Aluminum doped zinc oxide thin films deposited by magnetron plasma sputtering are essential for various optoelectronic applications. So far, the oxygen negative ions and the atomic oxygen are regarded as responsible for the poor spatial uniformity of thin film resistivity. While various methods are available for thin film characterization, understanding the growth mechanism requires spatial-resolved measurements of plasma parameters. This work uses a dual thermal-electrostatic probe that is able to reveal the spatial distribution of plasma density, electron temperature and plasma potential. The results exhibit a parabolic profile for plasma density and flat profiles for electron temperature and plasma potential, with no correlation with the strong distribution of thin film resistivity that mirrors the erosion track on the target surface.

A new approach for the development of an innovative, low-cost, long lifespan, small size and versatile metal ion thruster (MIT), able to independently control thrust and specific impulse generation, is proposed. The concept of pulsed thermionic vacuum arc (PTVA) is used to generate and accelerate metal ions, without using acceleration grids. Operating under high or ultra-high vacuum conditions makes PTVA discharge suitable to be used in the vacuum of space. The proposed electric propulsion system can provide significant thrust and specific impulse levels due to an efficient metal ion acceleration process in the electric field of a double layer structure developed in PTVA plasma. For certain experimental conditions, the performance parameters values of this MIT–PTVA approach, and even exceed, those of the classical ion thrusters like xenon ion propulsion system and stationary plasma Hall thruster.