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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1999

Ion Transport Modeling in Non-Collisional RF Sheaths

A reactor scale ICP plasma model does not adequately resolve the submillimeter scale rf sheaths due to severe disparities in length and times scales. These non-collisional sheaths determine the spread in the ion bombardment energy distribution on the wafer. Analytical models based on "damped potential" has been used by various authors to simplify sheath modeling. However, inherent in these models are some assumptions that may be invalid. In this work we show that simplifying assumptions such as a uniform ion flux may be in error by as much as 200% at 13.56MHz. This work involves solving ion transport in non-collisional rf sheaths. A comprehensive study of the dependence of ion flux and energy on uncertainties in the sheath-presheath (i.e. sheath thickness) boundary will also be done.

Meyyappan, M.↗
NASA NTRS1972

RF sheath and admittance characteristics of a spherical plasma probe.

Development of a radio-frequency sheath model for a spherical probe in a collisionless plasma. The method of solution is based on the quasi-static approximation and the electrostatic probe theory of Bernstein and Rabinowitz (1959). The resistive part of the admittance is ascribed to the sheath transit-time collisionless dissipation mechanism suggested by Mayer (1963) and developed by Gould (1964). Expressions are obtained for the effective sheath thickness and the equivalent resistance of the transit-time dissipation. The sheath model and, hence, the admittance are completely determined in terms of the bias potential, the probe radius, the plasma frequency, and the Debye length - i.e., there are no adjustable parameters in the proposed theory which are to be determined by experiment. The results obtained agree favorably with Cohen and Bekefi's (1971) experimental data on the conductance resonant frequency and the width of the conductance peak.

Kan, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1989

High-frequency instability of the sheath-plasma resonance

Coherent high-frequency oscillations near the electron plasma frequency are generated by electrodes with positive dc bias immersed in a uniform Maxwellian afterglow plasma. The instability occurs at the sheath-plasma resonance and is driven by a negative RF sheath resistance associated with the electron inertia in the diodelike electron-rich sheath. With increasing dc bias, i.e., electron transit time, the instability exhibits a hard threshold, downward frequency pulling, line broadening, and copious harmonics. The fundamental instability is a bounded oscillation caused by wave evanescence, but the harmonics are radiated as electromagnetic waves from the electrodes acting like antennas. Wavelength and polarization measurements confirm the emission process. Electromagnetic waves are excited by electrodes of various geometries (planes, cylinders, spheres), which excludes other radiation mechanisms such as orbitrons or beam-plasma instabilities. The line-broadening mechanism has been identified as a frequency modulation via the electron transit time by dynamic ions. Ion oscillations at the sheath edge give rise to burstlike RF emissions. These laboratory observations of a new instability are important for antennas in space plasmas, generation of coherent beams with diodes, and plasma diagnostics.

Stenzel, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1989

High-frequency instability of the sheath-plasma resonance

Coherent high frequency oscillations near the electron plasma frequency (omega approx. less than omega sub p) are generated by electrodes with positive dc bias immersed in a uniform Maxwellian afterglow plasma. The instability occurs at the sheath-plasma resonance and is driven by a negative RF sheath resistance associated with the electron inertia in the diode-like electron-rich sheath. With increasing dc bias, i.e., electron transit time, the instability exhibits a hard threshold, downward frequency pulling, line broadening and copious harmonics. The fundamental instability is a bounded oscillation due to wave evanescence, but the harmonics are radiated as electromagnetic waves from the electrodes acting like antennas. Wavelength and polarization measurements confirm the emission process. Electromagnetic waves are excited by electrodes of various geometries (planes, cylinders, spheres) which excludes other radiation mechanisms such as orbitrons or beam-plasma instabilities. The line broadening mechanism was identified as a frequency modulation via the electron transit time by dynamic ions. Ion oscillations at the sheath edge give rise to burst-like RF emissions. These laboratory observations of a new instability are important for antennas in space plasmas, generation of coherent beams with diodes, and plasma diagnostics.

