Studies of Ion Kinetic-Energy Distributions in the Gaseous Electronics Conference Rf Reference Cell

Abstract

A review is presented of kinetic-energy distribution measurements for ions strik- ing grounded surfaces in a Gaseous Elec- tronics Conference (GEC) rf Reference Cell. Two experimental arrangements that have been used to measure ion energies in the GEC Cell are described, and a com- parison of their performance under dif- ferent operating conditions is presented. Significant results from ion-energy analy- sis in the Reference Cell are highlighted, including evidence of effects due to sur- face conditions on ion sampling, verifica- tion of electrical behavior of the cell, in- ferences about ion-molecule reactions July–August 1995 indicated by the shapes of measured ion kinetic-energy distributions (IEDs), and the use of measured IEDs for the validation of theoretical models. The paper concludes with a detailed study of IEDs measured for rf plasmas generated in mixtures of ar- gon and oxygen, using both experimental arrangements.