Plasma and ion beam characterization by non-conventional methods

For optimization and adjustment of ion beam sources in surface application, knowledge of physical beam parameters and plasma processes in the ion source has to be provided by suitable diagnostics. For this purpose, novel-but relatively simple (and cheap)-diagnostic methods which complete the common diagnostics are suggested. The so-called non-conventional methods are: (.) axial and radial determination of the ion beam profile by energy flux measurements, (.) visualization of the ion beam by interaction with a cloud of micro-disperse particles, and (.) characterization of the sheath region in the plasma source by sheath photometry. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.