DC Breakdown of C3F8/Ar and C3F8/N2 Mixtures

Paschen curves are presented for C3F8/Ar and C3F8/N2 mixtures in the range of 500 torr · cm ? pds ? 1000 torr · cm. The dielectric strength and dynamic characteristics of these mixtures make them suitable candidates for diffuse discharge switches.     

A Comparative Study of Single and Double Langmuir Probe Techniques for RF Plasma Characterization

In this study, the plasma density and electron temperature of Radio Frequency (RF) plasmas were determined by three types of Langmuir probes, namely a conventional double probe, a single probe with RF choke and a single probe with RF choke and compensating electrode. The same plasmas were characterized by the three probes, each performing three measurements per plasma condition, in order to determine the precision of the measurement results. After performing a comparative analysis, which looked at the precision and the accuracy of these results, the conclusion is that the double probe, which has already the advantage of the simplest construction, yields the most reliable results for both capacitively and inductively coupled RF plasmas. The single probe with RF choke and compensating electrode has a similar precision as the single probe without compensating electrode, but its accuracy is better.     

Comparative Plasma Chemical Reaction Studies of CH4/Ar and C2Hm/Ar (m = 2,4,6) Gas Mixtures in a Dielectric Barrier Discharge

Plasma chemical reactions in CH4/Ar and C₂H_m/Ar (m = 2, 4, 6) gas mixtures in a dielectric barrier discharge at medium pressure (300 mbar) have been investigated. From mass spectrometry the production of H₂ and formation of larger hydrocarbons such as C_nH_m with up to n = 12 is inferred. Hydrogen release is most pronounced for CH₄ and C₂H₆ gas mixtures. Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) spectroscopy reveals the formation of substituted alkane (sp³), alkene (sp²), and alkyne (sp) groups from the individual gases which are used in this work. Abundant formation of acetylene occurs from C₂H₄ and to a lesser extent from C₂H₆ and CH₄ precursor gases. The main reaction pathway of acetylene leads to the formation of large molecules via C₄H₂ and, eventually, to nano‐size particles. The experimental results are in reasonable agreement with simulations which predict a pronounced electron temperature and gas pressure dependency. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Investigation of the Plasma of a Magnetron Discharge during Titanium Deposition

In the present work the deposition of titanium layers using a planar-magnetron sputtering system is performed. To optimize the sputtering process and to improve the layer quality the plasma has been monitored in front of the target and near the substrate. The plasma was studied by means of Langmuir-probe diagnostics and optical emission spectroscopy (OES). The internal plasma parameters (n_e, k_B T_e) and the relative power dependence of the neutral densities (n_Ti) at the target as well as at the substrate have been determined as functions of discharge power and pressure. It was found that the plasma densities increase with power and pressure and reach a maximum at a certain gas pressure (0.8 Pa) connected with a maximum of the energy influx and a maximum of the mass density of the deposited films.     

大气压 Ar／NH3同轴介质阻挡放电发射光谱诊断

采用光谱在线技术（OES）检测了大气压 Ar／NH3 DBD 等离子体中的主要粒子为 NH,N,N+,N2, Ar,Hα,OH。NH 是 NH3分解的产物,激发态 Ar*和 NH3分子的潘宁碰撞生成激发态中性粒子 NH（c 1Π）和 NH（A 3Π）。674．5 nm 处 N 原子谱线表明等离子体中产生了 N 活性原子,为大气压 Ar／NH3同轴介质阻挡放电等离子体合成ε-Fe3 N 磁性颗粒提供了可能。研究了各主要粒子谱线强度随 NH3流量和外加电压峰峰值的变化规律,研究结果表明：NH3流量相同时,随外加电压峰峰值升高,各粒子谱线强度均逐渐增强;外加电压峰峰值相同时,各谱线强度随 NH3流量增加先增强后减弱。外加电压峰峰值相同时,随 NH3流量增加,N 活性原子谱线强度先增强后减弱,NH3流量为20 mL·min－1时,N 活性原子谱线强度最强。NH3流量相同时,随外加电压峰峰值升高,N 活性原子谱线强度逐渐减小,主要是由于大气压 Ar／NH3 DBD 放电模式由多脉冲大气压辉光放电转变为丝状放电造成。多脉冲大气压辉光放电的微放电通道之间相互重叠,各个微放电之间相互影响,导致随外加电压峰峰值升高各谱线强度的增加速率较快。当外加电压峰峰值从4600 V 升高到6400 V 时,大气压 Ar／NH3 DBD 的放电模式由单脉冲 APGD 转变为二脉冲 APGD,属于均匀大气压介质阻挡放电,随外加电压峰峰值升高谱线强度的增加速率较快,利于合成ε-Fe3 N 磁性颗粒。     

