Atomic oxygen surface loss probability on silica in microwave plasmas studied by a pulsed induced fluorescence technique

The aim of this paper is to determine the atomic oxygen surface loss probability on silica under microwave plasma conditions around 133 Pa ( 1 Torr). A pulsed induced fluorescence technique where a main long pulse creates the plasma and a shorter one re-excites atoms in the time post-discharge was used. The method and its validity under the present experimental conditions are discussed at large. The oxygen surface loss probability on silica is found to be around 3% under plasma conditions, while it is estimated to be two orders of magnitude lower for a surface not submitted to the plasma.