Plasma-deposition of Ag-containing polyethyleneoxide-like coatings

Ag-containing polyethyleneoxide (FEO)-like thin films have been deposited in Radio Frequency Glow Discharges fed with vapors of diethyleneglycol-dimethyl-ether and argon. Proper experimental conditions have been utilized in order to fragment the monomer in the glow and, at the same time, sputter Ag from the silver RF cathode of the reactor, in a way that polyethyleneoxide(PEO)-like coatings with embedded Ag clusters have been deposited at the ground electrode. The composition of the coatings has been investigated by means of different techniques; the plasma process has been investigated by means of Actinometric Optical Emission Spectroscopy. A correlation has been found between the amount of silver embedded in the coatings and that sputtered in the discharge, monitored by actinometry, that could eventually be utilized to control in situ the deposition process.

RF plasma sputtering deposition of hydroxyapatite bioceramics : synthesis, performance, and biocompatibility

Hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings have numerous applications in orthopedics and dentistry, owing to their excellent ability to promote stronger implant fixation and faster bone tissue ingrowth and remodeling. Thermal plasma spray and other plasma-assisted techniques have recently been used to synthesize various calcium phosphate-based bioceramics. Despite notable recent achievements in the desired stoichiometry, phase composition, mechanical, structural, and bio-compatible properties, it is rather difficult to combine all of the above features in a single coating. For example, many existing plasma-sprayed HA coatings fall short in meeting the requirements of grain size and crystallinity, and as such are subject to enhanced resorption in body fluid. On the other hand, relatively poor interfacial bonding and stability is an obstacle to the application of the HA coatings in high load bearing Ti6Al4V knee joint implants. Here, we report on an alternative: a plasma-assisted, concurrent, sputtering deposition technique for high performance biocompatible HA coatings on Ti6Al4V implant alloy. The plasma-assisted RF magnetron co-sputtering deposition method allows one to simultaneously achieve most of the desired attributes of the biomimetic material and overcome the aforementioned problems. This article details the film synthesis process specifications, extensive analytical characterization of the material's properties, mechanical testing, simulated body fluid assessments, biocompatibility and cytocompatibility of the HA-coated Ti6Al4V orthopedic alloy. The means of optimization of the plasma and deposition process parameters to achieve the desired attributes and performance of the HA coating, as well as future challenges in clinical applications are also discussed.

Near infrared optical materials from polymeric amorphous carbon synthesized by collisional plasma process

The synthesis of polymerlike amorphous carbon(a-C:H) thin-films by microwave excited collisional hydrocarbon plasma process is reported. Stable and highly aromatic a-C:H were obtained containing significant inclusions of poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (PPV). PPV confers universal optoelectronic properties to the synthesized material. That is a-C:H with tailor-made refractive index are capable of becoming absorption-free in visible (red)-near infrared wavelength range. Production of large aromatic hydrocarbon including phenyl clusters and/or particles is attributed to enhanced coagulation of elemental plasma species under collisional plasma conditions. Detailed structural and morphological changes that occur in a-C:H during the plasma synthesis are also described.

Control of ion density distribution by magnetic traps for plasma electrons

The effect of a magnetic field of two magnetic coils on the ion current density distribution in the setup for low-temperature plasma deposition is investigated. The substrate of 400 mm diameter is placed at a distance of 325 mm from the plasma duct exit, with the two magnetic coils mounted symmetrically under the substrate at a distance of 140 mm relative to the substrate centre. A planar probe is used to measure the ion current density distribution along the plasma flux cross-sections at distances of 150, 230, and 325 mm from the plasma duct exit. It is shown that the magnetic field strongly affects the ion current density distribution. Transparent plastic films are used to investigate qualitatively the ion density distribution profiles and the effect of the magnetic field. A theoretical model is developed to describe the interaction of the ion fluxes with the negative space charge regions associated with the magnetic trapping of the plasmaelectrons. Theoretical results are compared with the experimental measurements, and a reasonable agreement is demonstrated.

Plasma Nanoscience : Basic Concepts and Applications of Deterministic Nanofabrication

Filling the need for a single work specifically addressing how to use plasma for the fabrication of nanoscale structures, this book is the first to cover plasma deposition in sufficient depth. The author has worked with numerous R&D institutions around the world, and here he begins with an introductory overview of plasma processing at micro- and nanoscales, as well as the current problems and challenges, before going on to address surface preparation, generation and diagnostics, transport and the manipulation of nano units.

