• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.75-82
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• 2010

A new advanced combined PVD/CVD technique of DLC film deposition has been developed. Deposition of a DLC film was carried out using a pulsed carbon arc discharge in vapor hydrocarbon atmosphere. The arc plasma enhancing CVD process promotes dramatic increase in the deposition rate and decrease of compressive stress as well as improvement of film thickness uniformity compared to that obtained with a single PVD pulsed arc process. The optical spectroscopy investigation reveals great increase in radiating components of $C_2$ Swan system molecular bands due to acetylene molecules decomposition. AFM, Raman spectroscopy, XPS and nano-indentation were used to characterize DLC films. The method ensures obtaining a new superhard DLC nano-material for deposition of protective coatings onto various industrial products including those used in medicine.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.96-97
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• 2012

In nitride and oxide film deposition, sputtered metals react with nitrogen or oxygen gas in a vacuum chamber to form metal nitride or oxide films on a substrate. The physical properties of sputtered films (metals, oxides, and nitrides) are strongly influenced by magnetron plasma density during the deposition process. Typical target power densities on the magnetron during the deposition process are ~ (5-30) W/cm2, which gives a relatively low plasma density. The main challenge in reactive sputtering is the ability to generate a stable, arc free discharge at high plasma densities. Arcs occur due to formation of an insulating layer on the target surface caused by the re-deposition effect. One current method of generating an arc free discharge is to use the commercially available Pinnacle Plus+ Pulsed DC plasma generator manufactured by Advanced Energy Inc. This plasma generator uses a positive voltage pulse between negative pulses to attract electrons and discharge the target surface, thus preventing arc formation. However, this method can only generate low density plasma and therefore cannot allow full control of film properties. Also, after long runs ~ (1-3) hours, depends on duty cycle the stability of the reactive process is reduced due to increased probability of arc formation. Between 1995 and 1999, a new way of magnetron sputtering called HIPIMS (highly ionized pulse impulse magnetron sputtering) was developed. The main idea of this approach is to apply short ${\sim}(50-100){\mu}s$ high power pulses with a target power densities during the pulse between ~ (1-3) kW/cm2. These high power pulses generate high-density magnetron plasma that can significantly improve and control film properties. From the beginning, HIPIMS method has been applied to reactive sputtering processes for deposition of conductive and nonconductive films. However, commercially available HIPIMS plasma generators have not been able to create a stable, arc-free discharge in most reactive magnetron sputtering processes. HIPIMS plasma generators have been successfully used in reactive sputtering of nitrides for hard coating applications and for Al2O3 films. But until now there has been no HIPIMS data presented on reactive sputtering in cluster tools for semiconductors and MEMs applications. In this presentation, a new method of generating an arc free discharge for reactive HIPIMS using the new Cyprium plasma generator from Zpulser LLC will be introduced. Data (or evidence) will be presented showing that arc formation in reactive HIPIMS can be controlled without applying a positive voltage pulse between high power pulses. Arc-free reactive HIPIMS processes for sputtering AlN, TiO2, TiN and Si3N4 on the Applied Materials ENDURA 200 mm cluster tool will be presented. A direct comparison of the properties of films sputtered with the Advanced Energy Pinnacle Plus + plasma generator and the Zpulser Cyprium plasma generator will be presented.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1999.07e
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• pp.2251-2252
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• 1999

In this paper, the effect of magnetic field was measured on NOx removal characteristics for wire-plate plasma reactor with magnetic field applied to electric field vertically. NOx from simulated diesel engine flue gas are decomposed by the corona discharge of DC, AC and Pulsed voltages in wire-plate reactor. Consumption power increased with increasing discharge voltage. When magnetic field was applied to electric field vertically, consumption power decreased. NOx removal rate and arc transition voltage of plasma reactor with magnetic field were higher than those of plasma reactor without magnetic field.