Measurements of SiH4/H2 VHF Plasma Parameters with Heated Langmuir Probe

The parameters of a SiH₄/H₂ VHF plasma were measured as a function of silane gas concentration with a heated Langmuir probe. It was found that when the sailane gas concentration is increased, the nagative ion density increases. Here the negative ion density was estimated from the reduction of the electron saturation current. In addition, the dependence of the wall potential on the silane gas concentration agreed with the theoretical values derived from the Bohm sheath equation including negative ions. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A Kinetic Model for Plasma Etching Silicon in a SF6/O2 RF Discharge

Time-dependent Boltzmann electron distribution calculations have been made at constant power and pressure in a SF6/O2 plasma with a varying oxygen mole fraction. The results show that as the oxygen fraction increases in a SF6/O2 plasma, the number of high-energy electrons in the tail of the electron distribution and the mean electron energy both increase significantly while the plasma is kept at the same reduced electric field E/N. Rate coefficients have been computed for the electron kinetic processes of these plasmas and merged within a kinetic equilibrium model for the plasma etch process, including neutral gas-phase chemistry, ion chemistry, and surface reactions. Model simulations show good agreement with experimental results for SF6/O2 etching of polysilicon and demonstrate that the anisotropic character of dilute SF6 plasma etching is related to the shift in the electron distribution with increasing oxygen fraction. Competition between F and O species for adsorption to silicon etching sites is also shown to be a factor in determining etch rates, but this competition is not significant until very large (> 80 percent) oxygen concentrations are present. Ionization rates and ion transport to the surface are shown to be much more important. The model simulations provide a rationale for explaining the very high etch rates observed at low-SF6 partial pressures and the increasing anisotropic etch character with greater oxygen dilution of SF6.     

Investigation of the Beam Plasma Discharge in Electronegative Gases Using the Second Derivative of Langmuir Probe Characteristics

The distribution of the charge carriers is measured and the influence of the attachment processes on the electron energy distribution function is demonstrated for beam plasma discharges in SF₆, CF₄ and O₂ with the aid of the second derivative of Langmuir probe characteristics. The structuration of the plasma into regions of predominating negative ions and regions of predominating electrons is determined by the the established radial T_e-profile. The dimension of the quasi electronfree plasma changes significantly as well at transition from the turbulent heating mechanism into the electron impact plasma generation as by occuring low-frequency instabilities. With increasing n_?/n_e a deficit of low energetic electrons appears in the electron energy distribution parallel to the formation of the negative ion peak. The saturation currents at n_e/n_?=0 yield the mass ratios between negative and positive ions.     

Chemical reactions following the IRMPD of C2F3Cl

C₂F₃Cl is photolyzed with a TEA-CO₂ laser at 1050.44 cm^–1 with focussed fluences up to 280 J/cm². The stable products in the IRMPD of C₂F₃Cl are determined for up to 10 Torr of C₂F₃Cl being photolyzed both neat and with added O₂. C₂F₄ and trans-C₂F₂Cl₂ are found to occur in the greatest yield though C₃F₅Cl, C₃F₄Cl₂, C₄F₇Cl, and C₂F₃Cl₃ also appear to be primary products. When O₂ is present F₂CO, FClCO, and CF₂ClCOF are the exclusive products. The formation of these products are for the most part consistent with a carbene formation dissociation mechanism for C₂F₃Cl IRMPD. C₂F₃Cl₃ may best be explained by another mechanism competitive with carbene formation. Many products attributed to secondary photolysis mechanisms are observed for long photolysis times.This work was performed at Department of Chemistry and chemical Engineering, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931, USA     

Langmuir Probe Measurement of the Electron Temperature in the Plasma Plume Formed by Pulsed Laser Deposition of Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O

The electron temperature of the plasma formed during pulsed laser deposition of Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O target was measured using Langmuir probe. The main parameters of the experiment were as follows: The distance of the probe from the target was in the range of (4-6) mm, the basic working pressure was 2×10^–3 Pa and the planar pulse energy density of laser beam was approximately 8 J/cm². The obtained values of electron temperature were in the range of (1.0-2.5) eV. Presented results are discussed from the point of view of different theories of plasma splitting.     