Stenzel, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS2000

A Coupled Plasma-Sheath Model for High Density Sources

High density, low pressure plasmas are used for etching and deposition in microelectronics fabrication processes. The process characteristics are strongly determined by the ion energy distribution (IED) and the ion flux arriving at the substrate that are responsible for desorption of etch products and neutral dissociation at the surface. The ion flux and energy are determined by a self- consistent modeling of the bulk plasma, where the ions and the neutral radicals are produced, and the sheath, where the ions are accelerated. Due to their widely different time scales, it is a formidable task to self-consistently resolve non-collisional sheath in a high density bulk plasma model. In this work, we first describe a coupled plasma-sheath model that attempts to resolve the non-collisional sheath in a reactor scale model. Second, we propose a semianalytical radio frequency (RF) sheath model to improve ion dynamics.

Bose, Deepak↗
NASA NTRS1977

Ion sheath effects on RF plasma probes - Experimental results in laboratory plasmas

Laboratory work dealing with the frequency characteristic of the plasma impedance of spherical and cylindrical electrode systems is reported. The influence of the ion sheath on various features of the impedance characteristic is emphasized. Those features are the series and parallel resonance as well as additional resonances due to the excitation of electroacoustic and cyclotron harmonic waves. The dependence of the series and parallel resonances on dc biasing leads to a method of determining the ion sheath capacity for a cylindrical electrode system. The obtained values agree fairly well with those obtained from a theoretical model for the density and potential distribution in the sheath of a cylindrical sensor aligned with a supersonic plasma flow. The amplitude of resonances due to excitation of longitudinal plasma waves (electroacoustic and cyclotron harmonic) is reduced or even vanishes for sufficiently negative dc bias. Positive bias first leads to an increased amplitude up to a certain dc bias value above which, however, the amplitude decreases again due to electron absorption at the sensor surface.

Kist, R.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Temporal evolution of collisionless sheaths

Experimental measurements have been performed to determine the temporal evolution of Langmuir sheaths near an electrode to which a negative step bias is applied in a collisionless argon plasma. The plasma was produced by a hot-filament discharge in a multidipole device. Plasma potential data were obtained using emissive probes with two different techniques: time-resolved sampling and time-averaged techniques. The sheath is found to initially form close to the electrode, to extend to a maximum separation, and to contract to a steady-state value. The time scale required to reach a steady state is close to the time scale of the presheath relaxation. Characteristics of sheaths in RF plasmas are also measured using a parallel-plate plasma capacitor. It is observed that the plasma potential profile has significant variation with frequency, even for frequencies as low as 1 kHz which are far below the ion plasma frequency (about 1 MHz).

Cho, M. H.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Non-ambipolar radio-frequency plasma electron source and systems and methods for generating electron beams

An electron generating device extracts electrons, through an electron sheath, from plasma produced using RF fields. The electron sheath is located near a grounded ring at one end of a negatively biased conducting surface, which is normally a cylinder. Extracted electrons pass through the grounded ring in the presence of a steady state axial magnetic field. Sufficiently large magnetic fields and/or RF power into the plasma allow for helicon plasma generation. The ion loss area is sufficiently large compared to the electron loss area to allow for total non-ambipolar extraction of all electrons leaving the plasma. Voids in the negatively-biased conducting surface allow the time-varying magnetic fields provided by the antenna to inductively couple to the plasma within the conducting surface. The conducting surface acts as a Faraday shield, which reduces any time-varying electric fields from entering the conductive surface, i.e. blocks capacitive coupling between the antenna and the plasma.

Hershkowitz, Noah↗
NASA NTRS2011

Non-ambipolar radio-frequency plasma electron source and systems and methods for generating electron beams

An electron generating device extracts electrons, through an electron sheath, from plasma produced using RF fields. The electron sheath is located near a grounded ring at one end of a negatively biased conducting surface, which is normally a cylinder. Extracted electrons pass through the grounded ring in the presence of a steady state axial magnetic field. Sufficiently large magnetic fields and/or RF power into the plasma allow for helicon plasma generation. The ion loss area is sufficiently large compared to the electron loss area to allow for total non-ambipolar extraction of all electrons leaving the plasma. Voids in the negatively-biased conducting surface allow the time-varying magnetic fields provided by the antenna to inductively couple to the plasma within the conducting surface. The conducting surface acts as a Faraday shield, which reduces any time-varying electric fields from entering the conductive surface, i.e. blocks capacitive coupling between the antenna and the plasma.

