Probing dusty-plasma/surface interactions with a heat flux microsensor

Heat flux microsensor—a thermopile with millisecond response time—was employed for direct measurements of total energy flux to a floated surface in a dusty rf discharge. The measurements were performed in silane-hydrogen plasmas at discharge conditions close to those used for the growth of polymorphous silicon films. At rf power between 10 and 50 W, the measured energy flux was in the range of 20-250 mW/cm2. Due to fast time response, the thermopile was also capable of tracing the dynamics of nanoparticle growth. A significant decrease (about 30%) in the energy flux was observed during the agglomeration phase.