Study of thin Film Formation From Silicon‐Containing Precursors Produced by an RF Non‐Thermal Plasma Jet at Atmospheric Pressure

Abstract

The deposition of thin silicon-organic films by atmospheric pressure PECVD using an RF-excited plasma jet has been investigated experimentally and theoretically. Static deposition experiments have been performed on flat polymer and glass samples using the silicon containing molecules HMDSO, OMCTS and silane. The experiments are classified with respect to power, flow rate, operating conditions and deposition rate. The deposited films have been analysed using profilometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. It is found that electric power and gas flow stability determine distinctive areas in the operating diagram characterized by the deposition rate, profile shape and the chemical properties of the film depending on introduced precursors. The highest O/Si ratio (close to two) is found for laminar flow regimes. Here, the films are characterized by a low carbon content, too. The experimental findings for different flow conditions are discussed in relation to results of a two-dimensional axisymmetric fluid model. The model predicts the interaction of gas heating and flow, the plasma generation in the active volume, the transport of active plasma particles into the effluent and the generation and transport of precursor fragments towards the substrate surface. A remarkable influence of the gas flow on the plasma kinetics is observed only with respect to the density of molecular argon ions, which are transported together with electrons into the effluent. The calculated flux of precursor fragments onto the substrate surface agrees qualitatively with measured profiles of the film thickness.

Development of Barrier Discharges: Operation Modes and Structure Formation

“…The modeling activities -under progress -consider the dominant processes in the discharge volume as well as the interactions of relevant plasma species with dielectric surfaces [20][21][22][23]. The modeling activities -under progress -consider the dominant processes in the discharge volume as well as the interactions of relevant plasma species with dielectric surfaces [20][21][22][23].…”

“…The presented results are an important and extensive source for the comparison with kinetic models to get a deeper (finally quantitative) understanding of the complex mechanisms in the BD evolution. The modeling activities -under progress -consider the dominant processes in the discharge volume as well as the interactions of relevant plasma species with dielectric surfaces [20][21][22][23].…”

Recent Progress in Complex Plasmas

“…The following article by Schäfer et al [12] is focused on the deposition of thin SiO x films on flat polymer and glass samples using different organo-silicon precursors and an rf-excited plasmajet operating at atmospheric pressure. The plasma processing parameters, the discharge operation condition and the deposition rate were evaluated concerning the O/Si ratio of the deposited films.…”

In vitro characterization of two different atmospheric plasma jet chemical functionalizations of titanium surfaces

“…Radiofrequency atmospheric pressure plasma jets (RF-APPJ) represent a suitable alternative to combine room temperature processes, without electrode erosion, and power flexibility to optimise efficiency and process chemistry. In fact, RF-APPJ can control by process the growth of stable hydrophobic or hydrophilic silica-based coatings using various siloxane precursors even on heat sensitive substrates [33,34], or deposit functional groups from carboxylic acid [35], ethylene glycol [36] up to fluorocarbons [37] and diamond-like carbon [38] or even grow carbon nanotubes forests [39]. RF-APPJs have been often applied for cleaning and sterilization of dental implants, but they have also been tested for the acceleration of osseointegration [40][41][42][43], and the improvement of antibacterial properties to implants [44].…”