Vacuum ultraviolet radiation emitted by microwave driven argon plasmas

Vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation emitted by microwave driven argon plasmas has been investigated at low-pressure conditions (0.36 mbar). A classical surface-wave sustained discharge at 2.45 GHz has been used as plasma source. VUV radiation has been detected by emission spectroscopy in the 30-125 nm spectral range. The spectrum exhibits atomic and ionic argon emissions with the most intense spectral lines corresponding to the atomic resonance lines, at 104.8 nm and 106.7 nm, and to the ion lines, at 92.0 nm and 93.2 nm. Emissions at lower wavelengths were also detected, including lines with no information concerning level transitions in the well-known NIST database (e.g., the atomic line at 89.4 nm). The dependence of the lines' intensity on the microwave power delivered to the launcher was investigated. The electron density was estimated to be around 10(12) cm(-3) using the Stark broadening of the hydrogen H-beta line at 486.1 nm. The main population and loss mechanisms considered in the model for the excited argon atom and ion states emitting in the VUV range are discussed. The experimental results were compared to self-consistent model predictions, and a good agreement was obtained. Published by AIP Publishing.