Provided are methods, apparatuses and systems for enhanced determination of the gas composition of a sample gas using glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GD-OES) for gas analysis. A first method comprises: generating one or more oscillating electromagnetic fields within a plasma cell to excite particles within the cell, to produce a glow discharge plasma in the plasma cell, and controlling the operating conditions for the plasma cell while flowing a gas mixture through the plasma cell to maintain glow discharge optical emissions from the plasma within a desired operating range; and monitoring one or more glow discharge optical emissions from the plasma in the plasma cell; wherein said monitoring of the optical emissions comprises measuring the optical emissions, or measuring a signal that correlates with the optical emissions, at twice the plasma excitation frequency; and processing the signal during each excitation cycle of the electromagnetic excitation, to determine the concentration of a gas within a gas mixture flowing through the plasma cell.

The disclosure pertains to a capacitively coupled plasma source in which VHF power is applied through an impedance-matching coaxial resonator having a symmetrical power distribution.

The subject of the invention is a method and device for reducing contamination in a plasma reactor, especially contamination by lubricants, particularly for plasma processing of materials. The method is based on the fact that the contaminated gas pumped out of at least one reduced pressure vacuum chamber in the form of a plasma lamp (LA.sub.1, LA.sub.2, LA.sub.3) is purified in at least one purifying plasma lamp (LA.sub.01, LA.sub.02, LA.sub.H, LA.sub.E), in which a glow discharge is initiated between the anodes of the purifying plasma lamp (A01, A02) and the cathodes of the purifying plasma lamp (K.sub.01, K.sub.02), favorably particles of lubricants are cracked and partially polymerized, while processed heavy particles of lubricants are collected in a buffer tank (ZB) and then discharged outside the pumping system. The device contains at least one reduced pressure vacuum chamber in the form of a plasma lamp (LA.sub.1, LA.sub.2, LA.sub.3), it is connected to at least one purifying plasma lamp (LA.sub.01, LA.sub.02, LA.sub.H, LA.sub.E) with a buffer tank (ZB) connected to a vacuum pump (PP). The vacuum tube connecting the plasma lamps (LA.sub.1, LA.sub.2, LA.sub.3) with the purifying plasma lamp (LA.sub.01, LA.sub.02, LA.sub.H, LA.sub.E)) is equipped with a dosing valve (V) for the gaseous admixture medium (MD) to plasma lamps (LA.sub.1, LA.sub.2, LA.sub.3), from which radiation (R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3) is directed to the processed material (OM).

An apparatus may include a main chamber, a substrate holder, disposed in a lower region of the main chamber, and defining a substrate region, as well as an RF applicator, disposed adjacent an upper region of the main chamber, to generate an upper plasma within the upper region. The apparatus may further include a central chamber structure, disposed in a central portion of the main chamber, where the central chamber structure is disposed to shield at least a portion of the substrate position from the upper plasma. The apparatus may include a bias source, electrically coupled between the central chamber structure and the substrate holder, to generate a glow discharge plasma in the central portion of the main chamber, wherein the substrate region faces the glow discharge region.

An atmospheric pressure plasma system includes an atmospheric pressure plasma source that generates a glow discharge-type plasma. The atmospheric pressure plasma source comprises a plasma head and a gas sensor system. The plasma head includes a gas inlet, a gas passage surrounded by a dielectric liner, a radio frequency (RF) electrode and a ground electrode. The RF electrode and the ground electrode are arranged at opposite sides of an outer surface of a segment of the gas passage. The gas sensor system comprises a first pellistor that is exposed to a process gas entering the gas inlet and provides real-time monitoring of the presence and concentration of helium in the process gas entering the gas inlet during plasma operation.

A switch device of an embodiment includes a first electrode including a first layer including at least one selected from the group consisting of B, C, Al, Si, and Ga, a second electrode separated from the first electrode, a first grid disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a second grid disposed between the first grid and the second electrode.

Apparatus include an atmospheric pressure glow discharge (APGD) analyte electrode defining an analyte discharge axis into an APGD volume, and a plurality of APGD counter electrodes having respective electrical discharge ends directed to the APGD volume, wherein the APGD analyte electrode and the APGD counter electrodes are configured to produce an APGD plasma in the APGD volume with a voltage difference between the APGD analyte electrode and one or more of the AGPD counter electrodes. An electrode can be integrated into an ion inlet. Apparatus can be configured to perform auto-ignition and/or provide multi-modal operation through selectively powering electrodes. Electrode holder devices are disclosed. Related methods are disclosed.

A plasma processing method includes generating a plasma within a processing chamber using source power to ignite a glow phase of the plasma, generating low-energy ions at a substrate supported by a substrate holder in the processing chamber from the plasma using lower-frequency radio frequency bias power applied during the glow phase, and generating high-energy ions at the substrate using higher-frequency radio frequency bias power applied during an afterglow phase of the plasma. The frequency of the higher-frequency radio frequency bias power is greater than the frequency of the lower-frequency radio frequency bias power.

A plasma processing apparatus includes a process container that forms a process space to accommodate a target substrate, and a first electrode and a second electrode disposed opposite each other inside the process container. The first electrode is an upper electrode and the second electrode is a lower electrode and configured to support the target substrate through a mount face. A correction ring is disposed to surround the target substrate placed on the mount face of the second electrode. The correction ring includes a combination of a first ring to be around the target substrate and a second ring arranged around or above the first ring. A power supply unit is configured to apply a first electric potential and a second electric potential respectively to the first ring and the second ring to generate a potential difference between the first and second rings. The power supply unit is configured to variably set the potential difference.

Regarding the problem of low signal intensity during material analysis using existing radio frequency glow discharge mass spectrometry, an apparatus and method for enhancing signal intensity of radio frequency glow discharge mass spectrometry are provided, so as to enhance the signal intensity during inorganic material analysis using a radio frequency glow discharge mass spectrometer. The apparatus comprises a sample introduction cell having a sample introduction rod and having a sample fixed thereon, and an array magnet enhancement portion having a housing shell and magnets arranged in an array. The array magnet enhancement portion is fixed between the sample introduction rod in the sample introduction cell and the sample and is tightly attached to the sample.