Langmuir probe differential measurement technique in inductively coupled RF plasmas

A differential measurement technique has been proposed in order to reduce noise level and stray capacitance leakage usually affecting Langmuir probe data. The technique employs two identically designed and biased Langmuir probes, connected to an instrumentation amplifier. Both probes axe immersed in plasma of approximately the same space potential, one of them being plasma current collecting probe, and the second one being isolated from plasma and serving as a pick-up probe, detecting leakage currents from parasitic capacitive coupling and noise. Avoiding averaging of probe current data is the main advantage of the proposed differential technique. Experiments in the plasma expansion region of inductively driven RF source are shown to achieve lower electron temperature and higher electron density as measured by conventional single Langmuir probe. Obtaining more sharpness of the "knee" on the characteristic, thus lowering the uncertainty in plasma potential is another true merit of the differential Langmuir probe technique.