Ion power losses at the electrode sheaths in a symmetric RF discharge

Summary form only given. The power dissipated in ion acceleration in the RF sheaths of a capacitively coupled, parallel-plate, symmetric discharge driven at 13.56 MHz has been determined in argon at gas pressures of 0.01, 0.1, and 1.0 torr. Measurements were made over a range of discharge current between 0.01 A and 3.0 A. Total discharge power measurements were also made at the same time. Two methods were used to determine the ion acceleration power in the sheaths. One method is based on measuring the ion energy flux on the RF electrodes and the other is based on measuring the external electrical parameters of the discharge. The ratio of the power dissipated in ion acceleration in the RF sheaths to the total power dissipated in the discharge has been determined using both techniques