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This paper presents the experimental results from the fractal structures formation from nanoparticles of silicone dioxide deposited on the silicon substrate surface. Nanoparticles are synthesized by atmospheric pressure plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition with the use of capacitively coupled radio frequency (13.56 MHz) discharge sustained in helium atmosphere. Tetraethoxysilane is chosen as the test precursor. Correlation between the morphology of obtained deposits and the process parameters is found. The capability of nanoparticles movement along the deposit surface in local near-surface electric field is demonstrated. The empirical model that satisfactorily explained the mechanism of fractal clusters formation from nanoparticles on the substrate surface is developed. The model indicates that the dynamics of deposit morphology variations is determined by two competing processes: electrical charge transfer by nanoparticles to the deposit surface and electrical charge running off over the surface under conditions of changeable conductivity of the deposit surface.

Fractal structures were formed on silicon substrates from SiO2 nanoparticles homogeneously synthesized in low temperature atmospheric pressure plasma from tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). RF discharge (power absorbed was about 10 W) sustained between two parallel mesh electrodes was used to generate plasma. The average size of nanoparticles was in the range of 8-20 nm and was determined by process parameters. The obtained products were analyzed by SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy). Values of fractal dimension parameter of bidimensionals agglomerates formed on the substrate surface from nanoparticles were calculated with the use of Gwyddion and others. It was found that values of this parameter of the deposited structures varied in the range of 1.48-2 and were determined by combination of the process parameters. An empirical model explaining mechanism of the fractal structures formation and variation of the fractal dimension parameter with the process parameters was proposed.

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This paper presents the results from an experimental study of the ion flux characteristics behind the remote plasma zone in a vertical tube reaction chamber for atmospheric pressure plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Capacitively coupled radio frequency plasma was generated in pure He and gas mixtures: He–Ar, He–O2, He–TEOS. We previously used the reaction system He–TEOS for the synthesis of self-assembled structures of silicon dioxide nanoparticles. It is likely that the electrical parameters of the area, where nanoparticles have been transported from the synthesis zone to the substrate, play a significant role in the self-organization processes both in the vapor phase and on the substrate surface. The results from the spatial distribution of the electrical potential and ion concentration in the discharge downstream area measured by means of the external probe of original design and the special data processing method are demonstrated in this work. Positive and negatives ions with maximum concentrations of 106–107 cm−3 have been found at 10–80 mm distance behind the plasma zone. On the basis of the revealed distributions for different gas mixtures, the physical model of the observed phenomena is proposed. The model illustrates the capability of the virtual ion emitter formation behind the discharge gap and the presence of an extremum of the electrical potential at the distance of approximately 10−2–10−1 mm from the grounded electrode.