Applied Rf Power Research Articles

A model of radiofrequency and plasma coupling for compact ion sources and design

Inductive coupling of radiofrequency power to plasma is a complicate process, since it depends from the density of plasma itself, because ionization is a chain reaction process, and, at low density a capacitive coupling may mix with inductive coupling (with no Faraday screen). Plasma temperature Te , density ne and vector potential are closely coupled, giving nonlinear and singular systems of Partial Differential equations, which require slow iterative solutions, motivating the consideration of a 2D model, also as rapid design and first approximation tool. Plasma conductivity and heating depend on collision rate, which includes also the so-called stochastic collisions (mainly electron collisions with walls), proportionally more important at low gas density ng . Conductivity is also affected by static and radiofrequency magnetic fields; results for skin depth and stochastic collision estimates are reported. The transport of Te and ne inside source can be controlled by a magnetic filter B f . Considering a 5 cm radius H- ion source as example, solution of ne and Te are reported as a function of filter strength B fa, applied rf power and wall status; solver convergence methods andkey plasma observables are briefly discussed. Due to small dimension, a filter strength B fa in the order of 8 mT is needed to achieve electron temperature lower than 2 eV (for negative ion production) at extraction.

Series resonance effects of a variable inductor termination on the nonpowered electrode in capacitively coupled plasmas

The effect of LC series resonance on the voltage of a nonpowered electrode in a capacitively coupled plasma is investigated by connecting a variable inductor to the nonpowered electrode. Two distinct LC series resonances are observed while varying the reactance of the variable inductor. The first resonance occurs between an inductor and a vacuum variable capacitor, thereby resulting in the voltage of the nonpowered electrode approaching zero. The reactance between the inductor and the vacuum variable capacitor is minimized at this resonance, thereby enabling the nonpowered electrode voltage to remain close to 0 V even with increased applied RF power. The second resonance is a series resonance between the variable inductor and the nonpowered electrode sheath, leading to a maximization of the nonpowered electrode voltage. The reactance between the variable inductor and the nonpowered electrode sheath is minimized at this resonance. As the applied RF power increases under the second resonance condition, the voltage of the nonpowered electrode increases, thereby resulting in a significant increase in the maximum electron density by approximately 35%. This increase in the electron density at the second resonance can be attributed to enhanced stochastic heating due to the sharp increase in the sheath voltage.

ICRF plasma production in gas mixtures in the Uragan-2M stellarator

This paper summarizes previous results and presents new studies on the ICRF plasma creation both in pure gases and gas mixtures. In all the experiments, the two-strap antenna was operated in monopole phasing with applied RF power of ∼100 kW. The research for plasma creation was carried out at RF frequencies near the fundamental hydrogen cyclotron harmonic.

Impact of zinc on the physical and morphological properties of sputtered copper oxide thin films

In this study, thin films of pure and zinc (Zn) doped copper oxides were successfully deposited on a glass substrate via reactive magnetron sputtering at varying Zn concentrations. The effects of oxygen/argon ratio and dopant dosage on the structure, morphology, and topography of films were analyzed by the X-ray diffraction technique (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Raman, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The investigations through XRD and Raman revealed the formation of CuO, and Cu2O phases during the copper oxide deposition at 20% oxygen partial pressure, while an increase in the oxygen partial pressure up to 50% resulted in the formation of single-phase CuO. XRD spectra of the Zn-doped films indicated the monoclinic structure of CuO with a gradual increase in the cell volume from 91 A3˙ in the undoped sample to 123 A3˙ in the sample with a high dopant concentration. By increasing the applied RF power from 10 to 40 W, the cationic ratio (Zn/Zn + Cu) increased from 0.007 to 0.039. AFM analysis figured out the decrease of surface roughness from 11.04 nm in the undoped sample to 3.57 nm in the highly Zn-doped sample. In FESEM images, semi-spherical particles with uniform distribution were observed. By increasing the oxygen partial pressure from 20% to 40% in undoped samples, the average grain size was reduced from 110 to 68 nm, but doping by Zn did not affect the grain size significantly.

