Plasma Characteristics Depending on Power Feeding Method in an Inductively Coupled Plasma

Abstract

Inductively coupled plasmas (ICPs) consists of an antenna that one end is connected to a power supply and the other end is connected to the ground. In this configuration, high voltages between the powered end and grounded end of the antenna would develop, which causes capacitive coupling, leading to ion energy losses and dielectric erosion. In order to reduce this phenomenon, the balanced power was applied to the antenna by using a balun transformer between an impedance matching network and a discharge antenna. Experiment was performed with balanced power system and the conventional system for comparison of plasma characteristics according to power feeding method. In comparison with the conventional power, plasma density was increased and the electron temperature was decreased in the balanced system. These results may be due to the decrease of capacitive coupling. (C) 2013 The Japan Society of Applied Physics