ArF laser-induced discharge interruption in a mixture of C2 H3Cl/CF4/CH4, CF4/CH 4, and C2H3Cl/He

The ArF-laser (193-nm)-induced discharge interruption is comparatively described in a mixture of C₂H₃Cl/CF ₄/CH₄, CF₄/CH₄, and C₂ H₃Cl/He using a hollow-cathode-type discharge tube. The unfocused ArF laser (typically 27 mJ/cm² and 10 ns duration) illuminated both the negative glow inside the hollow cathode and the column between the two electrodes. With a 1.8-torr mixture of C₂ H₃Cl/CF₄, the discharge current of 1 mA was decreased rapidly with a current-decay time constant of 1 μs and a current-decay rate of 1 kA/s. With a 1.5-torr mixture of CF₄/CH₄, 2.2 μs and 450 A/s were obtained. With a 1.5-torr mixture of CH₂H₃Cl/He, a time constant of over 3 μs and a rate of less than 300 A/s were obtained. An analysis of the discharge interruption induced by ArF-laser irradiation is given in terms of photon-plasma kinetics. The current peak induced by ArF irradiation is also explained for a mixture of C₂H₃ Cl/He in terms of photoionization and photodetachment processes