Aachen PK 2003 – scientific programme

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P: Plasmaphysik

P 17: Poster III

P 17.34: Poster

Thursday, March 20, 2003, 17:30–19:15, Foyer

Initial growth of Al-nanoparticles in plasmas studied by Rayleigh/Mie-Scattering Ellipsometry — •Gerd Gebauer and Jörg Winter — Institute for Experimental Physics II, Ruhr-University Bochum, D44780 Bochum

Plasma generated nanoparticles play an important role in modern materials technology, in catalyses and, for instance, in astrophysics. The development of measuring systems for the study of the transition from macromolecules to coagulated nanoparticles makes it possible to gain insight in to the growth process of nanoparticles and consequently allows their process control. The particle size, the size-distribution and the dielectric properties of the nanoparticles are measured by Mie-ellipsometry [1][2][3]. Careful analyses of the ellipsometric angles Psi and Delta allows to push the sensitivity down to a few 10 nm particles size. We have analyzed the initial phase of Al-nanoparticles growth in Ar capacitively coupled RF-plasmas. Reactive Al-atoms required for the growth of particles are eluted from the upper Al-electrode by DC-sputtering. The lower electrode is divided into several circular segments, which are insulated electrical from each other. The particle enclosure and the growth process is controlled by applying different potentials on these segments.

[1] Y.Hayashi, Japan Journal of Applied Physics , 33, L476 (1994).

[2] G.Swinkels, Proefschrift, TU Eindhoven, (1999).

[3] G.Gebauer, Dissertation, Ruhr-University Bochum, (2001).