Vacuum ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy employing a microdiacharge hollow-cathode lamp for absolute density measurements of hydrogen atoms in reactive plasmas

Abstract

We have developed a measurement technique for absolute H-atom densities in process plasmas using vacuum ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy employing a high-pressure microdischarge hollow-cathode lamp (MHCL) as a Lyman α (Lα, 121.6 nm) emission light source. Characterization of the Lα emission-line profile could be simplified by using a high-pressure discharge at about 1 atm. The effect of self-absorption in the MHCL was reduced to an insignificant level by decreasing the H2 partial pressure. The contribution of the collisional broadening to the Lα emission profile was estimated from the saturation characteristics of the absorption intensity when the optical thickness of the plasma was varied. The technique was applied to the measurement of the absolute H-atom density in an inductively coupled H2 plasma.