Frequency dependence of the plasma density for helicon plasmas

Variations of plasma density are investigated as a function of frequency of rf power in a helicon plasma source. Abrupt, almost step-like changes in the plasma density are observed during the frequency scans under various conditions of the input rf power, the argon gas pressure, and the magnetic field. It is found that the transition frequencies shift to the lower value region as the input rf power and/or the argon gas pressure is increased, and to the higher value region as the magnetic field is increased. The observed density transitions are compared with semianalytical calculations based on the power balance relation and it has been shown that the results are in good agreement. copyright 1997 American Institute of Physics