Optical emission spectroscopic studies of an O2/Ar microwave plasma in correlation to surface wettability
Abstract
Changes in the composition of a low pressure O2/Ar microwave plasma for varying plasma parameters such as microwave power, sample bias, and O2/Ar gas flow rate ratio were determined using optical emission spectroscopy. Intensities of representative peaks for detected plasma species such as O(I) (777.89 nm), O2(I) (845.82 nm), Ar(I) (812.39 nm), and Ar(II) (914.56 nm) were related to the wettability of treated stainless steel surfaces. Results have shown that microwave power increased the wettability of the sample due to increased power for generation of more active species. Biasing also increased the number of these active species attracted and could react with the negatively-biased sample. Finally, O2 addition decreased the intensity of the plasma discharge, but enhanced the wettability of stainless steel at an optimum O2/Ar gas flow rate ratio of 1.67%.