SURFACE PROCESSING WITH PARTIALLY IONIZED PLASMAS

Partially ionized plasmas are used extensively to process surfaces in many areas of technology. Surface processing in this discussion includes deposition of thin films, etching of the surface itself, and modification of the existing surface by oxidation, nitriding, or texturing. Often, very unique results can be obtained with partially ionized plasmas that cannot be realized with other approaches. The complexity of the reactive gas plasma environment coupled with the large parameter space associated with plasma equipment causes difficulty in process development and optimization, but offers opportunities for discovery and invention. The ability of partially ionized plasmas to generate uniform fluxes over wide areas of energetic ions and/or reactive neutral atoms or radicals can be expected to ensure continued widespread applications for the plasma processing of surfaces.