• Laser Solutions
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.15-20
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• 2002

The principal obstacle to selection of a laser processing method in production is its relatively high equipment cost and the natural unwillingness of production supervision to try something new until it is thoroughly proven. The major objective of this work is focused on the combined features of gas tungsten arc and a low-power cold laser beam. In this work, the laser beam from a 7 watts carbon monoxide laser was combined with electrical discharges from a short-pulsed capacitive discharge GTA welding power supply. When the low power CO laser beam passes through a special composition shielding gas, the CO molecules in the gas absorbs the radiation, and ionizes through a process blown as non-equilibrium, vibration-vibration pumping. The resulting laser-induced plasma(LIP) was positioned between various configurations of electrodes. The high-voltage impulse applied to the electrodes forced rapid electrical breakdown between the electrodes. Electrical discharges between tungsten electrodes and aluminum sheet specimens followed the ionized path provided by LIP. The result was well-focused melted spots.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers C
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.120-124
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• 2000

In this paper, the effect of magnetic field was measured on NOx(NO+NO2) removal and consumption power for wire-plate plasma reactor with magnetic field applied to electric field vertically. NOx of the simulated diesel engine flue gas were removed by the corona discharge generated by DC, AC and Pulsed voltages in wire-plate reactor. Consumption power increased with discharge voltage. However, when magnetic field was applied to electric field vertically, consumption power slightly decreased. NOx removal rate and arc transition voltage for plasma reactor with magnetic field were higher than those for plasma reactor without magnetic field. Consumption power decreased, however NOx removal significantly increased, when water vapour bubbled by dry air was put into simulated flue gas.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2003

Pulsed magnetron sputtering of graphite target was employed for deposition of diamond-like carbon (DLC) films. Time-resolved probe measurements of magnetron discharge plasma have been performed. It was shown that the pulsed magnetron discharge plasma density ($∼10^{17}$ $m^{-3}$ ) is close to that of vacuum arc cathode sputtering of graphite. Raman spectroscopy was sed to examine DLC films produced at low ( $U_{sub}$ / < 1 kV) pulsed bias voltages applied to the substrate. It has been shown that maximum content of diamond-like carbon in the coating (50-60%) is achieved at energy per deposited carbon atom of $E_{c}$ =100 eV. In spite of rather high percentage of $sp^3$-bonded carbon atoms and good scratch-resistance, the films showed poor adhesion because of absence of ion mixing between the film and the substrates. Electric breakdowns occurring during the deposition of the insulating DLC film also thought to decrease its adhesion.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.112-121
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• 2011

This study investigated the effect of solvent on the fabrication of Ni-free Fe-based alloy nano powders by employing the PWE (pulsed wire evaporation) in liquid and compared the alloy particles fabricated by three different methods (PWE in liquid, PWE in Ar, plasma arc discharge), for high temperature oxidation-resistant metallic porous body for high temperature soot filter system. Three different solvents (ethanol, acetone, distilled water) of liquid were adapted in PWE in liquid process, while X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning microscope (FE-SEM), and transmission electron microscope (TEM) were used to investigate the characteristics of the Fe-Cr-Al nano powders. The alloy powder synthesized by PWE in ethanol has good particle size and no surface oxidation compared to that of distilled water. Since the Fe-based alloy powders, which were fabricated by PWE in Ar and PAD process, showed surface oxidation by TEM analysis, the PWE in ethanol is the best way to fabricate Fe-based alloy nano powder.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.176-180
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• 2002

During the last two decades the laser beam has progressed from a sophisticated laboratory apparatus to an adaptable and viable industrial tool. Especially, in its welding mode, the laser offers high travel speed, low distortion, and narrow fusion and heat-affected zones (HAZ). The principal obstacle to selection of a laser processing method in production is its relatively high equipment cost and the natural unwillingness of production supervision to try something new until it is thoroughly proven. The major objective of this work is focused on the combined features of gas tungsten arc and a low-power cold laser beam. Although high-power laser beams have been combined with the plasma from a gas tungsten arc (GTA) torch for use in welding as early as 1980, recent work at the Ohio State University has employed a low power laser beam to initiate, direct, and concentrate a gas tungsten arcs. In this work, the laser beam from a 7 watts carbon monoxide laser was combined with electrical discharges from a short-pulsed capacitive discharge GTA welding power supply. When the low power CO laser beam passes through a special composition shielding gas, the CO molecules in the gas absorbs the radiation, and ionizes through a process known as non-equilibrium, vibration-vibration pumping. The resulting laser-induced plasma (LIP) was positioned between various configurations of electrodes. The high-voltage impulse applied to the electrodes forced rapid electrical breakdown between the electrodes. Electrical discharges between tungsten electrodes and aluminum sheet specimens followed the ionized path provided by LIP. The result was well focused melted spots.