Determination of Non-Maxwellian Electron Energy Distributions in Low-Pressure Plasmas by Using the Optical Emission Spectroscopy and a Collisional-Radiative Model

By using the collisional-radiative model, an approach to derive the non- Maxwellian electron energy distribution function (EEDF) with a ‘two-temperature structure’ from the emission line-ratios of Paschen 2p levels of argon and krypton atoms is proposed. For its applications to reactive gas (CF4, O2, etc) discharges that contain argon and krypton, recommendations of some specific emission line-ratios are provided, according to their sensitivities to the variation in EEDF. The kinetic processes of the relevant excited atoms are also discussed in detail.