Chemical Vapor Deposition of Silicon Dioxide by Direct-Current Corona Discharges in Dry Air Containing Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane Vapor: Measurement of the Deposition Rate

Experiments in a positive-polarity, wire/plate electrode establish the effects of the concentration of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (150–1100 ppm) and the operating current (0.5–2.55 μA/cm length of wire) on the rate of deposition of silicon dioxide on the high voltage wire. The wire is 100 μm radius tungsten and the wire-to-plate spacing is 1.5 cm. Analyses of the deposit with X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy show that it is amorphous silicon dioxide. The deposition rate increases linearly with increasing silicone concentration and corona current. For the concentrations of silicone likely to present in indoor air, the gas-phase processes limit the rate of deposition.     

Ozone Production in the Positive DC Corona Discharge: Model and Comparison to Experiments

A numerical model of ozone generation in clean, dry air by positive DC corona discharges from a thin wire is presented. The model combines the physical processes in the corona discharge with the chemistry of ozone formation and destruction in the air stream. The distributions of ozone and nitrogen oxides are obtained in the neighborhood of the corona discharge wire. The model is validated with previously published experimental data. About 80% of the ozone produced is attributed to the presence of excited nitrogen and oxygen molecules. A parametric study reveals the effects of linear current density (0.1–100 A/cm of wire), wire radius (10–1000 m), temperature (300–800 K) and air velocity (0.05–2 m/s) on the production of ozone. The rate of ozone production increases with increasing current and wire size and decreases with increasing temperature. The air velocity affects the distribution of ozone, but does not affect the rate of production.     

Kinetic Modelling of Atmospheric Pressure Corona Discharges in Humid Air

Corona discharge is a self-sustained discharge of gaseous medium in inhomogeneous electric fields, which often occurs on transmission lines and has some adverse effect on the power transmission system. In this paper, a kinetic model of corona discharges is presented to simulate the evolution process of charged particles and neutral species in humid air. To investigate the effect of humidity, our model consists of 69 species and 393 chemical reactions which consider important reactions containing H₂O molecules and hydrates. In addition, CO₂ molecules are also included to improve the integrity of reaction database. A temporal evolution of reduced electric field strengths E/N, which are typical experimental values of corona discharges, is used as input. The simulation results show that H₃O⁺ is one of the dominant positive ions which is in qualitative agreement with previous experimental results. The effect of humidity and pulse width on the plasma chemistry is also discussed. It is found that the humidity affects the maximum density and life time of the specific species. Meanwhile, the plasma chemistry could be affected by different pulse widths of the input electric field.

     

On the Correlation Between Deposition Rate and Process Parameters in Remote Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition

Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition has become one of the most important thin film deposition technologies. To avoid direct plasma exposure the substrates may be placed in the remote region. A carrier gas conveys the plasma energy to the deposition area where the reactions with the monomer molecules take place. For the engineering of such a process the modeling of the achievable deposition rate is of great interest. Among different possibilities semiempirical models provide a fast and easily utilizable tool without intensive computer simulations or the necessity of detailed knowledge about the chemistry involved. From deposition experiments with oxygen and an organosilicon monomer (hexamethyldisiloxane, HMDSO) the remote composite parameter is suggested. It combines microwave power, monomer and carrier gas flow rate, and the distance of the substrate from the plasma source. This parameter was derived from the ratio between atomic oxygen and monomer flow rate. In the parameter range considered the deposition rate is described as well ordered and the energy- and monomer-deficient regions are clearly separated.     

Copper nanowire arrays surface wettability control using atomic layer deposition of TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>

Template two step electrodeposition method and atomic layer deposition were used to synthesize copper nanowires of varied length (1.2 to 26.2 μm) and copper nanowires coated with titanium dioxide. As a result of the atomic layer deposition of TiO₂, coated nanowires demonstrated an up to 10-fold decrease in the wetting angle, compared with uncoated nanowires. It was found the dissipation rate is substantially higher for nanowires coated by the atomic layer deposition method (100 s) as compared with the uncoated copper nanowires (400 s), which assumes the positive properties of water propagation along the surface, necessary for improving the heat transfer. It was also found that the water contact angle for uncoated nanowires and those coated with TiO₂ by the atomic layer deposition (ALD) gradually increases as the samples are kept in air. A gradual increase in wettability was also observed for smooth silicon wafers coated by ALD of TiO₂, which were exposed to air. On the coated silicon substrates, the wetting angle gradually increased from 10° to approximately 56° in the course of four days. In addition, it was shown that copper nanowires coated with TiO₂ by the atomic layer deposition method have an excellent corrosion resistance, compared with uncoated nanowires, when brought in contact with air and water.     

