Measuring the electron density, temperature, and electronegativity in electron beam-generated plasmas produced in argon/SF6 mixtures

This paper presents measurements of electron density (ne0), electron temperature (Te), and electronegativity (α) in electron beam-generated plasmas produced in mixtures of argon and SF6 using Langmuir probes and plasma resonance spectroscopy. Langmuir probe measurements are analyzed using a model capable of handling multi-component plasmas with both positive and negative ions. Verification of the model is provided through plasma frequency resonance measurements of ne0. The results suggest a simple approach to ascertaining α in negative-ion-containing plasmas using Langmuir probes alone. In addition, modest amounts of SF6 are shown to produce sharp increases in both Te and α in electron beam generated plasmas.

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