Dust formation, charging, and transport in low temperature plasmas

                           Wim Goedheer
                          FOM Rijnhuizen

Clusters with a size distribution ranging from nanometers to microns are often
generated in processing plasmas. The formation starts from the basic plasma
chemistry and is followed by coagulation processes and deposition of radicals
and ions onto the surface of the clusters. The influence of these clusters on
the properties of a deposited layer can  be beneficial or harmful, so control
of the transport and size distribution is mandatory.  This requires knowledge
of both the generation and the transport of the particles. In this talk
especially the processes leading to dust formation will be  discussed. Silane
(SiH4) and hydrocarbon (CH4,C2H2) discharges will serve as examples. The
former is used for solar cell fabrication, the latter are important for the
cold  detached ITER divertor plasma, Magnum-psi and Pilot-psi.