A Real-Time Energy Monitoring System for an MRI Hybrid Ablation System.

The MRI hybrid ablation system is an approach to use the MR (magnetic resonance) scanner's radiofrequency amplifier itself as power source for ablation. Hereby, an electrode is connected to the MR internal radiofrequency amplifier. An average RF power is provided through a train of short RF pulses, which is sufficient to thermally destroy tissue. However, ablation with too high power values can cause tissue carbonizations, thus impeding the ablation procedure. Therefore, monitoring of the energy and the power absorbed inside the tissue is necessary. For this purpose, a measurement system was designed to measure the energy applied to the tissue when using the concept of an MRI hybrid ablation system. The system consists of a dual-directional coupler, RF-to-RMS sensors, and a microcontroller. The gradient calculation of the measured energy curve provides information about the absorbed RF power in the tissue. Validation measurements of the system were performed and compared with measurements from the MR-internal power measurement system. The energy monitoring system was also tested in an ablation experiment with ex-vivo animal tissue using the MRI hybrid ablation system. The measurements showed that the applied RF power can be monitored in real-time. It has been shown that the mean RF power absorbed in the patient decreased during an ablation procedure due to an occurring impedance mismatch and tissue changes. In further work, the influence of the monitoring system on the quality of the MR images should be investigated. Clinical relevance- This paper demonstrates an energy monitoring system for an RF ablation system, which can be used inside an MR environment.

Hollow cathode enhanced capacitively coupled plasmas in Ar/N2/H2 mixtures and implications for plasma enhanced ALD

Plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) is a cyclic atomic layer deposition process that incorporates plasma-generated species into one of the cycle substeps. The addition of plasma is advantageous as it generally provides unique gas-phase chemistries and a substantially reduced growth temperature compared to thermal approaches. However, the inclusion of plasma, coupled with the increasing variety of plasma sources used in PEALD, can make these systems challenging to understand and control. This work focuses on the use of plasma diagnostics to examine the plasma characteristics of a hollow cathode enhanced capacitively coupled plasma (HC-CCP) source, a type of plasma source that has seen increasing attention in recent years for PEALD. Ultraviolet to near-infrared spectroscopy as well as spatially resolved Langmuir probe and emissive probe measurements are employed to characterize an HC-CCP plasma source using nitrogen based gas chemistries typical of nitride PEALD processes. Spectroscopy is used to characterize the relative concentrations of important reactive and energetic neutral species generated in HC-CCP systems as a function of applied RF power, gas chemistry, and pressure. In addition, the electron energy distribution function, electron temperature, plasma potential, and plasma density for the same process parameters are examined using an RF compensated Langmuir probe and emissive probe. These measurements indicated that electron temperature (Te), electron density (ne), and plasma potential (Vp) varied significantly over the operating conditions examined with Te varying from 1.5 to 8 eV, Vp varying from 30 to 90 V, and ne varying between 1015 and low 1016 m−3. This wide range of plasma conditions is mediated by a mode transition from a low Te, high ne mode of operation at low pressure (<100 mTorr) to a high Te, low ne mode at higher pressures (>100 mTorr). These operational modes appear analogous to the classical γ and α modes of traditional capacitively coupled plasmas. Atomic N and H densities also vary significantly over the operating conditions examined.

Local anisotropy control of Pt/Co/Ir thin film with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy by surface acoustic waves

The control of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) in thin films by strain has considerable potential for energy-efficient information storage and data processing. Here, we report on the control of PMA in Pt/Co/Ir thin films by the strain produced by standing surface acoustic waves (SAWs). A significant (∼21%) coercivity reduction (from 4.80 ± 0.03 to 3.80 ± 0.02 mT) can be obtained by applying a standing SAW with a center frequency of 93.35 MHz. Furthermore, the standing SAWs induce a greater-than 11-fold increase in magnetization reversal speed (from 168 ± 3 to up to 2100 ± 80 μm2/s) at 3.2 mT for a total applied RF power of 22.5 dBm. During application of SAWs, wide-field Kerr microscopy reveals the formation of domains in stripes with a periodicity of half of the SAW wavelength. Micromagnetic simulations indicate that the anti-nodes of the standing SAW locally lower the anisotropy due to the magneto-elastic coupling effect, decreasing domain nucleation field while promoting magnetization reversal. Our study suggests the possibility of remote and energy-efficient control of magnetization switching using SAWs.

