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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 February 2011
A capacitively coupled rf glow discharge of silane in argon was studied to determine the spatial concentration of silicon atoms. Laserinduced fluorescence was used to determine the ground state concentration profiles. The fluorescence profiles clearly show the sharp boundaries of the sheath regions. The dc bias voltage, silane mole fractions, flow rates, and chamber pressure were all varied to establish the sensitivity of the silane profiles. The existing theory of sheath formation is used to qualitatively understand the existence of sharp spatial boundaries and the sensitivity of the anode sheath region to plasma chemistry.