Abstract
Low-pressure plasma of gas mixture of Ar, O-2 and N-2 generated by RF magnetron sputtering was characterized by Langmuir probe and optical emission spectroscopy (OES). The electron temperature (T-e), ion density (n(i)) and electron energy distribution function (EEDF) in Ar-O-2-N-2 plasma atmosphere were calculated from I-V characteristic of Langmuir probe. Boltzmann plot method was applied for calculating the vibrational temperature (Tvib) of the second positive system of N-2 (N2SPS) in Ar-O-2-N-2 plasma. The T-e, n(i), EEDF and Tvib in Ar-O-2-N-2 plasma were studied as a function of O-2 percentages. It was found, the Tvib increased from 0.47 eV to 0.55 eV as the oxygen percentage in Ar-N-2-O-2 plasma increased from 10% to 40%. Further, the T-e increased from 1.6 eV to 3 eV as the O-2 concentration increased from 10% to 40%.