The Role of Oxygen Dissociation in Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition of Zinc Oxide from Oxygen and Diethyl Zinc

The influence of electron impact dissociation of oxygen on neutral chemistry was studied for plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of zinc oxide using oxygen and diethyl zinc. Electron conditions in the reactor were estimated based on simulations of well-known Ar-O₂ plasmas, while the majority of the thermal chemistry was abstracted from the combustion literature. A rudimentary model of film growth was developed using the rate of oxygen dissociation as the lone adjustable parameter.n Model results were compared directly with experimental measurements of deposition rates and neutral species densities for a wide range of conditions. Good quantitative agreement between experiments and model were observed as a function of composition and rf power. The system is highly sensitive to the electron impact dissociation of oxygen, which creates the radical pool that drives the majority of the chemistry. The approach detailed here provides a framework for the development of models of oxide PECVD derived from other metalorganic precursors.     

Pulsed Corona Discharge-Induced Reactions of Acetophenone in Water

The reactions of acetophenone in water by pulsed corona discharges have been investigated to provide fundamental information concerning the reactions of acetophenone in water. Experimental results indicated that photolysis of acetophenone did not involve a hydroxyl radical mechanism and the majority flux of hydroxyl radicals originated from the dissociation of gas-phase oxygen in the plasma channels. The rate constants for photolysis and pyrolysis were determined to be 1.5×10^–7 M-s^–1, 2.2×10^–4 s^–1, respectively. The rate constant for the oxidative reactions was measured as 1.2×10^–7 M-s^–1. Results from this study support the proposal that acetophenone degradation reaction proceed through the oxidative reaction pathway, where molecular oxygen accelerates acetophenone degradation, photolysis, and pyrolysis pathways.     

Chemical Vapor Deposition Synthesis of Large-Area Graphene Films

Graphene films were synthesized with the method of chemical vapor deposition using gaseous methane as the source of carbon and copper foil as the substrate for the deposition. The following conditions were found optimal to grow large-area high quality graphene films: preliminary annealing of the foil in the argon/hydrogen mixture at 970–990 °С for 30–40 min; simultaneous supply of the argon/hydrogen mixture (100 cm³/min) and methane (10 cm³/min) for 5–10 minutes, and subsequent cooling in an inert atmosphere. As a result, 1–10 layered graphene films were obtained to fully coat the copper foil over the area up to 50 cm². Several methods have been developed to transfer graphene to dielectric substrates such as silicon oxide and flexible polymer films. The obtained graphene films were used to create a flexible transparent conductive touch panel and a highly sensitive resistive humidity sensor exhibiting fast response-recovery time.     

Laser Photochemistry at Surfaces—Laser-Induced Chemical Vapor Deposition and Related Phenomena

The structural characterization of materials and the tailoring of their properties is an important area of chemical research. A new trend in this area is the recourse to lasers both for analytical as well as preparative purposes, exploiting the fact that lasers, by virtue of their properties (sharp energy, spatial and temporal resolution etc.), offer the most precise and selective interaction of energy and matter that we know. Furthermore, photochemical syntheses and material transformations can proceed “cold” and without causing damage to surface structures. Laser chemistry finds application in thin film deposition, in the formation of surface layers, as well as in (structuring) ablation or etching, and in the initiation and enforcing of reactions at surfaces. In the present paper an introduction to these new possibilities on the general basis of molecule-surface interactions is followed by a brief characterization of lasers suitable for such purposes. Thereafter, four examples are discussed: gas phase deposition from volatile organometallic compounds with photoelectric activation at the surface or photochemical activation of the gaseous species (e.g. by employing molecular beams). In this way (noble) metal contacts can be deposited on various substrates. Instead of surface deposition, nucleation can occur in the gaseous medium, yielding highly disperse powders, e.g. of silicon carbide. Finally, an etching reaction is discussed where the laser does not act as an energy source but as an analytical instrument to provide diagnostic and mechanistic information.     