Hershkowitz, Noah↗
NASA NTRS1999

Langmuir Probe Distortions and Probe Compensation in an Inductively Coupled Plasma

In many RF discharges, Langmuir probe measurements are usually made against a background of sinusoidal (and not so sinusoidal) fluctuations in the plasma parameters such as the plasma potential (Vp), the electron number density (ne), and the electron temperature (Te). The compensation of sinusoidal fluctuations in Vp has been extensively studied and is relatively well understood. Less attention has been paid to the possible distortions introduced by small fluctuations in plasma density and/or plasma temperature, which may arise in the sheath and pre-sheath regions of RF discharges. Here, we present the results of a model simulation of probe characteristics subject to fluctuations in both Vp and ne. The modeling of probe distortion due to possible fluctuations in Te is less straightforward. A comparison is presented of calculations with experimental measurements using a compensated and uncompensated Langmuir probe in an inductively coupled GEC reference cell plasma, operating on Ar and Ar/CF4 mixtures. The plasma parameters determined from the compensated probe characteristics are compared to previous measurements of others made in similar discharges, and to our own measurements of the average electron density derived from electrical impedance measurements.

Ji, J. S.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Ion acceleration in laboratory plasmas

Recent experiments which investigate ion acceleration in 'collisionless' laboratory plasmas are described. The experiments fall into two classes - those involving stationary and those involving time dependent processes.Among the stationary structures which accelerate ions are sheaths, presheaths, double layers, multiple double layers and ambipolar potentials. RF is an example of time dependent processes. Both classes of experiments are considered. Experiments with 'collisionless' plasmas in multidipole triple plasma-type devices and novel phenomena associated with the use of Ion Cyclotron Resonance Heating in the inhomogeneous magnetic field of a tandem mirror 'fusion' plasma are described. New RF phenomenon include RF pitch angle scattering, RF electron pumping, and ICRF ponderomotive force.

Hershkowitz, Noah↗
NASA NTRS1974

Calibration of a cylindrical RF capacitance probe

The calibration is considered of an RF antenna capacitance probe carried aboard the RAE-1 spacecraft and the correction of the probe for external effects, believed to be primarily due to local positive ion sheaths and/or photoelectron sheaths surrounding the antenna. The RAE-1 spacecraft was launched in July 1968 into a 5850-km. Circular orbit of 121-degree inclination and carried several antenna and radiometer systems covering a frequency range of 0.2 to 9.2 MHz for radio astronomical studies. The RF capacitance probe measurements discussed utilized a 37-meter electric dipole antenna formed by two monopoles made of silver-coated beryllium-copper alloy tapes formed into hollow cylindrical tubes 1.3 cm in diameter.

Mosier, S. R.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Atomic oxygen beam source for erosion simulation

A device for the production of low energy (3 to 10 eV) neutral atomic beams for surface modification studies is described that reproduces the flux of atomic oxygen in low Earth orbit. The beam is produced by the acceleration of plasma ions onto a negatively biased plate of high-Z metal; the ions are neutralized and reflected by the surface, retaining some fraction of their incident kinetic energy, forming a beam of atoms. The plasma is generated by a coaxial RF exciter which produces a magnetically-confined (4 kG) plasma column. At the end of the column, ions fall through the sheath to the plate, whose bias relative to the plasma can be varied to adjust the beam energy. The source provides a neutral flux approximately equal to 5 x 10(exp 16)/sq cm at a distance of 9 cm and a fluence approximately equal to 10(exp 20)/sq cm in five hours. The composition and energy of inert gas beams was diagnosed using a mass spectometer/energy analyzer. The energy spectra of the beams demonstrate energies in the range 5 to 15 eV, and qualitatively show expected dependences upon incident and reflecting atom species and potential drop. Samples of carbon film, carbon-based paint, Kapton, mylar, and teflon exposed to atomic O beams show erosion quite similar to that observed in orbit on the space shuttle.

