Effect of ion energies on the surface interactions of NO formed in nitrogen oxide plasma systems.

The contributions of various gas-phase species in surface reactions are of significant value to assess and improve catalytic substrates for abatement of vehicular emissions. The impact of ions on surface scatter of NO radicals is investigated with an aim toward improving and tailoring surfaces for the reduction or removal of nitrogen oxide (N(x)O(y)) species via inductively coupled plasmas (ICPs). Nascent ions are monitored via mass spectrometry and energy analysis for a variety of N(x)O(y) precursor gases. The total average ion energy (<E(i)>(total)) determined for all ions within each respective plasma system shows a strong positive correlation with applied rf power and a negative correlation with system pressure. The imaging of radicals interacting with surfaces (IRIS) technique was used to determine the role ions play in the surface scatter of NO radicals. The net effect of ions on substrate processing is largely dependent upon <E(i)>(total). Scatter coefficients (S), determined for ion-limited and ion-rich plasma systems were used to correlate <E(i)>(total) and scatter. The resultant effect is that ions play a substantial role in scatter of NO only when <E(i)>(total) > ~50 eV. The majority of systems studied contained ions below this energy threshold, suggesting knowledge of ion energies is integral to appropriately controlling the chemistry occurring between the gas-phase and surface.