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A method for measuring the interactions of dust particles within a two-dimensional (2D) layer in a plasma is presented, along with the use of dust as a probe for determining plasma presheath electric fields. Particle interactions were directly determined from the lateral compression of two-dimensional plasma dust crystals confined in a parabolic potential well. The shape of the parabolic potential well was confirmed by observing trajectories of single particles falling within the well. Particle trajectories were in good agreement with values calculated using gas temperatures derived from laser-induced-fluorescence measurements of the argon metastable velocity distributions and assuming diffusive gas scattering. Measured particle separations combined with an equation of state for the crystal were used to derive values for the plasma screening length and the charge on the particles. Screening lengths and charges were measured for a range of plasma power, pressure, and particle diameter (mass). Analysis of the particle heights and charge were used to derive the time-averaged electric fields at the edge of the rf driven plasma sheath. Measured electric fields were between 5 and 22 V/cm. For smaller particle diameters, the ion wind force was comparable to the force of gravity. These measurements showed that the particles are confined to the bulk-plasma side of the classical Bohm point.

A number of laser-induced fluorescence and absorption spectroscopy studies have been conducted using Gaseous Electronics Conference Reference Cells. Laser-induced fluorescence has been used to measure hydrogen atom densities, to measure argon metastable spatial profiles, to determine the sheath electric field, and to infer the electron density and temperature. Absorption spectroscopy, using lamp sources and diode lasers, has been used to measure metastable atom densities in helium and argon discharges and fluorocarbon densities in silicon etching discharges. The experimental techniques and sample results of these investigations are reviewed.

This paper provides an introduction to the Gaseous Electronics Conference (GEC) RF Reference Cell, and to the articles published in this Special Issue of the Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology . A brief summary of the history and purpose of the Reference Cell concept is presented, and recent changes to the GEC Cell design are documented. The paper concludes with highlights of research performed on GEC Cells, and with an appendix of all known publications that present research performed on GEC Cells.

In order to extend the operating range of the GEC RF Reference Cell, we developed an inductively coupled plasma source that replaced the standard parallel-plate upper-electrode assembly. Voltage and current probes, Langmuir probes, and an 80 GHz interferometer provided information on plasmas formed in argon, chlorine, and nitrogen at pressures from 0.1 Pa to 3 Pa. For powers deposited in the plasma from 20 W to 300 W, the source produced peak electron densities between 10 10 /cm 3 and 10 12 /cm 3 and electron temperatures near 4 eV. The electron density peaked on axis with typical full-width at half maximum of 7 cm to 9 cm. Discharges in chlorine and nitrogen had bimodal operation that was clearly evident from optical emission intensity. A dim mode occurred at low power and a bright mode at high power. The transition between modes had hysteresis. After many hours of high-power operation, films formed on electrodes and walls of one Cell. These deposits affected the dim-to-bright mode transition, and also apparently caused generation of hot electrons and increased the plasma potential.