Advantages are the high sensitivity of optical measurements and the possibility to calculate the EEDF on the base of only a single emission line. To determine a wide energy range of the EEDF the combination of both methods will be applied to a planar inductively coupled plasma containing rare gases (He, Ne, Ar). The individual construction of the probe and first measurements will be presented.

[1] H Sugai, H. Toyoda, K Nakano and N. Isomura, Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 4 (1995) 366