Cuthbertson, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS2004

The Role of Plasma in Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition of Nanostructure Growth

Chemical vapour deposition (CVD) has become the preferred process for high yield growth of carbon nanotubes and nanofibres because of its ability to pattern growth through lithographic positioning of transition metal catalysts on substrates. Many potential applications of nanotubes such as field emitters [1] require not only patterned growth but also vertical alignment. Some degree of ali,ment in thermal CVD processes can be obtained when carbon nanotubes are grown closely together as a result of van der Waals interactions. The ali,onment however is marginal, and the van der Waals prerequisite makes growth of freestanding nanofibres with thermal CVD unrealizable. The application of electric fields as a means of ali,onment has been shown to overcome this limitation [2-5], and highly aligned nanostructures can be grown if electric fields on the order of 0.5 V/microns are employed. Plasma enhanced CVD in various configurations including dc, rf, microwave, inductive and electron cyclotron resonance has been pursued as a means of enabling alignment in the CVD process. However, the sheath fields for the non-dc sources are in general not sufficient for a high degree of ali,pment and an additional dc bias is usually applied to the growth substrate. This begs the question as to the actual role of the plasma. It is clear that the plasma itself is not required for aligned growth as references [3] and [4] employed fields through small applied voltages (3-20 V) across very small electrode spacings (10-100 microns) and thus avoided striking a discharge.

Hash, David B.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Ion Energy Distributions and their Relative Abundance in Inductively Coupled Plasmas

Study of kinetics of ions and neutrals produced in high density inductively coupled plasma (ICP) discharges is of great importance for achieving a high degree of plasma assisted deposition and etching. In this paper, we present the ion energy distributions (IEDs) of various ions arriving at the grounded lower electrode. The ions were energy as well as mass analyzed by a combination of electrostatic analyzer-quadrupole mass spectrometer for pure Ar and CF4/Ar mixtures. The measurements have been made at gas pressures ranging from 30 to 100 mTorr. In addition, the IEDs were measured when the wafer-supporting electrode was also rf-powered and the effect of the self-bias was observed in the energy distributions of ions. The shapes of the IEDs are discussed an related to the sheath properties and measured electrical waveforms, as a function of pressure and applied power. Relative ion intensities were obtained by integration of each ion kinetic energy distribution function over its energy range.

Kim, J. S.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Calibration of a cylindrical RF capacitance probe

Ambient electron concentrations derived from observations with the Radio Astronomy Explorer 1 antenna capacitance probe have been compared with upper hybrid resonance measurements from the same spacecraft. From this comparison an empirical correction factor for the capacitance probe measurements has been derived. The differences between the two types of measurements is attributed to sheath effects.

Mosier, S. R.↗
NASA NTRS1960

Ionospheric Measurements Using Environmental Sampling Techniques

Two rockets were flown to peak altitudes of 220 km in September 1959 to test various methods planned for future measurements of ionization parameters in the ionosphere, exosphere, and interplanetary plasma. The experiments used techniques which sample the ambient environment in the immediate vicinity of the research vehicle. Direct methods were chosen since indirect propagation techniques do not provide the temperatures of charged particles, are insensitive to ion densities, and cannot measure local electron densities under all conditions. Very encouraging results have been obtained from a preliminary analysis of data provided by one of the two flights. A new rf probe technique was successfully used to determine the electron density profile. This was indicated by its agreement with the results of a companion cw propagation experiment, particularly when the probe data were corrected for the effects of the ion sheath which surrounds the vehicle. The characteristics of this sheath were determined directly in flight by an electric field meter which provided the sheath field, and by a Langmuir probe which measured the total potential across the sheath. The electron temperatures deduced from the Langmuir probe data are greater than the neutral gas temperatures previously measured for the same location and season, but these measurements possibly were taken under different atmospheric conditions. Ion densities were calculated from the ion trap data for several altitudes ranging from 130 to 210 km and were found to be within 20 percent of the measured electron densities.

Bourdeau, R. E.↗