UNDERSTANDING PLASMA SOURCES

Abstract

†The paper discusses the basic physical mechanisms behind different plasma discharges. An attempt is made to integrate the analysis by considering the salient changes brought about in discharge formation and plasma behaviour, as the frequency of the applied power is raised from dc to microwave frequencies. Following this, discharge systems commonly used in plasma sources are examined and discussed. These include the capacitively and inductively coupled rf discharges, helicon discharges, the microwave, electron cyclotron resonance and surface wave discharges.