Electrostatically Confined Plasma in Segmented Hollow Cathode Geometries for Surface Engineering

• Published in: IEEE transactions on plasma science Vol. 39; no. 11; pp. 3028 - 3032
• Main Authors: Corujeira Gallo, Santiago, Crespi, Ângela E., Cemin, F., Figueroa, C. A., Baumvol, I. J. R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01.11.2011; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Chemical vapor deposition; Coatings; Confinement; Deposition; Diffraction; Electrodes; Electrostatics; Geometry; Ion nitriding; Materials; Morphology; Plasma confinement; plasma materials processing; Plasma physics; Plasmas; Power supplies; Power supply; Segmented hollow cathodes; Steel; Steels; Surface morphology; Surface treatment; X-rays
• ISSN: 0093-3813; 1939-9375
• DOI: 10.1109/TPS.2011.2141690

A segmented hollow cathode (SHC) geometry was used for electrostatic confinement of plasma, and surface engineering treatments were conducted in this arrangement. The assessed processes included plasma nitriding, reactive deposition of sputtered material, and deposition of carbonaceous films by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition with a bipolar pulsed-dc power supply on steel substrates. The treated specimens exhibited uniform surface morphology and deposition layers. Characterization techniques included optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray capability, and X-ray diffraction. The advantages and potential applications of the SHC arrangement are discussed in view of these results.