单晶硅上化学气相沉积铜薄膜的机理研究

A versatile metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) system was designed and constructed. Copper films were deposited on silicon (100) substrates by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) using Cu(hfac)2 as a precursor. The growth of Cu nucleus on silicon substrates by H2 reduction of Cu(hfac)2 was studied by atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The growth mode of Cu nucleus is initially Volmer-Weber mode (island), and then transforms to Stranski-Rastanov mode (layer-by-layer plus island).The mechanism of Cu nucleation on silicon (100) substrates was further investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. From Cu2p, O1s, F1s, Si2p patterns, the observed C=O, OH and CF3/CF2 should belong to Cu(hfac) formed by the thermal dissociation of Cu(hfac)2. H2 reacts with hfac on the surface, producing OH. With its accumulation, OH reacts with hfac, forming HO-hfac, and desorbs, meanwhile, the copper oxide is reduced, and thus the redox reaction between Cu(hafc)2 and H2 occurs.     

Radiochemical determination of oxygen traces in selenium

A sensitive method for determination of oxygen in selenium is described. Oxygen is converted into the gaseous compound sulfur dioxide labelled with³⁵S. The β-radiation of³⁵S is measured by liquid scintillation counting. The detection limit is 0.02 ppm. The efficiency of vacuum distillation in the purification of selenium, and the influence of air, dry oxygen and water on the absorption of oxygen by selenium have been investigated.     

Mechanism of photocatalytic oxidation of gaseous ethanol

A photocatalytic film reactor with a titanium dioxide film was used for oxidation of gaseous ethanol at 253.7 nm. The influences of partial pressures of oxygen and water vapour in different carrier gases were studied. The rate of photocatalytic oxidation of ethanol was significantly affected by the content of oxygen but water vapour had no effect. It was suggested that the photocatalytic transformation of ethanol follows a direct oxidation mechanism where the interaction of ethanol with positive hole gives first cationic free radical of ethanol, which is converted by multipathway reactions with oxygen to acetaldehyde, ethyl formate, and ethyl acetate.     

Use of Liquid Precursors for Diamond Chemical Vapor Deposition--The Effects of Mass Transport and Oxygen

Thermal plasma chemical vapor deposition of diamond-utilizing liquidfeedstock injection has been shown to yield higher mass deposition rates,larger crystal size, and thicker films when compared to the use of gaseousfeedstock for equivalent operating conditions. Increased mass transport ofthe activated precursor species across the substrate diffusion boundarylayer and the presence of oxygen in liquid precursors are investigated aspotential reasons for the observed results. Comparisons of the variousprecursor systems investigated in this study are based on crystal size andfilm thickness as a function of radial postion, area of deposit, totalmass deposition rate, and the observed liquid precursor droplet trajectorieswithin the deposition chamber using a laser strobe video system. The resultsindicate that the mass transport in both the liquid and gaseous precursorsystems is greatly improved by the use of an inert carrier gas. Further, theuse of a liquid versus a gaseous precursor does not seem toresult in higher total deposition rates when the operating conditions forboth have been optimized. Finally, the presence of oxygen in the liquidfeedstock system is found to be at least partly responsible for theincreased growth rate, which is observed when comparing the plainhydrocarbon precursor cases with the oxygenated liquid precursorcase.     

Silicon Dioxide Coating of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles from Dielectric Barrier Discharge in a Gaseous Mixture of Silane and Nitrogen

The coating of titanium dioxide nanoparticles with silicon dioxide has been carried out by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma treatments to enhance the thermostability of Titania for applications at high temperature processes. During the first coating processing step, a closed film of silicon nitride was produced via plasma treatment in a gaseous mixture of silane and nitrogen, while atmospheric surface contaminations got mainly removed. In the second processing step, the DBD plasma treatment in oxygen or air was used to convert the silicon nitride mainly into silicon dioxide. Remaining carbon impurities at the interfaces between titanium dioxide and silicon nitride after the nitrogen/silane plasma treatment were subsequently removed simultaneously. Atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were employed to study the DBD plasma treatments of the TiO₂ nanoparticles.     

