Rf microplasma jet at atmospheric pressure: characterization and application to thin film processing

A novel rf microplasma jet at atmospheric pressure was successfully generated using a single needle tube electrode. The atmospheric He discharge was characterized using optical emission spectroscopy with the inner hole diameter of the needle electrode and the flow rate of gas as variables. Preliminary results of the application of microplasma jets to thin film processing are given, i.e. silicon oxidation and the synthesis of carbon nanostructures including amorphous carbon, graphite, and nanotubes. A metal-oxide-semiconductor structure using the silicon oxidized layer formed by the O-2/He plasma showed good rectification behaviour. The effects of gas flow velocity and inner diameter of the needle tube electrode on the carbon nanostructure and deposition area are discussed. This article was due to be published in Volume 36, issue 23 of Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics. To access this special issue please follow this link http://www.iop.org/EJ/toc/0022-3727/36/23.