The project is supported by a National Science Foundation Career Award under Grant No. ECS-9701916.

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This research project focuses on scaling-down the size of inductively coupled plasma generators so that ICPs can be used in microelectromechanical systems. The experiment shown to the left schematically describes the 7.5 mm ICP currently under investigation. As the radius of the plasma is reduced, the frequency of the electrical energy used to drive the plasma increases. Large ICPs (250 mm radius) typically operate at 2 MHz and 2000 W. The miniature ICP below is driven by 120 MHz at a power of 2 W. The ultimate goal is to reduce the ICP to a size of approximately 1 mm and fabricate the entire source using micromachining technology.

Photograph of the ICP in operation:

The penny is shown to indicate the relative size of the plasma.

The evolution of the plasma vs. pressure and rf power is displayed below for air and argon discharges. The photos were taken with a 35 mm SLR outfitted with a 50 mm lens plus a +4 diopter closeup lens. The plasma is viewed through the lower viewport looking toward the ICP coil.