Theoretical analysis of ion kinetic energies and DLC film deposition by CH4+ Ar (He) dielectric barrier discharge plasmas

Abstract

The kinetic energy of ions in dielectric barrier discharge plasmas are analysed theoretically using the model of binary collisions between ions and gas molecules. Langevin equation for ions in other gases, Blanc law for ions in mixed gases, and the two-temperature model for ions at higher reduced field are used to determine the ion mobility. The kinetic energies of ions in CH4 + Ar(He) dielectric barrier discharge plasma at a fixed total gas pressure and various Ar (He) concentrations are calculated. It is found that with increasing Ar (He) concentration in CH4 + Ar (He) from 20% to 83%, the CH4+ kinetic energy increases from 69.6 (43.9) to 92.1 (128.5) eV, while the Ar+ (He+) kinetic energy decreases from 97 (145.2) to 78.8 (75.5) eV. The increase of CH4+ kinetic energy is responsible for the increase of hardness of diamond-like carbon films deposited by CH4 + Ar (He) dielectric barrier discharge without bias voltage over substrates.