Progress in Plasma Processing of Materials, 2003

ISBN Print: 978-1-56700-192-1

ISBN Online: 978-1-56700-447-2

INVESTIGATION ON BISTABILITY IN INDUCTIVELY-COUPLED PLASMA TORCHES WITH NON-CONVENTIONAL COIL

DOI: 10.1615/ITPPC-2002.180
pages 141-146

Abstract

In previous works on ICPTs with split coil [1,2], the Authors pointed out that for a particular choice of the geometric parameters two equilibrium states for the plasma exist for the same induction coil current. In the present study, a deep investigation of the transition between the two states is performed with a time-dependent simulation code, evidencing a sort of hysteresis phenomenon. A parametric study is carried out in order to find threshold parameters for the bistability in different geometries. For some cases, time oscillating behaviour of plasma is found.