Downstream plasma characteristics from a single loop antenna in a helicon processing reactor

The spatial profiles of ion density and wavefields are investigated in a plasma processing reactor using a single loop antenna which couples to the m = 0 mode of a helicon wave in the low magnetic field regime. An increase in ion density away from the antenna is observed. The wavefields of the helicon modes present are seen to be a superposition of higher order radial modes and their reflections from the endplate. It is found that the single loop antenna can generate a plasma with parameters that have the necessary requirements for use as a general processing plasma source.