Characterization of an inductively coupled nitrogen-argon plasma by Langmuir probe combined with optical emission spectroscopy

The properties of low-pressure inductively coupled nitrogen-argon plasmas were investigated by using a Langmuir probe combined with optical emission spectroscopy (OES) under the conditions of pressures in the range of 1-30 mTorr and applied rf powers of 200-600 W. In the experiments, the argon was introduced as an actinometer and as an adding gas. The effect of the argon content in the gas mixture was examined in the range of 5%-80%. The electron energy probability function (EEPF), the electron density, and the electron temperature were obtained by using an rf-compensated Langmuir probe. The dissociation fractions were obtained from the OES actinometry. The electron temperature was also obtained by OES corona model and compared with that measured by the probe. The second positive and first negative systems of spectral bands from nitrogen molecules were analyzed to estimate the vibrational and rotational temperatures. The effects of the control parameters on the plasma parameters and dissociation fraction were investigated. While the calculated nitrogen atom density increased with power, it exhibited a maximum value near the Ar content of 30%. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3554706]