A Three-Dimensional Two-Phase Model for Thermal Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition with Liquid Feedstock Injection

In this paper, a comprehensive model for thermal plasma chemical vapor deposition (TPCVD) with liquid feedstock injection is documented. The gas flow is assumed to be steady, of a single temperature. Radiation and charged species contributions are excluded, but extensive homogeneous and heterogeneous chemistry is included. The liquid phase is traced by considering individual droplets. Discussion on the model's application to diamond production from acetone in a hydrogen–argon plasma is included. The major conclusions are: (1) Liquid injection possesses a capability to deliver the hydrocarbon precursor directly onto the deposition target. (2) For the case of complete evaporation of the droplet before reaching the substrate, the deposition rate is similar to that obtained with gaseous precursors. (3) The computational results compare well with experimental data. The modeling results can be used to optimize the injection parameters with regard to the deposition rate.     

Energy efficiency of NO removal by pulsed corona discharges

Pulsed positive corona discharges are used to remove NO from the flue gas of a methane burner. At low power input this leads to an increase in NO₂, which shows that the process is oxidative. Removal efficiency is greatest when discharges are produced with high-voltage pulses, which are shorter in duration than the time required by the primary streamers to cross the discharge gap, in combination with a dc bias. Other important parameters are input power density and residence time. The best result obtained so far is an energy consumption of 20 eV per NO molecule removed, at 50% deNOx i.e., a removal of 150 ppm NO_x, using a residence time of 15 s and an input power density, of 3.5 Wh/Nm³. [Wh/Nm³ stands for watt-hour per normal cubic meter, i.e., at normal conditions (273 K and 1 bar). This implies that 1 Nm³ contains 2.505 10²⁵ molecules.] There appears to be room for improvement by the addition of gaseous and particulate chemicals or the use of multiple corona treatment. It is argued front comparison between results from models and experiments that the direct production of OH by the discharge is only the initiation of the cleaning process.     

Automation of the gas analysis of14C-labelled compounds utilizing a piston-type counter tube

In this paper an automatic apparatus designed for the radioactivity measurement of¹⁴C-labelled organic compounds in the gaseous phase is described. The labelled organic compounds are combusted in a mixture of argon and oxygen. After combustion the oxygen content of the gas is eliminated by passing it through a copper packing. The water and heteroelements present are also removed and the radioactive carbon dioxide gas is swept by argon carrier gas into a piston-type counter tube. In the counter tube the piston forming a dividing wall moves forward in accordance with the rate of combustion and sweeping, and thus sucks the gases leaving the combustion tube into the effective tube volume. The anode wire is carried by a reel located in the piston and a spring device ensures its stretched state. At the end of the sweeping period methane is fed into the counter tube and the activity of the argon—methane—carbon dioxide mixture is measured in the limited proportional region. Manual and automatic operation is possible. The piston-type counter tube provides possibility for strandardization by means of extrapolation and for measurement of absolute activities.     

Determination of Ammonia/Air Diffusion Coefficient Using Nafion Lined Tube

Abstract

Trace gaseous ammonia in air was removed in a laminar flow Teflon tube lined with Nafion film. The ammonia deposition pattern was obtained by sectioning the Nafion lining, extracting with an aqueous solution, and measuring the concentration with an ammonia gas electrode. Mass transport analysis of the deposition pattern demonstrated that the ammonia was removed from the air stream at a rate controlled by gaseous diffusion. The ammonia/air diffusion coefficient equalled 0.228 ± 0.012 cm² s^?1 at 1 atm 25°C. No dependence on relative humidity was observed over the range 10–92%.     

Influence of Synthesis Conditions on the Electrokinetic Characteristics of Titanium–Oxygen Nanostructures

Influence of synthesis conditions of titanium–oxygen nanostructures on their electrochemical behavior is studied. The nanostructures were prepared by molecular layer-by-layer deposition from the gaseous phase onto the substrates (silicon oxides titanium oxide, and silicon covered with oxide film). It is found that the deposition of a titanium–oxygen nanolayer onto the titanium oxide does not change the position of isoelectric point and the value of electrokinetic potential. Deposition of the titanium–oxygen nanostructure on the initial, as well as on the thermally and chemically modified silicon and silicon oxide substrates at various temperatures yields samples whose isoelectric points lie between the values for the substrate and deposited titanium oxide.