Impedance determination of a RF plasma discharge by external measurements

The equivalent impedance of a RF plasma was experimentally determined by monitoring the voltage and current waveform for different input powers in real time. Average ion energies and fluxes were determined by a computer model which takes ion collisions in the sheath regions into account. In addition two models were proposed which explain how RF energy is converted to DC potential energy in the sheath. Etch rates of Si in a CF₄ discharge were also evaluated and related to the measurements