Bactericidal vertically aligned graphene networks derived from renewable precursor

Graphene nanostructures exhibit a wide range of remarkable properties suitable for many applications, including those in the field of biomedical engineering. In this work, plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition was utilized at different applied RF power for the fabrication of vertical graphene nanowalls on silicon and quartz substrates from an inherently volatile carbon precursor without the use of any catalyst. AFM confirmed the presence of very sharp exposed graphene edges, with associated high surface roughness. The hydrophobicity of the material increased with the power of deposition, reaching the water contact angle of 123 ˚ for 500 W. Confocal scanning laser microscopy demonstrated that the viability of gram-negative Escherichia coli and gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus cells were 33% and 37% when incubated on graphene samples, respectively, compared to controls (quartz) that showed the viability of 82% and 84%, respectively. SEM verified significant morphological damage to bacterial cell walls by the sharp edges of graphene walls, with cells appearing abnormal and deformed. The presented data clearly contributed to the current understanding of the mechanical-bactericidal mechanism of vertically oriented graphene nanowalls upon direct contact with microorganisms.

Influence of pulse modulation frequency on helium RF atmospheric pressure plasma jet characteristics

AbstractThis work investigates the influence of pulse modulation frequency ranging from 50 Hz–10 kHz on the helium RF atmospheric pressure plasma jet's fundamental characteristics. The impact of modulation frequency on plasma jet discharge behaviour, geometrical variation, reactive species emission, and plasma parameters (gas temperature Tg, electron excitation temperature Texc, and electron density (ne)) are studied using various diagnostics such as optical imaging, emission spectra, and thermal diagnostic. From the experiments, it is observed that operating the plasma jet at low pulse modulation frequencies (around 50 Hz) provides enhanced plasma dimensions, higher electron densities and greater optical emission from reactive species (viz., He I, O, OH, N2+, etc.) as compared to the higher modulation frequencies. Besides the low power consumption, three times less gas temperature of the modulated plasma jet than the continuous wave mode makes it more advantageous for the applications. Moreover, the influence of duty cycle (D) and applied RF power (P) on the plasma jet characteristics are also discussed. It is found that 10–40% duty cycle operation provides the most favourable attributes. More importantly, the concern of shorter plasma length in RF plasma jets is overcome by operating at 10–20% duty cycle with increased applied power. This work thoroughly characterizes helium atmospheric pressure RF plasma jet with a wide range of pulse mode operating parameters, which could help to select appropriate operating conditions for various industrial and biomedical applications.

The role of photon self-absorption on the H (n = 2) density determination by means of VUV emission spectroscopy and TDLAS in low pressure plasmas

The H (n = 2) atomic density determination by means of vacuum ultra-violet (VUV) emission spectroscopy of the Lyman-α line in laboratory low pressure plasmas is strongly affected by self-absorption of emitted photons inside the plasma leading to an underestimation of this density. A correction of the densities obtained from VUV emission spectroscopy measurements is performed by using the escape factor method. The corrections applied can reach orders of magnitude even in low pressure plasmas. Assumptions on the spatial distribution of emitting and absorbing particles as well as on the corresponding line profiles have to be made. Consequently, additional measurements are performed, which raises the requirement of a benchmark of the applied correction procedure. In contrast, tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) on the Balmer-α line is a direct measurement of the H (n = 2) density and is thus suitable for a benchmark. For the ICP under consideration, H (n = 2) densities obtained via TDLAS are near 3 × 1015 m−3 whereas uncorrected VUV emission spectroscopy gives values in the range of roughly 1013 m−3 depending on pressure and applied RF power. The calculated escape factors are on the order of 2–8 × 10−3. An excellent agreement with TDLAS is observed by applying them to the results of the VUV emission spectroscopy.

