Effect of substrate potential on plasma parameters of magnetic multicusp plasma source

The effect of substrate potential on plasmas produced in a magnetic multicusp plasma source has been studied experimentally. Plasma parameters such as electron temperature and plasma potential are estimated from electron energy distribution function numerically calculated from probe current-voltage characteristics. For a substrate potential of -150 V with respect to the source chamber, which is much lower than substrate Heating potentials, the plasma parameters are not affected by the application of the potential. However, for the case where the substrate is shorted with the source chamber, the high energy component of electrons significantly decreases in comparison with the floating case leading to the reduction of electron temperature. In this case, plasma potential is positive with respect to the substrate to suppress electron loss but its absolute value is only of the order of electron temperature in eV, which is much lower than the potential between the plasma and the substrate in the floating case. This discharge mode could be advantageous in significantly reducing the ion impact energy to the substrate plate.