AVS 45th International Symposium
    Plasma Science and Technology Division Thursday Sessions
       Session PS-ThP

Paper PS-ThP15
Characterization of the Reactive Species in a Helium/Oxygen Atmospheric-Pressure Plasma Jet

Thursday, November 5, 1998, 5:30 pm, Room Hall A

Session: Plasma Science and Technology Division Poster Session
Presenter: J.Y. Jeong, University of California, Los Angeles
Authors: J.Y. Jeong, University of California, Los Angeles
S.E. Babayan, University of California, Los Angeles
A. Schuetze, University of California, Los Angeles
J. Park, Los Alamos National Laboratory
I. Henins, Los Alamos National Laboratory
R.F. Hicks, University of California, Los Angeles
G.S. Selwyn, Los Alamos National Laboratory
Correspondent: Click to Email
An atmospheric-pressure plasma jet has been developed. The jet etches organic polymer films with an He/O@sub 2@ gas feed. In addition, silicon, silicon dioxide, and metal films have been etched with an He/CF@sub 4@/O@sub 2@ gas mixture. The reactive species in the plasma jet effluent and their chemistry have been investigated by optical and infrared emission spectroscopy, chemical titration, and numerical modeling. An ozone density of 10@super 14@-10@super 16@ was measured by UV absorption and the oxygen atom concentration is believed to be of same order of magnitude. The charged particle flux, monitored with a Langmuir probe, has been found to be around 10@super 14@ cm@super -2@ s@super -1@ in the effluent. With regard to kapton etching, it appears that oxygen atoms and possibly metastable oxygen molecules are the key reactive intermediates in this process. At the meeting, the chemistry of the plasma jet will be compared to conventional low-pressure plasma discharges.