Dust Particle Growth and Application in Low Temperature Plasmas
- Groupe de Recherches sur l'Energetique des Milieux Ionises, Universite d'Orleans, 45067 Orleans Cedex2 (France)
Dust particle nucleation and growth has been widely studied these last fifteen years in different chemistries and experimental conditions. This phenomenon is correlated with various electrical changes at electrodes, including self-bias voltage and amplitudes of the various harmonics of current and voltage [1]. Some of these changes, such as the appearance of more resistive plasma impedance, are correctly attributed to loss of electrons in the bulk plasma to form negative molecular ions (e.g. SiH{sub 3}{sup -}) and more precisely charged nanoparticles. These changes were studied and correlated to the different phases on the dust particle formation. It is well known now that, in silane argon gas mixture discharges, in the first step of this particle formation we have formation of nanometer sized crystallites. These small entities accumulate and when their number density reaches a critical value, about 10{sup 11} to 10{sup 12} cm{sup -1}, they start to aggregate to form bigger particles. The different phases are well defined and determined thanks to the time evolution of the different electrical parameter changes. The purpose of this contribution is to compare different chemistries to highlight similarities and/or differences in order to establish possible universal dust particle growth mechanisms. The chemistries we studied concern SiH{sub 4}-Ar, CH{sub 4}, CH{sub 4}-N{sub 2} and Sn(CH{sub 3}){sub 4}[2]. We also refer to works performed in other laboratories in different discharge configurations [3]. Different applications have already developed or are foreseen for these nanoparticles. The first application concerns the inclusion of nanosized dust crystallites in an amorphous matrix in order to modify the optoelectronic and mechanical properties [4-5]. At the present time a very active research programs are devoted towards single electron devises where nanometer sized crystallites play a role of quantum dots. These nanoparticles can be produced in low pressure cold plasmas.
- OSTI ID:
- 21251413
- Journal Information:
- AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1047, Issue 1; Conference: LAPAMS'08: 1. international conference on laser plasma applications in materials science, Algiers (Algeria), 23-26 Jun 2008; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2999973; (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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