Particle Collecting in a 13.56-MHz Radio-Frequency Methane Discharge

Radio-frequency methane plasmas are widely used for deposition of amorphous hydrogenated coatings a-C:H in PECVD reactors. According to our experimental conditions, particles are also generated in the plasma. The study of the chemical nature of these particles requires a sufficient quantity to be collected at the end of the experiment. We show that a modification of the electrical field lines above the grounded electrode improves particle collecting.