ELECTRON-ENERGY DISTRIBUTION DETECTION IN SYMMETRICALLY DRIVEN RF ARGON DISCHARGE

The electron energy distribution function (EEDF) is measured with a Langmuir probe in a symmetrically driven capacitively coupled rf argon discharge. The distortion of the probe current-voltage characteristics by rf plasma potential fluctuation, which is suppressed by electric circuit resonance among an inductance, the electrode-plasma sheath and the plasma-ground stray capacitances, is finally eliminated by applying the remaining fluctuation to the probe. The detected EEDF differs from the theoretical one obtained from the Boltzmann equation.