Electron temperature evolution in a low pressure dusty RF nitrogen-rich methane plasma
Résumé
Particles are generated in a classical planar radiofrequency (rf) (13.56 MHz) reactor in nitrogen-rich methane at low pressure (120 Pa). The gas decomposition leads to particle generation and growth. During their formation, the particles become negatively charged. The electrical and the optical parameters of the discharge are disturbed. The presence of particles in the plasma is put in evidence by laser light scattering and is correlated to the dc self bias voltage. A small quantity of argon is introduced in the gas mixture in order to calculate the electron temperature. The temporal evolutions of both the electron temperature and the optical emission intensities of the excited argon are correlated with the particle growth and behavior in the plasma.