Research of Plasma Characteristics of the Radio-Frequency Discharge in O2 and Its Mixtures

Electron mean energy and the effects of gas mixture are studied theoretically and experimentally. The electron mean energy in O2 and its mixtures is obtained by solving Boltzmann＇s equation. The experiments of the Langmuir probe system and spectral analysis are carried out. It is shown that electron temperature goes down with the increasing pressure, narrowing pulse width and the addition of helium and argon. According to the intensity of oxygen atom at 777.19 nm, xenon is more effective in inhibition of O2 decomposition than helium and argon.     

Langmuir Probe Diagnostics of a Low Temperature Non-Isothermal Plasma in a Weak Magnetic Field

This article presents measurements by a cylindrical Langmuir probe in the plasma of a DC cylindrical magnetron discharge át the pressure 1.5 Pa that aim at the experimental assessment of the influence of a weak magnetic field to the estimation of the electron density when using conventional methods of probe data interpretation. The probe data was obtained under the presence of a weak magnetic field in the range 1.10^?2?5.10^?2 T. The influence of the magnetic field on the electron probe current is experimentally assessed for two cylindrical probes with different radii, 50 μm and 21 μm. This assessment is based on comparison of the values of the electron density estimated from the electron current part with the values of the positive ion density estimated from the positive ion current part of the probe characteristic respectively by assuming that at the magnetic field strengths used in the present study the probe positive ion currents are possible to be assumed as uninfluenced by the magnetic field. For interpretation of the probe positive ion current two theories are used and compared to each other: the radial motion model by Allen, Boyd and Reynolds [10] and Chen [11] and the model that accounts for the collisions of positive ions with neutrals in the probe space charge sheath that we call Chen-Talbot model [8]. At lower magnetic field 3 · 10^?2 T the positive ion density values interpreted by using the Chen-Talbot model [8] are in better agreement with the values of electron density compared to those obtained by using the theory [10,11]; therefore the model [8] is used for calculation of the positive ion density from the probe data at higher magnetic fields. The comparison of the positive ion and electron density values calculated from the same probe data at higher magnetic fields shows that up to the magnetic field strength 4 . 10^?2 T with the probe 100 μm and up to 5 . 10^?2 T with the probe 42 μm in diameter respectively the decrease of the magnitude of the electron current at the space potential due to the magnetic field does not exceed the error limits that are usual for Langmuir probe measurements (absolute error ±20%).     

Electrostatic Probe Measurements in the Glow Discharge Plasma of a D. C. Magnetron Sputtering System

The characteristics of the plasma surrounding the substrates in a planar magnetron sputtering system with a graphite target have been investigated by electrostatic probe measurements. The behaviour of the ion density n_i and the electron temperature T_e, determining the ion flux that can be extracted by the substrate, with the variation of the basic system parameters, has been studied.     

Vibrational Population of Hydrogen Molecules Excited by an RF Discharge in an Expanding Thermal Arc Plasma as Determined by Emission Spectroscopy

This work is devoted to the determination of the vibrational population of hydrogen molecules in the ground and excited electronic states from the analysis of visible spectra of the H₂ molecules excited by an RF discharge in an expanding thermal arc plasma. Comparison of the experimental results on relative electron-impact excitation cross sections for the transition H₂(X¹Σ, υ⁰ = 0)→ H₂(d³II_u, υ′) with other experiments, and with calculations based on the Franck-Condon principle, shows good agreement. This means, that for plasma under investigation: 1) in the ground electronic state H₂(d³II_u,υ′), only the lowest vibrational level with υ⁰ = 0 is significantly populated, and 2) direct electron exictation of H₂(d³II_u, υ′, υ′) state from the ground state H₂(X¹Σ, υ⁰ = 0) dominates.     

The infrared spectrum of C2F5Cl in cryogenic matrices

We have measured the infrared spectrum of pentafluoroethyl chloride in cryogenic matrices of argon, nitrogen, krypton, and xenon from 880 to 1360 cm^?1. Numerous combination bands were observed; assignments and symmetries are reported for most. Appreciably more structure was observed in argon than in other matrices. The observed splitting of the fundamental bands in an argon matrix into two or more components may be due to multiple trapping sites.     

