Electromagnetic sources of nonuniformity in large area capacitive reactors

Theoryandexperimentshowthattwoelectromagneticmodesarenecessaryandsufficienttodeterminethefieldnonuniformitywithinaparallel-plate rf capacitive plasma reactor. These two modes give rise to the standing wave effect and the telegraph effect. The standing wave effect is associated with high frequencies inlarge reactorswherethe reactorsizeislarger than about a tenthofthe vacuum wavelengthofthe rf excitation.The telegraph effect is associated with asymmetric electrode areas, which necessitates the redistribution of rf current along the plasma to maintain rf current continuity.

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