Ion irradiation as a tool for modifying the surface and optical properties of plasma polymerised thin films

Radio frequency (R.F.) glow discharge polyterpenol thin films were prepared on silicon wafers and irradiated with I10+ ions to fluences of 1 × 1010 and 1 × 1012 ions/cm2. Post-irradiation characterisation of these films indicated the development of well-defined nano-scale ion entry tracks, highlighting prospective applications for ion irradiated polyterpenol thin films in a variety of membrane and nanotube-fabrication functions. Optical characterisation showed the films to be optically transparent within the visible spectrum and revealed an ability to selectively control the thin film refractive index as a function of fluence. This indicates that ion irradiation processing may be employed to produce plasma-polymer waveguides to accommodate a variety of wavelengths. XRR probing of the substrate-thin film interface revealed interfacial roughness values comparable to those obtained for the uncoated substrate's surface (i.e., both on the order of 5 Å), indicating minimal substrate etching during the plasma deposition process.

Influência dos parâmetros de processo na deposição de nitreto de titânio por plasma em gaiola catódica

Titanium nitride films were grown on glass using the Cathodic Cage Plasma Deposition technique in order to verify the influence of process parameters in optical and structural properties of the films. The plasma atmosphere used was a mixture of Ar, N2 and H2, setting the Ar and N2 gas flows at 4 and 3 sccm, respectively and H2 gas flow varied from 0, 1 to 2 sccm. The deposition process was monitored by Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES) to investigate the influence of the active species in plasma. It was observed that increasing the H2 gas flow into the plasma the luminescent intensities associated to the species changed. In this case, the luminescence of N2 (391,4nm) species was not proportional to the increasing of the H2 gas into the reactor. Other parameters investigated were diameter and number of holes in the cage. The analysis by Grazing Incidence X-Ray Diffraction (GIXRD) confirmed that the obtained films are composed by TiN and they may have variations in the nitrogen amount into the crystal and in the crystallite size. The optical microscopy images provided information about the homogeneity of the films. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) results revealed some microstructural characteristics and surface roughness. The thickness was measured by ellipsometry. The optical properties such as transmittance and reflectance (they were measured by spectrophotometry) are very sensitive to changes in the crystal lattice of the material, chemical composition and film thicknesses. Therefore, such properties are appropriate tools for verification of this process control. In general, films obtained at 0 sccm of H2 gas flow present a higher transmittance. It can be attributed to the smaller crystalline size due to a higher amount of nitrogen in the TiN lattice. The films obtained at 1 and 2 sccm of H2 gas flow have a golden appearance and XRD pattern showed peaks characteristics of TiN with higher intensity and smaller FWHM (Full Width at Half Maximum) parameter. It suggests that the hydrogen presence in the plasma makes the films more stoichiometric and becomes it more crystalline. It was observed that with higher number of holes in the lid of the cage, close to the region between the lid and the sample and the smaller diameter of the hole, the deposited film is thicker, which is justified by the most probability of plasma species reach effectively the sample and it promotes the growth of the film

Estudo da viabilidade técnica para obtenção de superfície duplex em aço inoxidável martensítico AISI 410 através do processo de deposição a plasma por gaiola catódica

The technique of plasma nitriding by the cathode cage mainly stands out for its ability to produce uniform layers, even on parts with complex geometries. In this study, it was investigated the efficiency of this technique for obtaining duplex surface, when used, simultaneously, to nitriding treatment and thin film deposition at temperatures below 500°C. For this, were used samples of AISI 41 0 Martensitic Stainless Steel and performed plasma treatment, combining nitriding and deposition of thin films of Ti and/or TiN in a plasma atmosphere containing N2-H2. It was used a cathodic cage of titanium pure grade II, cylindrical with 70 mm diameter and 34 mm height. Samples were treated at temperature 420ºC for 2 and 12 hours in different working pressures. Optical Microscopy (OM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with micro-analysis by Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and analysis of Vickers Microhardness were used to investigate coating properties such as homogeneity and surface topography, chemical composition, layer thickness, crystalline phase, roughness and surface microhardness. The results showed there is a direct proportionality between the presence of H2 in plasma atmosphere and the quantity of titanium in surface chemical composition. It was also observed that the plasma treatment at lowpressure is more effective in formation of TiN thin film

Polyurethane coating with thin polymer films produced by plasma polymerization of diglyme

Aqueous-based polyurethane dispersions have been widely utilized as lubricants in textile, shoes, automotive, biomaterial and many other industries because they are less aggressive to surrounding environment. In this work thin films with different thickness were deposited on biocompatible polyurethane by plasma polymerization process using diethylene glycol dimethyl ether (Diglyme) as monomer. Molecular structure of the films was analyzed by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy. The spectra exhibited absorption bands of O-H (3500-3200cm(-1)), C-H (3000-2900cm(-1)), C=O (1730-1650cm(-1)), C-O and C-O-C bonds at 1200-1600cm(-1). The samples wettability was evaluated by measurements of contact angle using different liquids such as water, glycerol, poly-ethane and CMC. The polyurethane surface showed hydrophilic behavior after diglyme plasma-deposition with contact angle dropping from 85(0) to 22(0). Scanning Electron Microscopy revealed that diglyme films covered uniformly the polyurethane surfaces ensuring to it a biocompatible characteristic.