Impact of the Vibrationally Excited States on the Macroscopic Behaviour of the Band-like Electron Beam Discharge Plasma in H/H2-Mixture

The investigation of the impact of the vibrationally excited molecules in the electronic ground state was performed by simultaneously solving a balance equation system for the main charge carriers, the H atoms, the metastable H atoms, the H₂ molecules in the different vibrational states and for the power transfer of the electrons in the beam discharge mixture plasma. The balance equations for the vibrational states include in particular one-quantum step excitation and deexcitation, electronic excitation, dissociation and ionization from each vibrational level in electron collisions as well as the finite life time of these states because of the gas transfer through the band-like plasma. A main finding is that due to the additional impact of vibrationally excited molecules there is a marked enhancement of the resulting dissociation and ionization degree in the beam discharge plasma at medium power input from the turbulent electric field. For discharge parameters of practical interest the ionization and dissociation budget, the population of the vibrational states, the different energy dissipation processes and the energy pumping into the ladder of the vibrational states were calculated and discussed in detail.     

Reactive Deposition of Al 2 O 3 Coatings by Thermal Evaporation in a High-Current Discharge with a Hollow Anode

The conditions of Al2O3-coating deposition in a high-current discharge with an evaporating crucible anode and an additional hollow ionization-system anode are investigated. Using probe diagnostics and optical spectroscopy, it is determined that an additional hollow anode provides an increase in the ion-current density on the surface of the coatings by ~2 times and an increase in the atomic-oxygen concentration by 1.6–2.6 times. The nanocrystalline Al2O3 coatings are deposited by the method of reactive anodic evaporation and the range of operating parameters is determined within which the α-Al2O3 phase is synthesized at a temperature of 600°C.     

Spectroscopic investigation of the plasma of a high-current diffuse discharge in He/Ar/CF2Cl2(CCl4) mixtures

Survey emission spectra in the region of 190–600 nm and time and service-life characteristics of a transverse nanosecond discharge in He/Ar/CF₂Cl₂(CCl₄) mixtures at a pressure of 10–100 kPa are investigated. In the emission spectra, excited products of the decomposition of freons—C₂(A−X), CN(B−X), Cl ₂ ^* , C^*, Cl^*, and Cl^+*— and the emission of ArF at λ=193 nm are revealed. The emissions of Cl ₂ ^* at λ=258 nm and ArF at λ=193 nm were the most intense. The discharge in the He/Ar/CF₂Cl₂ mixture is a multiwave emission source with λ=258 nm Cl ₂ ^* 193 nm ArF, and probably, 175 nm Arcl. It is of interest for applications in UV-VUV-range pulse photometry. The duration of the emission on Cl ₂ ^* , ArF, ArI, ClI, and ClII transitions in the discharge in the Ar/CF₂Cl₂ mixture (P=10–20 kPa) was 200–300 nsec. With adding He and increasing pressure to 100 kPa the duration of the emission decreased by a factor of 1.5–2. The basic mechanisms of the formation of Cl₂, ArF, and CN(B) molecules in the transverse-discharge plasma are considered. Uzhgorod State University, 46, Pidgirna Str., Uzhgorod, 294000, Ukraine. Translated from Zhurnal. Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 66, No. 2, pp. 241–246, March–April, 1999.     

Laser-Induced Current Switching Observed in the Discharge Media of CF2Cl2-N2 and CH3Cl-N2

Switchings of discharge current induced by ArF and KrF laser pulses in the discharge media of CF2Cl2-N2 and CH3Cl-N2 were investigated using a negative point-to-plane discharge apparatus. The electron attachment rate constants of CF2Cl2 in buffer gases of N2 and Ar were measured by a parallel-plate drift-tube apparatus at various E/N, from which the dominant negative ions in the discharge media were inferred. The conductivity of the discharge medium is enhanced upon laser irradiation due to conduction electrons being produced from photoelectron-detachment of Cl-. From the dependence of the enhanced current on laser power, the photodetachment cross sections of Cl- in a given discharge condition were derived to be 2.5 × 10-17 cm2 at 193 nm and 1.0 × 10-17 cm2 at 248 nm. After the current enhancement, the current was greatly reduced as was observed in the discharge medium of CF2Cl2-N2, but not in CH3Cl-N2. The mechanism for the optically induced reduction of discharge current is discussed.