Effects of nonlocal electron kinetics and transition from /spl alpha/ to /spl gamma/ regime in an RF capacitive discharge in nitrogen

The electron kinetics and regime of operation of asymmetrically coupled RF (27-MHz) nitrogen discharges in two vessels with different interelectrode gaps over the range of 0.20-0.35 torr gas pressure are studied in terms of the electron energy distribution function (EEDF). The latter is measured by means of a computer-controlled data acquisition system, a Langmuir probe with cross-modulation second derivative technique applied. The experiments are performed with an axial resolution along the RF electric field and accompanied with a measurement of electrical discharge characteristics. The effects of local and nonlocal plasma response are considered. The transition between /spl alpha/ and /spl gamma/ discharge regimes is registered by measuring the EEDF and its moments' changes with the increase of the RF discharge current density.