Monochromatic imaging of cathodic arc plasma
- Tel Aviv Univ. (Israel)
Vacuum arc deposition (VAD) is an increasingly studied and applied technology that offers potential advantages such as high deposition rates, low deposition temperatures, and good adhesion. In the cathodic vacuum arc, minute hot areas on the cathode surface (``cathode spots``) emit highly ionized metallic plasma jets. Deposition of the cathode material is formed by placing a substrate in the plasma stream. Ceramic thin films such as TiN, SnO{sub 2}, and TiO{sub 2} can be deposited using VAD in the presence of a reactive gas. Plasma parameters such as the density of the various ionic components, ionic kinetic energy, electron temperature, and ion-excited state population densities, all have an important role in the film growth mechanism in VAD and largely affect the film characteristics (structure, morphology, stoichiometry, adhesion, uniformity, thickness, etc.). In the case of ceramic films, the interaction between the expanding plasma and the ambient gas is very important, but poorly understood. Here, monochromatic imaging is presented as a powerful tool for plasma diagnostics, and specifically for the investigation of cathodic vacuum arc plasma. Two-dimensional (2-D) monochromatic images in the visible region of an aluminum cathodic arc burning in helium background gas are presented. Inversion of Abel`s integral enables a reconstruction of the spatial distribution of the plasma emission coefficient. The qualitative and sometimes quantitative nature of the interaction between the expanding plasma and the ambient gas can be visualized with this technique.
- OSTI ID:
- 244925
- Journal Information:
- IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, Journal Name: IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 24; ISSN ITPSBD; ISSN 0093-3813
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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