AVS 49th International Symposium
    Plasma Science Tuesday Sessions
       Session PS-TuP

Paper PS-TuP15
Microwave Power Coupling Principles for Generating Small Microwave Plasmas

Tuesday, November 5, 2002, 5:30 pm, Room Exhibit Hall B2

Session: Plasma Applications
Presenter: S. Zuo, Michigan State University
Authors: S. Zuo, Michigan State University
J.J. Narendra, Michigan State University
A. Wijaya, Michigan State University
D. Story, Michigan State University
T.A. Grotjohn, Michigan State University
J. Asmussen, Michigan State University
Correspondent: Click to Email
The development of small high density (10@super 12@ -10@super 13@ cm@super -3@) microwave plasma sources with dimensions of 0.3 mm to several mm are under investigation. These mini plasma sources can be generated and sustained by either capacitive coupling of the microwave fields to the discharge or by a plasma resonance coupling to the discharge. Further, in some configurations plasma guided waves can be generated that power the discharge along an extended length. Various microwave field generating structures have been investigated including discharges created in the gap in the center conductor of a coaxial waveguide/cavity structure, discharges created in a quartz channel located in the dielectric layer of a microstripline, discharges created in the gap of the metal line of a microstripline, and discharges created at the end of a microwave powered electrode. The discharges generated by each of these configurations have been characterized to assess the power coupling characteristics and efficiencies of these various structures. These microwave power coupling structures have also been analyzed using electromagnetic field simulation tools. Additionally, the microwave fields in the structures that generate plasma guided waves have also been characterized using a very small sampling antenna along the plasma. The structure of these plasma guided waves have been analyzed for both long linear plasmas and for plasmas that branch into Y or T shapes using experimental measurements and electromagnetic/plasma models.