Characteristics of low-aspect ratio, large-diameter, high-density helicon plasmas with variable axial boundary conditions

A low-aspect ratio, high-density helicon plasma source with a large-diameter of ∼74 cm that utilizes an end-launch flat-spiral antenna has been characterized under three different axial boundary conditions. Whereas one end of the device is a quartz-glass window through which an excitation rf wave is injected, the other end is a movable plasma terminating plate of three different kinds: (1) metal with small holes, (2) solid metal, and (3) solid insulator. Using this movable plate, the device aspect ratio A (device axial length/device diameter) can be reduced to ∼0.075 corresponding to the device axial length of 5.5 cm. The plasma production efficiency (PPE, defined as the ratio of the total number of electrons in the plasma to the input rf power) and helicon wave structures are examined for plasmas with various aspect ratios and boundary conditions to characterize our helicon device. Even for the lowest aspect ratio case (A ∼0.075), a plasma with the electron density of 7.5 × 1011 cm−3 can be produced. The PPE of our device is higher than that of other helicon devices that utilize winding-type antennas. Discrete axial wave modes, which can be explained by a simple model, have been identified for helicon waves excited in our low-aspect ratio helicon plasmas. A comparison between the experimental results and helicon wave theory suggests that second order radial modes must have been excited when the electron density is sufficiently high.