Influence of magnetic field and ionization on gradient driven instability in an EÃB plasma

Abstract

An EÃB plasma is important for various applications including Hall thrusters and magnetic nozzle for long-lasting space propulsion. Such a cross field arrangement in inductively coupled plasma plays vital role in film deposition and etching that are the basic ingredients in semiconductor industries; though in these applications, only the electrons are magnetized which enhance the plasma production and hence, ultimately control the etching aspect ratio and film quality. In the present work, an E Ã B plasma is considered where ionization takes place and finite temperature gradient also exists. Specifically, a theoretical model is developed for analysing the effect of magnetic field on the density gradient driven instability. The growth rate of the instability is evaluated as a function of plasma background density, scale length of density gradient, ionization frequency, charge on ions, ion temperature gradient, temperatures of plasma species and magnetic field. To generalize the situation, case of different masses of the ions is also reviewed by considering both the electrons and the ions to be magnetized.