Recombination coefficients of O and N radicals on stainless steel

Surface recombination coefficients of O and N radicals in pure O-2 and N-2 plasmas, respectively, have been estimated on the stainless steel walls of a low-pressure inductively coupled plasma reactor. The recombination coefficients are estimated using a steady state plasma model describing the balance between the volume generation of the radicals from electron-impact dissociation of the parent molecules, and the loss of the radicals due to surface recombination. The model uses radical and parent molecule number densities and the electron energy distribution function (EEDF) as input parameters. We have measured the radical number density using appearance potential mass spectrometry. The parent neutral number density is measured using mass spectrometry. The EEDF is measured using a Langmuir probe. The recombination coefficient of O radicals on stainless steel walls at approximately 330 K is estimated to be 0.17 +/- 0.02, and agrees well with previous measurements. The recombination coefficient of N radicals is estimated to be 0.07 +/- 0.02 on stainless steel at 330 K. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(00)00519-3].