ION KINETICS IN COLLISIONAL RF-GLOW DISCHARGE SHEATHS

Ion kinetic investigations are performed on a 27.12 MHz capacitively c oupled parallel plate discharge configuration using argon and oxygen a s the process gases. The incident ions on the grounded electrode are s eparated, according to their mass and energy, and the influence of rf- power density and fetal pressure on the ion mass spectra and, especial ly, on the ion energy distribution are discussed. In the observed para meter range, a transition from space charge-limited to mobility limite d ion transport in the plasma sheath occurs. The ion sheath thickness can be calculated from the change of the shape of the energy distribut ion with pressure.