Fundamentals of planar-type inductively coupled thermal plasmas on a substrate for large-area material processing

• Published in: Japanese Journal of Applied Physics Vol. 55; no. 7S2; pp. 7 - 07LB03
• Main Authors: Tial, Mai Kai Suan, Irie, Hiromitsu, Maruyama, Yuji, Tanaka, Yasunori, Uesugi, Yoshihiko, Ishijima, Tatsuo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Japan Society of Applied Physics 01-07-2016
• Subjects: Materials processing; Molecular gases; Quartz; Radicals; Substrates; Thermal plasmas; Tubes; Variability
• ISSN: 0021-4922; 1347-4065
• DOI: 10.7567/JJAP.55.07LB03

In this work, the fundamentals of planar-type Ar inductively coupled thermal plasmas (ICTPs) with oxygen molecular gas on a substrate have been studied. Previously, aiming at large-area material processing, we developed a planar-type ICTP torch with a rectangular quartz vessel instead of a conventional cylindrical tube. For the adoption of such planar-type ICTP to material processing, it is necessary to sustain the ICTP with molecular gases on a substrate stably and uniformly. To determine the uniformity of the ICTP formed on the substrate, spectroscopic observation was carried out at 3 mm above the substrate. Results showed that the radiation intensities of specified O atomic lines were almost uniformly detected along the surface of the substrate. This means that excited O atoms, which are important radicals for thermal plasma oxidation, are present in the planar-type ICTP uniformly on the substrate.