The electron temperature, ion density, plasma potential and magnetic field
are measured in a plasma produced by a magnetron sputtering device. The mag
netic field has been mapped by measuring the axial and radial components wi
th Hall probes. The plasma parameters have been measured by a diagnostic sy
stem consisting of several Langmuir probes with different collecting areas
that can be positioned by a linear translator. The automatic analysis syste
m allows one to take into account non-saturation of the ion current due to
sheath thickness variation. The Langmuir probes have been used in various c
onditions of magnetic field and source power with a gas filling pressure of
1 Pa. It has been found that the diagnostic system gives reliable measurem
ents of the plasma parameters in static and inhomogeneous magnetic fields.
(C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.