| Research on miniature microwave plasmas is motivated in part by the interest in generating on-chip plasma sources for applications such as miniature spectroscopy, sterilization of on-chip laboratories, and local area plasma-assisted etching and chemical vapor deposition.;The goal of this work is to determine the properties of miniature plasma discharges generated by microwave energy. Specifically, small discharges of argon and hydrogen with volumes of less than 1 cubic centimeter are investigated. Various properties of the plasma discharges are measured including plasma gas temperature, electron density, and internal plasma electromagnetic field strength.;The discharges are measured across a wide pressure range from 0.1 Torr to over 100 Torr using non-invasive optical emission spectroscopy techniques. Specific optical emission diagnostic techniques utilized includes Stark broadening of atomic hydrogen emissions to determine electron density, molecular hydrogen rotational temperature, Zeeman splitting in molecular hydrogen emissions to determine both the microwave magnetic field strength and the plasma temperature.;Modeling of the plasma discharges is also using particle and energy balance equations. |
