Theoretical background and some applications of ECWR-plasmas

Plasma excitation by Electron Cyclotron Wave Resonance ECWR which makes use of a special branch of the dispersion relations of electromagnetic waves in a weakly anisotropic medium is explained on the basis of tensorial electrodynamics. The technical performance of the production of electrodeless low pressure plasmas by ECWR is described, and applications of such plasmas for postionization purposes in surface mass spectrometry SNMS, broad beam ion sources and plasma reactors for PECVD are briefly discussed.