Enhancement of corona discharge thresholds in microstrip bandpass filters by using cover-ended resonators

AbstractThis paper studies the corona discharge power thresholds in microstrip bandpass filters (BPFs) and, in particular, is focused on a solution based on λ/2 cover-ended resonators to enhance their peak power handling capability (PPHC). First, a parametric analysis is carried out to evaluate the variation of the maximum electric field and the unloaded quality factor (Qu) as a function of the cover's geometrical dimensions (i.e. height, length, and width). Next, several microstrip BPFs centered at 1.6 GHz are designed, and their behaviors under moderate-to-high applied RF power signals are simulated to corroborate the previous study. A suitable number and size of covers are selected to enhance PPHC without barely degrading the filters’ electrical performance and, consequently, without hardly increasing the insertion losses. Finally, two third-order filters with covers and without covers (benchmark prototype) are manufactured, by way of illustration, and they are tested in the European High-Power RF Space Laboratory to validate the good performance of the proposed solution, where a PPHC enhancement of 3.1 dB at high pressures is achieved as compared to the benchmark prototype.

Control of the spatial distribution of ion flux in dual inductively coupled plasmas

The effects of external discharge parameters (applied RF power, operating pressure, and gas flow rate) on ion flux uniformity are investigated in a dual inductively coupled plasma. The ion fluxes and electron temperatures are measured using a Langmuir probe floated by a DC blocking capacitor based on the floating harmonic method. The RF power applied to the top antenna focuses on the total ion flux control throughout the chamber, while the power introduced to the bottom antenna can control the ion flux uniformity in the diffusion chamber. At high pressures, the local electron heating in the vicinity of the bottom antennas results in local maximum ionization, thereby increasing the ion flux near the chamber wall. Furthermore, the ion flux uniformity also can be affected by the gas flow rate and pressure because they are associated with the gas residence time and the electron heating region. A physical understanding of the effects of external discharge parameters on plasma uniformity is useful for optimizing plasma processes.

Effect of argon and oxygen gas concentration on mode transition and negative ion production in helicon discharge

In this paper, the effect of mixing of argon and oxygen gas on the mode transition and negative ion production in the helicon discharge is investigated. In the source chamber of the experimental setup, argon–oxygen gas mixture plasma is produced by applying RF power from 100 W to 2000 W at an applied magnetic field of 0.03 T. In this experiment, the total flow rate is kept at 200 SCCM, corresponding to the working pressure of 4–5 × 10−1 Pa. The mode transition to helicon discharge is investigated by varying the concentration of these two gases. To the best of our knowledge, the literature survey indicates this to be the first study of the influence of the mixing of oxygen–argon gas on the mode transition from the inductive to the helicon mode. It is observed that an increase in the concentration of oxygen gas in the discharge shifts mode transition toward higher RF power values, indicating the influence of the nature of the working gas on the transition to the inductive as well as to the helicon mode. The variation of the electron density and temperature is explained in terms of particle and power balance equation. In the source and in the downstream expansion chamber, the effect of the concentration of argon gas on the negative ion production in oxygen discharge is also studied, and the results are explained in terms of various reactions involved in the production and loss of negative ions.

Influence of surface materials on the volume production of negative ions in a radio-frequency driven hydrogen plasma

Negative atomic hydrogen ion (H−) densities were measured in a pulsed low-pressure E-mode inductively-coupled radio-frequency (rf) driven plasma in hydrogen by means of laser photodetachment and a Langmuir probe. This investigation focuses on the influence of different metallic surface materials on the volume production of H− ions. The H− density was measured above a thin disc of either tungsten, stainless steel, copper, aluminium, or molybdenum placed onto the lower grounded electrode of the plasma device as a function of gas pressure and applied rf power. For copper, aluminium, and molybdenum the H− density was found to be quite insensitive to pressure and rf power, with values ranging between 3.6 × 1014 to 5.8 × 1014 m−3. For stainless steel and tungsten, the H− dependency was found to be complex, apart from the case of a similar linear increase from 2.9 × 1014 to 1.1 × 1015 m−3 with rf power at a pressure of 25 Pa. Two-photon absorption laser induced fluorescence was used to measure the atomic hydrogen densities and phase resolved optical emission spectroscopy was used to investigate whether the plasma dynamics were surface dependent. An explanation for the observed differences between the two sets of investigated materials is given in terms of surface reaction mechanisms for the creation of vibrationally excited hydrogen molecules.

