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Sensitive, Non-Intrusive, In Situ Measurements of Plasma Electric Fields

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2011

Richard A Gottscho
Affiliation:
At&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, NJ 07974
Cameron A. Moore
Affiliation:
Colorado State University, Department of Electrical Engineering, Fort Collins, CO 80523
Glenn P. Davis
Affiliation:
Intercal, Inc., Port Huron, Michigan
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Abstract

We report a new technique for the in situ, non-intrusive, and sensitive measurement of plasma electric fields with high spatial resolution. Fields as small as 40 V/cm can be characterized by spectrally resolving laser-induced fluorescence from Stark-mixed parity levels. The technique is demonstrated by exciting the A1 11−X 1Σ+ band system of BC1, produced in an rf discharge through BCI3. The characterization and absolute measurement of sheath fields, which have been elusive, are now possible. These fields are preeminent in governing charged particle transport to and between electrode surfaces and in maintaining the glow discharge.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1984

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References

REFERENCES

1. Zarowin, C. B., J. Electrochem. Soc. 130, 1144 (1983).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2. According to convention [Hougen, S., J. Mol. Spectrosc. 55, 500 (1975)], levels with +(−1)j parity are called ; and those with −(−1)j parity are called f .Google Scholar
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