Electron temperature effects of a shower cap electrode in a DC glow discharge

Abstract

Previous results at the Plasma Physics Laboratory, National Institute of Physics, University of the Philippines Diliman has shown that diamond-like carbon films can be grown using a DC glow discharge. However, the uniformity of the films produced was questionable since only localized areas in the substrate were deposited with the DLC film. Because of this the authors have incorporated a different type of electrode to facilitate this existing problem. The shower cap was constructed and fitted into the glow discharge facility with the objective of creating uniform DLC films. Some researchers have shown that this technique did improve the uniformity and apparently, the deposition rate, of the thin films that they produce.
Initial measurements on the changes ofthe plasma parameters due to the new type of electrode are therefore needed to assist in determining its effects on the deposition of DLC. In this paper, we report the effect of the shower cap electrode on the electron temperature (which describes the energy) of the DC glow discharge plasma.