No abstract

In this work, the fundamentals of planar-type Ar inductively coupled thermal plasmas (ICTPs) with oxygen molecular gas on a substrate have been studied. Previously, aiming at large-area material processing, we developed a planar-type ICTP torch with a rectangular quartz vessel instead of a conventional cylindrical tube. For the adoption of such planar-type ICTP to material processing, it is necessary to sustain the ICTP with molecular gases on a substrate stably and uniformly. To determine the uniformity of the ICTP formed on the substrate, spectroscopic observation was carried out at 3 mm above the substrate. Results showed that the radiation intensities of specified O atomic lines were almost uniformly detected along the surface of the substrate. This means that excited O atoms, which are important radicals for thermal plasma oxidation, are present in the planar-type ICTP uniformly on the substrate.