Atmospheric-Pressure Plasma Microdischarges for High-Rate Deposition

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The objective of this research is to investigate the fundamental mechanisms affecting the design and operation of a novel Plasma-Assisted Net-shape Deposition (PAND) system for microfabrication. The deposition is carried out under atmospheric pressure and this eliminates the need for high-vacuum reactors. Plasma reactions will be carried out within the microdischarge and on the substrate surface at the base of the reactor. The 'photolithography-less' feature of the proposed PAND reactors will enable fabrications of sensors, small structures and devices rapidly and inexpensively. The proposed plasma reactors will be developed for depositing metals, dielectric materials, and polymers. Innovative modeling strategies will be used to simulate the unique discharges addressed here. High-resolution 'discharge physics models' will be developed for the reactor to examine the effects of various process parameters on the ionization and dissociation characteristics of the feed gases. Successful completion of the proposed research will lead to the development of an efficient and inexpensive microfabrication process. Significant amount of data on deposition and etching reactions under atmospheric plasma conditions will be obtained. Such data will be useful not only for developing the proposed reactors but also for further applications of the atmospheric cold plasma in other scientific areas like spectroscopy. Collaborative research in model development will be carried out with CFD Research Corporation, Huntsville, Alabama. We also plan to partner with Trion Technology, Tempe, Arizona - a plasma etch and deposition system company for characterizing the microdischarge and for further development of the PAND system.