The electrical asymmetry effect in capacitively coupled radio frequency discharges - measurements of dc self bias, ion energy and ion flux

The recently theoretically predicted electrical asymmetry effect (EAE) (Heil et al 2008 IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 36 1404, Heil et al 2008 J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 41 165202, Czarnetzki et al 2009 J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. at press) in capacitively coupled radio frequency (CCRF) discharges and the related separate control of ion energy and flux via the EAE (Czarnetzki et al 2009 J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. at press, Donko et al 2008 J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 42 025205) are tested experimentally for the first time. A geometrically symmetric CCRF discharge (equal electrode surface areas) operated at 13.56 and 27.12 MHz with variable phase angle between the harmonics is operated in argon at different pressures. The dc self bias, the energy as well as the flux of ions at the grounded electrode, and the space and phase resolved optical emission are measured. The results verify the predictions of models and simulations: via the EAE a dc self bias is generated as an almost linear function of the phase. This variable dc self bias allows separate control of ion energy and flux in an almost ideal way under various discharge conditions.