Behavior Of Ecr Microwave Plasma Formed In A Mirror

Electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) microwave plasma sources are being increasing used for thin-film deposition and etching. One of the simplest types uses a two coil mirror. This type of system offers a number of desirable characteristics, including high (>10
¹¹
cm
^-3
) plasma density, low pressure operation (<10
^-3
Torr), efficient gas utilization, and uniform plasma with the high degree of ionization and decomposition of working gases. The increased use of ECR systems for material processing research has been accompanied by studies of the plasma properties as a function of various system parameters, such as magnetic field configuration, microwave power, gas pressure. The experimental set up and the parameters of the mirror used for investigation of ECR plasmas described as follows: the length and diameter of the plasma chamber are 74 cm (mirror to mirror) and 40 cm; two magnetic coils could produce maximum magnetic field in the plasma chamber up to 3000 Gass, the magnetic mirror ratio is 2 to 5; the rectangular TE
₁₀
mode of electromagnetic wave at a frequency 2.45 GHz was introduced into the plasma chamber via a dielectric vacuum window along the parallel or perpendicular directions to the magnetic field. Two movable langmuir probes were inserted radially and axially into the plasma chamber to determine electron temperature, plasma density, and potential.