III.

Applied Plasma Physics: theory,

simulation, experiments

8. The Plasma Laboratory

9. Nuclear Fusion
10. Plasma Propulsion
11. Industrial Plasmas
12. Space and Astrophysical Plasmas
 11. Industrial Plasmas

11.1 Low Pressure Plasmas

11.2 Atmospheric Pressure Plasmas
 11.1 Low Pressure Plasmas

11.1.1 Plasma Etching

 11.1.1 Plasma Etching

• Plasma can be used to clean, etch, or coat almost any

surface without the safety hazards and liquid waste
associated with wet processes.
• Plasma etching technology can remove organic and
inorganic contamination, increase wettability,
increase bond strength, and remove residue.
• plasma technology is very effective when surface
treatment is critical to the efficiency of a process or
the reliability of a product
 Plasma Etching (II)

• Plasma etching principle

 Plasma Etching (III)

• Cross-sectional SEM (scanning electron microscope)

image of a doped poly-Si line and space(L&S)
structures were etched in a helicon Cl2 plasma
 Plasma Etching (IV)

• Plasma is often used to clean odd-shaped parts with

areas that are not readily accessible, such as blind
holes. It can also clean assemblies made of different
materials.
• The plasma etching process occurs in a vacuum and
uses radiofrequency energy, instead of heat, to create
plasma that produces the desired reaction with the
surface that it is treating. This helps to avoid heat
damage.
 Plasma Etching (IV)

• Plasma processing is highly controllable and

repeatable, ensuring uniform results - product to
product, and batch to batch.
• Plasma can, in many cases, eliminate the need for
CFCs and other solvents. This will, in turn, reduce
costly disposal of hazardous by-products
 Plasma Etching (V)

• Traditional diode or parallel-plate plasma reactors are

well established in the industry
• Parallel-plate (diode-type) reactor: opposed plates
drive the plasma in this configuration, typically at
radio frequencies with an rf power in the range of kW
• For the driving frequency chosen, the electrons in the
reactor are preferentially accelerated, whereas the
ions are driven by the average electrostatic fields
• The processed wafer resides on the powered electrode
(to enhance ion acceleration).
• The electron mean free path limits the operating
pressure
 Plasma Etching (VI)

• Traditional diode or parallel-plate plasma reactors are

well established in the industry
 Plasma Etching (VII)

• Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) reactor

 11.2 Atmospheric Pressure Plasmas

11.2.1 Plasma Coating

11.2.2 Plasma Cutting
11.2.3 Plasma Torches for Waste Processing
 11.1.2 Plasma Coating

• Typical power levels employed are 40-80 KWDC

• The additional energy available, coupled with slightly
modified torch design, translates to both higher
thermal energy and higher particle velocity
• The result is more complete melting of high
temperature materials (ceramics) and greater integrity
of the resultant coating
 Plasma Coating (II)

• High Velocity Plasma Coating

 Plasma Coating (III)

• Low Velocity Plasma Coating

 Plasma Coating (IV)
• A high temperature plasma stream is created by non-
transferred plasma arc within the torch.
• Many gases may be ionized this way, argon or
nitrogen with small additions of hydrogen and helium
are popular choices.
• In an ionized gas, free electrons have been stripped
from the atoms and recombination releases very
significant thermal energy.
• The plasma stream can reach temperatures of 10,000-
50,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
Plasma Coating (V)
 11.1.3 Plasma Cutting
• (Anedocte?) Plasma cutting was accidentally
discovered by an inventor who was trying to develop
a better welding process.
• Though the technology is still young today, plasma
cutting is quickly changing the world as we know it.
• Plasma cutting is by far the simplest and most
economical way to cut a variety of metal shapes
accurately.
• Plasma cutters can cut much finer, faster, and more
automatically than oxy-acetylene torches.
• Because of their effectiveness, plasma cutters
threaten to obsolete a large number of conventional
metalworking tools.
 Plasma Cutting (II)
• Basic plasma cutters use electricity to superheat air
into plasma, which is then blown through the metal to
be cut.
• Plasma cutters are extremely simple and require only
a compressed air supply and an AC power outlet to
operate
• A complete plasma cutter consists of a power supply,
a ground clamp, and a hand torch.
 Plasma Cutting (III)
• The main function of the power supply is to convert
the AC line voltage into a user-adjustable regulated
(continuous) DC current.
• The hand torch contains a trigger for controlling the
cutting, and a nozzle through which the compressed
air blows.
• An electrode is also mounted inside the hand torch,
behind the nozzle
 Plasma Cutting (IV)

• Plasma cutter schematic

 Plasma Cutting (V)
• Initially, the electrode is in contact with (touches)
the nozzle.
• When the trigger is squeezed, DC current flows
through this contact.
• Next, compressed air starts trying to force its way
through the joint and out the nozzle.
• Air moves the electrode back and establishes a fixed
gap between it and the tip. (The power supply
automatically increases the voltage in order to
maintain a constant current through the joint - a
current that is now going through the air gap and
turning the air into plasma.)
 Plasma Cutting (VI)
1. Finally, the regulated DC current is switched so that
it no longer flows through the nozzle but instead
flows between the electrode and the work piece.
This current and airflow continues until cutting is
halted.
• Plasma cutters are only useful for cutting metal.
Non-conductive materials like wood and plastic
prevent the plasma cutter from doing step 5 above.
• The above steps describe the operation of a contact-
type arc starting plasma torch (the lastest
technology).
 Plasma Cutting (VII)
• Old plasma torch designs use high voltage sparks to
bridge the gap between a fixed electrode and tip
when starting the arc.
• The only parts of the plasma cutter needing frequent
replacement are the nozzle and the electrode. For
this reason, these parts are called "consumables."
 Plasma Cutting (VIII)

• Plasma cutter artwork

 11.1.4 Plasma Torches for Waste Processing

• Principle of waste plasma processing

 Plasma Waste Torches for Processing (II)

• Waste plasma processing plant