Abstract. Electron neutral collision frequency is measured using both grounded and floating hairpin resonator probes in a 27 MHz parallel plate capacitively coupled plasma (CCP). Operating conditions are 0.1-2 Torr (13.3-267 Pa) in Ar, He, and Ar-He gas mixtures. The method treats the hairpin probe as a two wire transmission line immersed in a dielectric medium. A minimization method is applied during the pressure and sheath correction process by sweeping over assumed collision frequencies in order to obtain the measured collision frequency. Results are compared to hybrid plasma equipment module (HPEM) simulations and show good agreement.
A floating hairpin resonator probe is used to measure electron density within the radiofrequency cycle of a parallel plate capacitively coupled plasma at steady state. A time resolution capable of detecting electron density oscillations within the radiofrequency cycle is demonstrated. Electron density oscillations are observed at the drive frequency over a range of operating conditions including 10-250 mTorr (1.3-33 Pa) in argon driven at 13.56 or 27.12 MHz. Localized electron density oscillation amplitudes show moderate agreement with literature and fluid simulations near the powered electrode and disagreement in the plasma bulk. The technique is useful for studying electron heating mechanisms in radiofrequency discharges due to its high time resolution.
In order to understand how N2plasma conditions impact on the incorporation of nitrogen species into a thin SiO2(1.4 nm), tuning of some pulsed RF (pRF) Decoupled Plasma Nitridation (DPN) process parameters was performed: duty cycle (DC) or on-time per period, frequency (f), process time (t) and some cross-combinations (DC*f, DC*t, DC*f*t). The N2plasma and the SiOxNyfilm were characterized using Langmuir probe analysis (LP) and Delay to Reoxidation (D2R) techniques, respectively. Correlations are established between ion density and electron temperature and the resultant nitrogen concentration and parasitic physical thickness increase. The LP results indicate that while DC impacts the ion density and energy, the frequency has no impact to first order. This is consistent with the physical characteristics of the film. From the combination of DC*f*t, the importance of the off-time portion of the pulse was revealed. With the help of a modified pulsed RF DPN generator, allowing a decrease of the frequency down to 2 kHz, a 5% improvement of the drive current for pMOS transistors was obtained.
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