Title: Model polymer etching and surface modification by a time modulated RF plasma jet: role of atomic oxygen and water vapor

Abstract

The surface interaction of a well-characterized time modulated radio frequency (RF) plasma jet with polystyrene, poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(vinyl alcohol) as model polymers is investigated. The RF plasma jet shows fast polymer etching but mild chemical modification with a characteristic carbonate ester and NO formation on the etched surface. By varying the plasma treatment conditions including feed gas composition, environment gaseous composition, and treatment distance, we find that short lived species, especially atomic O for Ar/1% O2 and 1% air plasma and OH for Ar/1% H2O plasma, play an essential role for polymer etching. For O2 containing plasma, we find that atomic O initiates polymer etching and the etching depth mirrors the measured decay of O atoms in the gas phase as the nozzlesurface distance increases. The etching reaction probability of an O atom ranging from 10-4 to 10-3 is consistent with low pressure plasma research. We also find that adding O2 and H2O simultaneously into Ar feed gas quenches polymer etching compared to adding them separately which suggests the reduction of O and OH density in Ar/O2/H2O plasma.

Authors:

Luan, P. ^[1]; Knoll, A. J. ^[1]; Wang, H. ^[1]; Kondeti, V. K. ^[2]; Bruggeman, P. J. ^[2]; Oehrlein, G. S. ^[1]

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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. University of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States)
2. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States)

Publication Date:

Tue Dec 13 00:00:00 EST 2016

Research Org.:

Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE Office of Science (SC), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES); National Science Foundation (NSF)

OSTI Identifier:

1659744

Alternate Identifier(s):

OSTI ID: 1335531; OSTI ID: 1787988

Grant/Contract Number:  

SC0001939; PHY-1415353

Resource Type:

Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:

Journal of Physics. D, Applied Physics

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Volume: 50; Journal Issue: 3; Journal ID: ISSN 0022-3727

Publisher:

IOP Publishing

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; Atmospheric pressure plasma; plasma jet; surface modification; etching; XPS; atomic O; hydroxyl radical; atmospheric pressure plasma, plasma jet, surface modification, etching, XPS, atomic O, hydroxyl radical