Microwave Discharges Fundamentals And Applications

Proceedings of a NATO ARW held in Vimeiro, Portugal, May 11-15, 1992

The focus of this book is the remarkable advances in understanding of low pressure RF (radio frequency) glow discharges. A basic analytical theory and plasma physics are explained. Plasma diagnostics are also covered before the practicalities of etcher use are explored.

Specialists in different areas of microwave plasma physics, technique, and plasma processing cover all problems of theory, experiments, and applications of microwave discharges, and yield the state-of-the-art trends.

A practical introduction to microwave plasma for processing applications at a variety of pressures In Microwave Plasma Sources and Methods in Processing Technology, the authors deliver a comprehensive introduction to microwaves and microwave-generated plasmas. Ideal for anyone interested in non-thermal gas discharge plasmas and their applications, the book includes detailed descriptions, explanations, and practical guidance for the study and use of microwave power, microwave components, plasma, and plasma generation. This reference includes over 130 full-color diagrams to illustrate the concepts discussed within. The distinguished authors discuss the plasmas generated at different levels of power, as well as their applications at reduced, atmospheric and higher pressures. They also describe plasmas inside liquids and plasma interactions with combustion flames. Microwave Plasma Sources and Methods in Processing Technology concludes with an incisive exploration of new trends in the study and application of microwave discharges, offering promising new areas of study. The book also includes: • A thorough introduction to the basic principles of microwave techniques and power systems, including a history of the technology, microwave generators, waveguides, and wave propagation • A comprehensive exploration of the fundamentals of the physics of gas discharge plasmas, including plasma generation, Townsend coefficients, and the Paschen curve • Practical discussions of the interaction between plasmas and solid surfaces and gases, including PVD, PE CVD, oxidation, sputtering, evaporation, dry etching, surface activation, and cleaning • In-depth examinations of microwave plasma systems for plasma processing at varied parameters Perfect for researchers and engineers in the microwave community, as well as those who work with plasma applications, Microwave Plasma Sources and Methods in Processing Technology will also earn a place in the libraries of graduate and PhD students studying engineering physics, microwave engineering, and plasmas.

This book resulted from the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on “Electron Kinetics and Applications of Glow Discharges,” held in St. Petersburg, Russia, on May 19-23, 1997. Glow discharges have found widespread applications in many technological processes from the manufacture of semiconductors, to recent developments in na- technology, to the traditional fields of gas lasers, and discharge lamps. Consequently, the interest in the physics of glow discharges has experienced yet another resurgence of interest. While the non-equilibrium character of glow discharges is widely accepted, the opinion still prevails that the main features can be captured by fluid models, and that kinetic treatments are only required for the understanding of subtle details. The erroneousness of this belief is demonstrated by the failure of fluid models to describe many basic features of glow discharges such as, for instance, electrode phenomena, striations, and collisionless heating effects. An adequate description of glow discharges thus has to be of kinetic nature.