Marcel Meško

Experimental study of a pre-ionized high power pulsed magnetron discharge

This paper is focused on experimental studies of a high power pulsed magnetron discharge stabilized by low current pre-ionization. Time resolved studies were performed for a Cu target by optical emission spectroscopy and electrical measurements for different pressures of Ar buffer gas. Due to the elimination of the statistical delay time and a fast discharge current rise the quasi-stationary state was reached in 6 µs. The quasi-stationary state is characterized by an extremely high and pressure independent discharge current density of ~10 A cm−2 and stable Cu+ and Cu++ emissions. Such fast discharge dynamics permits the magnetron cathode current to be driven with a pulse of duration of the order of a few µs, significantly shorter than in other devices. During this short time, the plasma does not have time to undergo the transition from the glow to the arc discharge even at the extremely high cathode loads met in our case. Different stages of the fast discharge development are identified and the composition of the magnetized plasma as a function of the pressure is discussed in detail.

Cathodoluminescence Property of ZnO Nanophosphors Prepared by Laser Ablation

ZnO nanophosphors with a diameter of 7?50 nm have been fabricated under an oxygen gas atmosphere at room temperature by evaporating ZnO powder or Zn targets using pulsed laser ablation. The size and uniformity of ZnO nanophosphors strongly depend on oxygen gas pressure. Results of cathodoluminescence analysis show strong ultraviolet, blue, green, and green-yellow emissions from ZnO nanophosphors excited by a ?150 eV low-energy electron beam emitted from carbon nanotubes, depending upon the target material and oxygen gas pressure. Ultraviolet, blue, green, and green-yellow emissions can be attributed to the transitions from the conduction band to the valence band, the Zni level to the VZn level or the valence band, the VO level to the valence band, and the Zni level to the Oi level, respectively.

Role of Negative Electric Field Biasing on Growth of Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanotubes Using Chemical Vapor Deposition

Vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were grown on a Si substrate by thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and direct current plasma-enhanced CVD with a negative electric field. By contrast, under a positive electric field, CNTs grew randomly. The morphologies of the CNTs grown on Si and quartz substrates were compared to clarify the mechanism of aligned CNT growth. CNTs grown on quartz showed a random structure regardless of the polarity and amplitude of applied electric field. It is noted that the Fe catalysts on the tips of aligned CNTs were apparently elongated compared with those of randomly grown CNTs. The present observations suggest that aligned CNT growth might be due to the electrostatic force acting on the electrons drawn toward the tips of CNTs by negative electric field.

Simultaneous measurement of N and O densities in plasma afterglow by means of NO titration

In this work we describe a method based on NO titration that permits us to measure at the same time the absolute concentrations of N and O atoms in the gas phase. This method is suitable for low concentrations of oxygen atoms. We also discuss the validity of the titration method, especially the influence of the reaction time. It was used to study the influence of O2 admixture on the degree of dissociation of nitrogen in the afterglow. The results of the NO titration technique were compared with those obtained by means of electron paramagnetic resonance and with the relative values determined from emission of .

Study of a fast high power pulsed magnetron discharge: role of plasma deconfinement on the charged particle transport

In this paper, we report the influence of the various stages of the preionized high power pulsed magnetron discharge on the saturated ion substrate holder current. Our system allows superposition of a preionization low current dc discharge with high voltage pulses applied directly on the magnetron cathode. This system is characterized by a very fast and perfectly reproducible discharge current rise. For a 33?mm copper target, Ar pressure of ~1?Pa, voltage applied in a pulse of ~1?kV, the maximum cathode current of ~40?A is reached in 6??s. The dependence of the saturated ion substrate holder current was analyzed for varying time duration of the high power pulse from 2 up to 8??s by 0.5??s steps. It allows the discrimination of the contribution of elemental temporal intervals to the overall saturated ion substrate holder current. This analysis led to the conclusion that the transport of ballistic ions during the current pulse and in the afterglow is independent of time. We concluded that space charge effects are negligible for both discharge and post-discharge conditions and that electrons act as a neutralizing background. Finally, on the basis of a phenomenological kinetic model for the electron transport, physical explanations of these results are proposed which involve the transverse diffusion of low energy electrons out of the magnetized glow region through electron?ion Coulomb collisions.

Electron density measurements in afterglow of high power pulsed microwave discharge

In the paper we study, be means of microwave interferometry, the evolution of electron density in afterglow of pulsed driven nitrogen discharge. Recombination coeffients are derived, too.

An experimental study of high power microwave pulsed discharge in nitrogen

We investigated a plasma excited by high power pulsed microwaves (MWs) (pulse duration 2.5 µs, repetition rate 400 Hz, peak power 105 W, frequency 9.4 GHz) in nitrogen at reduced pressure (pressure range 10–2000 Pa) with the aim of a better understanding of such types of discharge. The construction of the experimental device suppresses the plasma–wall interactions and therefore the volume processes are predominant. To obtain the temporal evolution of the electron density we used two MW interferometers at frequencies of 15 and 35 GHz with dielectric rod waveguides which gives them the capability of localized measurements. We estimated the effective collision frequency from the absorption of a measurement beam. Time resolved optical emission spectroscopy of the 1st negative system and the 2nd positive system was carried out, too. Due to a high power input the discharge dynamics was fast and the steady state was typically reached in 1 µs. We found that the effective collision frequency has the same temporal behaviour as the 2nd positive system of N2, including a characteristic maximum at the beginning of the pulse.

Theoretical study of pulsed microwave discharge in nitrogen

A pulsed microwave discharge burning in pure nitrogen was studied theoretically. The time-dependent Boltzmann equation for electrons was solved numerically in multi-term approximation. It was assumed that the discharge was ignited by a 100 kW microwave (f = 9.4 GHz) pulses with 2.5 µs duration; the repetition frequency was 400 Hz. It was shown that the electron distribution function approaches very quickly the steady state distribution function after a change of the amplitude of electric field intensity. The steady state time averaged values of electron mean energy, diffusion and rate coefficients and drift velocity were calculated for different values of electric field intensity. With these values the actual values of electric field intensity from a previous experiment were determined from the measured time dependence of electron concentration. The calculated values were compared with previous experimental results.

Self-consistent spatio-temporal simulation of pulsed microwave discharge

A spatio-temporal theoretical model of pulsed microwave discharge was developed. This model is based on the macroscopic continuity equation for electrons and on the wave equation for an electromagnetic wave passing through the discharge plasma. These equations were solved together and in a self-consistent manner. For simplicity, the continuity equation was solved in one dimension only and the electromagnetic wave was assumed to be plane and transversal. Both equations were solved numerically and the spatio-temporal dependences of electron concentration and the amplitude of the microwave electric field were obtained. It was found that the discharge development depends, significantly, on the initial spatial distribution of electron concentration. Two different cases were studied: the discharge development during the first microwave pulse only and after several successive pulses. The calculations were performed particularly for the discharge in nitrogen. The results were compared with experimental data from our previous work.

Energy distribution functions of ions impinging on substrate in microwave plasma

In this work, a large area microwave plasma reactor is used, in which a rf-biased substrate is exposed to argon plasma. A directional energy analyser mounted in the substrate holder was used to measure ion energy distribution functions in argon plasma. It was found that a resonance behaviour between ion transit motion and the substrate rf-bias oscillation yielded important enhancement of ion energy when the rf-bias and ion plasma frequencies reached roughly the same values.