Processing laser ablated plasmonic nanoparticle aerosols with nonthermal dielectric barrier discharge jets of argon and helium and plasma induced effects

Abstract

Dielectric-barrier-discharge (DBD) plasma jets provide viable state-of-the-art nonthermal processes for a wide range of nanomaterials including particle transport and deposition. We report the interaction of argon and helium plasma jets with the particle aerosol, produced by ns laser ablation of a silver target and subsequently their transport for deposition on a distant substrate. The nanofeatures and functionality of the nanoparticles, entrained and deposited with the two plasma jets were compared using high-resolution electron microscopy, helium ion microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, and in terms of the SERS effect. The plasma jet facilitates the transport of the particle aerosol under the upshot of plasma ionic wind, caused by the high electric field in the plasma. Compared to the helium plasma jet, the argon plasma jet leads to a relatively large particle deposition and promotes the formation of aggregates. The helium plasma jet enabled the deposition of spatially well dispersed particles. In both cases, the deposited particle was crystalline and plasmonic active. The plasma-driven altered morphology, expedient particle transport, and formation of agglomerates or spatially well dispersed particles are explained in plasma-induced ionic-wind, and dusty plasma framework. The findings are novel and interesting from the perspective of plasma–surface deposition, surface nanoengineering, and nanomaterial processing for applications in sensing, catalysis, surgical tools, futuristic coating technology, and heat-sensible biological activities.

Cold Plasma Jet Coupled Nanosecond Laser Ablation Scheme For Plasmonic Nanostructured Surfaces

“…[ 47 ] In addition, the dusty plasma framework can be used to explain the interaction of plasma and metal particles as a hybrid system. [ 48 ] Another significant aspect is the plasma turbulence effect, especially in the context of an electro‐hydrodynamic (EHD) jet. The fluid instability of the EHD jet induces turbulence onset, which causes the mixing of the argon and the surrounding air.…”

“…Second, the plasma jet promotes particle clustering (agglomerates), which could be due to the presence of charge imbalance on the particles that creates a Coulomb attractive force and holds the particles together. [46][47][48] The attachment of electrons to relatively large-size particles makes them negatively charged. The interaction of these particles with the uncharged smaller-size particles generates a stochastic charge fluctuation, which results in a net attractive force between the particles, keeping the particles stuck together physically.…”

Smart integration of cold plasma stream and surface discharge with ns laser ablation for composite nanomaterial

“…Consequently, the contribution to the formation of microscopic clusters in the deposited structures could arise from one or both types of particulates. A previous report has described such an aspect by processing the ablated material with the cold plasma jets of argon and helium [ 4 ]. The gas condensation method involving laser ablation in a contained environment appears to be an effective fabrication method for nanostructured films for diverse applications in the active fields of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), catalysis, and solar cells [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 ].…”

“…Recently, T.M. Khan et al [ 1 , 4 , 6 ] explored an innovative approach by integrating a nonthermal plasma jet with laser ablation at atmospheric pressure, wherein the plasma jet was allowed to directly interact with the ablation plume induced by a ns laser, allowing the transfer of particle aerosol for deposition on a distant substrate. The morphology, spatial distribution, and surface coverage were greatly controlled by the interplay of the jet length, substrate position, number of laser shots and fluence value.…”

“…The morphology, spatial distribution, and surface coverage were greatly controlled by the interplay of the jet length, substrate position, number of laser shots and fluence value. A gas flow assists mechanism was used to entrain the NP aerosols for deposition [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]. In these studies, localized and redeposition of the particles on the surface of the irradiated target was greatly minimized and the surface coverage and the particle size were made tunable for chemical detection.…”