An Investigation on Structural and Optical Properties of Zn1−xMgxS Thin Films Deposited by RF Magnetron Co-Sputtering Technique

In this paper, Zn1−xMgxS thin films were co-sputtered on glass substrates using ZnS and MgS binary target materials under various applied RF power. The compositional ratio of Zn1−xMgxS films was varied by changing the RF power at an elevated temperature of 200 °C. The structural and optical properties were studied in detail. The structural analysis shows that the co-sputtered Zn1−xMgxS thin films have a cubic phase with preferred orientation along the (111) plane. The lattice constant and ionicity suggest the presence of a zincblende structure in Zn1−xMgxS thin films. Zn1−xMgxS thin films have transmittance over 76%. The extrapolation of optical characteristics indicates that direct bandgaps, ranging from 4.39 to 3.25 eV, have been achieved for the grown Zn1−xMgxS films, which are desirable for buffer or window layers of thin film photovoltaics.

Characterization and Control of an Ion-Acoustic Plasma Instability Downstream of a Diverging Magnetic Nozzle

The study and control of resonant instabilities in magnetised plasmas is of fundamental interest over a wide range of applications from industrially relevant plasmas to plasma sources for spacecraft propulsion. In this work electrostatic probes were employed to measure a 4-20 kHz instability in the ion saturation current downstream of an electric double layer (DL) in an expanding helicon plasma source. The amplitude and frequency of the instability were found to vary in inverse proportion to the operating argon gas pressure (0.2-0.6 mTorr) and in direct proportion to the applied rf power (100-600 W) and applied solenoid current (3-8 A). A spatially resolved characterisation of the maximum instability amplitude determined two radial maxima, corresponding to the locations of most positive radial ion density gradient. Control and inhibition of the instability were achieved through the application of a kHz voltage amplitude modulation to the 13.56 MHz radio-frequency (rf) power supplied to the helicon antenna. Through the application of voltage amplitude modulations in the frequency range 2-12 kHz the instability was reduced by up to 65 %, exhibiting a greater reduction at higher applied modulation frequencies. This effect is described through a variation in the radial ion density gradient via asymmetrically attenuated ion acoustic density perturbations induced by the applied voltage modulation. The application of voltage amplitude modulations has been demonstrated as a potential control mechanism for density gradient driven instabilities in magnetised plasmas.

Surface functionalization of polyvinyl chloride by plasma immersion techniques

In this work we discuss the wettability, chemical composition, surface morphology and optical transmittance of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) samples treated by Plasma Immersion and by Plasma Immersion Ion Implantation. The total pressure of N2 or SF6 was 6.66 Pa, for treatments of 900 s, applied rf power of 25 and 100 W, and the substrate temperature was about 298 K. In PIII, high voltage pulses of -2400 V at a cycle time of 30 µs and a frequency of 300 Hz were used. The wettability of the samples was assessed via contact angle measurements, which indicated either hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity, depending on the plasma composition. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopic analysis confirmed strong fluorine attachment to the surface after treatments using SF6 plasmas, and the presence of oxygen after treatments using nitrogen plasmas. Atomic Force Microscopy images showed that the roughness Rrms, depends on the plasma conditions. Optical transmittance in the visible region, T (λ), was increased by plasma immersion. The greatest contact angle observed was 142º (PI cathode), while the highest roughness was 213.2 nm. The highest optical transmittance in the visible region was around to 90% (PI anode).

