Microwave Discharges : Structures and Stability

Abstract

As it has been shown in a recent paper1, plasma aided manufacturing is growing. This is particularly true for microwave discharges owing their specific advantages. Indeed, these electrodeless discharges are non polluting and permit the use of corrosive gases, further they are easy to operate and versatile. For applications, a very important characteristic of these discharges is their very high production rate of species. Indeed, microwave plasma can be regarded as source of species. In the plasma bulk itself are produced ions and photons whose the field of applictions is very wide: microelectronics (etching, cleaning, stripping...) for ions, UV or visible sources for photons (UV excimer lasers, intense mercury lamps...). Microwave plasma are also producing active neutrals which can be carried out of the plasma in flowing discharges making possible processes of surface treatment as nitriding, oxydation, coating...