PARTICLE GENERATION AND BEHAVIOR IN A SILANE-ARGON LOW-PRESSURE DISCHARGE UNDER CONTINUOUS OR PULSED RADIOFREQUENCY EXCITATION

The generation and behavior of particles in a low-pressure silane-argon discharge have been analyzed under continuous and pulsed radio-frequency (rf) excitation conditions. In the continuous rf excitation regime, the influence of parameters such as gas temperature and silane partial pressure are determined. By using rf pulsed excitation, it is shown that gas-flow effects play a predominant role for particle dynamics when the excitation is stopped. Radio-frequency regimes with short and adjustable rf off sequences are used to study both the inhibition of particle formation and the elimination of particles from the dusty plasmas. The electrical properties of the discharge are shown to be sensitive to the presence of the particles. Simple models for particle trapping in the plasma edge and for particle dynamics when the discharge is turned off are presented.