Narrow band gap high conducting nc-Si1-xGex:H absorber layers for tandem structure nc-Si solar cells

Advantages of spectral sensitivity in the infrared range and good stability against light exposure together have made nanocrystalline silicon–germanium alloy (nc-Si1-xGex) as an ideal absorber material at the bottom-cell in multi-junction Si thin film solar cells. Evolution of good quality SiGe thin films with sustained nanocrystallinity, particularly at low growth temperature (TS), is a challenging task in view of very different chemical reaction behaviors controlled via different energy requirements of two frequently used source gases, e.g., SiH4 and GeH4. Growth of nc-SiGe:H thin films have been pursued at TS ∼220 °C, using H2-diluted (by ∼96%) (SiH4 + GeH4) plasma in 13.56 MHz RF-PECVD, by varying the RF power applied to the parallel plate capacitively coupled electrodes of the reactor. At lower RF power Ge-dominated low band gap SiGe network has been produced with Si component in mostly amorphous configuration that leads to a low electrical conductivity. At high RF power Si–Si network becomes highly crystalline; however, Ge content reduces drastically. Breaking of weaker Ge–Ge bonds creates defects via dangling bonds and increased grain boundary defects around Si nanocrystals together produce relatively wider band gap SiGe network with degraded electrical conductivity. The novelty and significance of the present investigation remains in realizing the narrowing of the optical band gap (Eg ∼1.499 eV) even at lower Ge content, through moderate crystallization in the SiGe network and a simultaneous high electrical conductivity of the nc-SiGe:H films (σD ∼2.38 × 10−3 S cm−1) obtained at a high growth rate (∼9.5 nm/min), via optimization of the applied RF power at a moderate level (∼100 W). In such circumstances nanocrystallization of the network plays leading role in narrowing the optical band gap, overriding the effect arising out of the restricted presence of Ge.

Investigation of Plasma Parameters During Mode Transition in Magnetic-Pole-Enhanced- Inductively Coupled Neon Plasma

Magnetic-pole-enhanced inductively coupled plasmas (MaPE-ICPs), in comparison with the conventional ICPs, operate in two modes (E and H) dependent upon the power coupling mechanisms, i.e., a low-power capacitive coupling mode (E-mode) and a comparatively high-power inductive coupling mode (H-mode). In this paper, the key plasma parameters during the E–H transition are investigated in neon MaPE-ICP for numerous applied powers (5–100 W) and gas pressures (1–100 Pa). The electron density and electron energy probability functions (EEPFs) are measured by means of a single Langmuir probe (LP). The electron temperature is evaluated by employing an LP, a Boltzmann plot (BP), and the modified BP methods. It is observed that the electron density enhances, whereas the electron temperature reduces with applied RF power and pressure of the feed gas in both the modes of the discharge. In E-mode, the measured EEPFs evolve from the bi-Maxwellian behavior to Druyvesteyn-like distributions with an increase in pressure due to the transition in electron heating mode with pressure. However, the higher electron–electron collision frequency forces the EEPFs to become Maxwellian in the H-mode of the discharge.

Nebulization using ZnO/Si surface acoustic wave devices with focused interdigitated transducers

Propagation of surface acoustic waves (SAWs) on bulk piezoelectric substrates such as LiNbO3 and quartz, exhibits an in-plane anisotropic effect due to their crystal cut orientations. Thin film SAW devices, such as those based on ZnO or AlN, offer potential advantages, including isotropic wave velocities in all in-plane directions, higher power handling capability, and potentially lower failure rates. This paper reports experimental and simulation results of nebulization behaviour for water droplets using ZnO/Si surface acoustic wave devices with focused interdigital transducers (IDTs). Post-deposition annealing of the films at various temperatures was applied to improve the quality of the sputtering-deposited ZnO films, and 500 °C was found to be the optimal annealing temperature. Thin film ZnO/Si focused SAW devices were fabricated using the IDT designs with arc angles ranging from 30° to 90°. Nebulization was significantly enhanced with increasing the arc angles of the IDTs, e.g., increased nebulization rate, reduced critical powers required to initialise nebulization, and concentration of the nebulised plume into a narrower size of spray. Effects of applied RF power and droplet size have been systematically studied, and increased RF power and reduced droplet size significantly enhanced the nebulization phenomena.