Effect of probe structure on wave transmission spectra of microwave cutoff probe

Abstract

In this study, we examined the potential errors in plasma-density measurements using the cutoff probe method under various structural conditions, such as tip distance and length. Our studies indicate that under conditions of thin sheath thickness, the length or distance of the metal tips on the cutoff probe has a slight effect on the plasma transmission spectrum or cutoff frequency. However, under conditions with a notably thick sheath, the structure of the probe tip can cause an error of up to 2% between the measured cutoff frequency and actual plasma frequency. Consequently, for precise measurements of plasma density using the cutoff probe method, it is imperative to maintain a probe tip distance exceeding five times the sheath width and utilize a sufficiently long probe tip length. This finding is anticipated to provide essential guidelines for the design and fabrication of effective cutoff probes and enhance the accuracy of plasma-density measurements using a cutoff probe.