Plasma and Microwave Physics of ECR Sources

这项新的研究工作是对电子回旋共振（ECR）微波等离子体源产生的等离子体的物理特性进行实验和理论研究。这项研究的结果将扩大对微波产生的等离子体的理解，并可能使改进的源设计用于各向异性，等离子体反应离子蚀刻或其他类型的表面等离子体处理。该项目分为三个阶段。在第一阶段，将在简单圆柱边界条件下对一个相对较小的腔ECR源进行非常详细的实验室测量。一个三轴，计算机控制的探针诊断将用于生成等离子体内外加电磁场的三维图像，等离子体密度和朗缪尔探针特性，以及等离子体粒子和能量流出。在第二阶段，将建立微波场与等离子体相互作用的精确模型，然后在数值上实现测量和实验之间的一对一比较。微波等离子体模型的目标是建立一个稳态的、最终自洽的描述(1)微波在源腔中的传播和吸收，以及(2)等离子体粒子和功率沿磁场线的平衡。最后，在第三阶段，将与IBM合作设计一个改进的ECR源腔，以优化双方感兴趣的特定等离子体参数。这个新的源腔将被构建并使用三轴探针诊断进行测试，从而评估该模型作为设计工具的成功。这个项目的理论建模部分的资金由IBM提供。

This new research effort is to experimentally and theoretically investigate the physics of plasmas created by electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) microwave plasma sources. The results of this research will expand understanding of microwave generated plasmas and may enable the design of improved sources to be used for anisotropic, plasma reactive-ion etching or other types of plasma processing of surfaces. The project is divided into three stages. In the first stage, very detailed laboratory measurements will be made of a relatively small cavity ECR source with simple cylindrical boundary conditions. A three-axis, computer- controlled probe diagnostic will be used to generate three-dimensional images of the applied electromagnetic field within the plasma, the plasma density and Langmuir probe characteristics, and the plasma particle and energy effluent. In the second stage, a precise model of the interaction between the microwave fields and the plasma will be developed and then implemented numerically enabling a one- to-one comparison between measurements and experiment. The objective of the microwave-plasma model is to develop a steady-state and ultimately self- consistent description of (1) microwave propagation and absorption through the source cavity, and (2) plasma particle and power balance along a magnetic field-line. Finally, in the third stage, a modified ECR source cavity will be designed in collaboration with IBM in order to optimize particular plasma parameters of mutual interest. This new source cavity will be constructed and tested using the three- axis probe diagnostic, thereby, evaluating the success of the model as a design tool. Funds for the theoretical modeling portion of this project are being provided by IBM.