High energy density pinch plasma - A unique non-conventional tool for plasma nanotechnology

Abstract

Summary form only given. The plasma focus device heats and compresses the pinch plasmas to very high energy density (∼1−10×10 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">10</sup> J/m <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sup> ) because of intense self-generated magnetic field owing to high current electrical discharge. The high energy density pinch plasma in a plasma focus is a well known multiple radiation source of ions, electron, soft and hard x-rays, and neutrons, which has found several applications in variety of fields such as lithography, radiography, imaging, activation analysis, radioisotopes production etc. This presentation will review the application of pulsed high energy density pinch plasmas, accompanied by self generated energetic high flux instability accelerated ion beams, from a plasma focus device in plasma-nanotechnology. The substantially different physical characteristics of pinch plasmas, energetic ions and electrons of plasma focus device, compared to conventional plasma devices used for plasma nanofabrication, offer novel and unique opportunities in processing and synthesis of nanophase materials. The review of key experimental findings on (i) the modification of various physical properties of thin films grown by different method and several bulk substrates by their exposure to high energy density plasmas and energetic ion beam and (ii) the deposition of nanostructured thin films and nanoparticles of different material types in plasma focus device will be provided.