Active flow control is a topic in full expansion due to associated industrial applications of huge importance, particularly for aeronautics. Among all flow control methods, such as the use of mechanical flaps, wall synthetic jets or MEMS, plasma-based devices are very promising. The main advantages of such systems are their robustness, simplicity, low power consumption and ability for real-time control at high frequency. This paper is a review of the worldwide works on this topic, from its origin to the present. It is divided into two main parts. The first one is dedicated to the recent knowledge concerning the electric wind induced by surface non-thermal plasma actuators, acting in air at atmospheric pressure. Typically, it can reach 8 m s−1 at a distance of 0.5 mm from the wall. In the second part, works concerning active airflow control by these plasma actuators are presented. Very efficient results have been obtained for low-velocity subsonic airflows (typically U∞ ≤ 30 m s−1 and Reynolds number of a few 105), and promising results at higher velocities indicate that plasma actuators could be used in aeronautics.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0022-3727/40/3/S01/pdf

Airflow control by non-thermal plasma actuators

Plasma-surface modification (PSM) is an effective and economical surface treatment technique for many materials and of growing interests in biomedical engineering This article reviews the various common plasma techniques and experimental methods as applied to biomedical materials research, such as plasma sputtering and etching, plasma implantation, plasma deposition, plasma polymerization, laser plasma deposition, plasma spraying, and so on The unique advantage of plasma modification is that the surface properties and biocompatibility can be enhanced selectively while the bulk attributes of the materials remain unchanged Existing materials can, thus, be used and needs for new classes of materials may be obviated thereby shortening the time to develop novel and better biomedical devices Recent work has spurred a number of very interesting applications in the biomedical field This review article concentrates upon the current status of these techniques, new applications, and achievements pertaining to biomedical materials research Examples described include hard tissue replacements, blood contacting prostheses, ophthalmic devices, and other products

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Plasma-surface modification of biomaterials

Atmospheric pressure plasmas: A review

Summary: Low temperature, high pressure, non-equilibrium plasmas are now routinely used in several material processing applications, and in some cases are competing with low pressure plasmas in areas where these have historically been dominant. Etching and deposition are examples of such applications. Amongst the novel applications of non-equilibrium plasmas, biomedical applications such as electrosurgery, surface modification of biocompatible materials, and the sterilization of heat-sensitive medical tools are particularly interesting. In this paper, first a brief overview of recent research on reduced-pressure plasma-based sterilization/decontamination methods is given. Then a detailed review and discussion on the effects of atmospheric pressure non-equilibrium plasmas on the cells of bacteria is presented. This includes the evaluation of the inactivation kinetics and the roles of the various plasma agents in the inactivation process. Measurements of the plasma temperature, the UV emission, and concentrations of various reactive species for the case of air plasma are presented. Plasma sub-lethal effects are also briefly discussed, and the prospects of the use of “cold” plasmas in the biomedical field are outlined.

Low Temperature Plasma-Based Sterilization: Overview and State-of-the-Art

Reactive species in non-equilibrium atmospheric-pressure plasmas: Generation, transport, and biological effects

Atmospheric-pressure plasmas are used in a variety of materials processes. Traditional sources include transferred arcs, plasma torches, corona discharges, and dielectric barrier discharges. In arcs and torches, the electron and neutral temperatures exceed 3000/spl deg/C and the densities of charge species range from 10/sup 16/-10/sup 19/ cm/sup -3/. Due to the high gas temperature, these plasmas are used primarily in metallurgy. Corona and dielectric barrier discharges produce nonequilibrium plasmas with gas temperatures between 50-400/spl deg/C and densities of charged species typical of weakly ionized gases. However, since these discharges are nonuniform, their use in materials processing is limited. Recently, an atmospheric-pressure plasma jet has been developed, which exhibits many characteristics of a conventional, low-pressure glow discharge. In the jet, the gas temperature ranges from 25-200/spl deg/C, charged-particle densities are 10/sup 11/-10/sup 12/ cm/sup -3/, and reactive species are present in high concentrations, i.e., 10-100 ppm. Since this source may be scaled to treat large areas, it could be used in applications which have been restricted to vacuum. In this paper, the physics and chemistry of the plasma jet and other atmospheric-pressure sources are reviewed.

/pdf/the-atmospheric-pressure-plasma-jet-a-review-and-comparison-4n3xn1jiyb.pdf

The atmospheric-pressure plasma jet: a review and comparison to other plasma sources

Silicon dioxide films were grown using an atmospheric-pressure plasma jet that was produced by flowing oxygen and helium between two coaxial metal electrodes that were driven by 13.56 MHz radio frequency power. The plasma exiting from between the electrodes was mixed with tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), and directed onto a silicon substrate held at 115-350 °C. Silicon dioxide films were deposited at rates ranging from 20±2 to 300±25 nm min-1. The deposition rate increased with decreasing temperature and increasing TEOS pressure, oxygen pressure and RF power. For the latter two variables, the rate increased as follows: Rd∝P0.3O2(RF)1.4. Films grown at 115 °C were porous and contained adsorbed hydroxyl groups, whereas films grown at 350 °C were smooth, dense and free of impurities. These results suggest that the mechanism in the atmospheric pressure plasma is the same as that in low-pressure plasmas.

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Deposition of Silicon Dioxide Films with a Non-Equilibrium Atmospheric-Pressure Plasma Jet

An atmospheric-pressure plasma jet has been used to etch polyimide films at 1.0–8.0±0.2 μm/min at 760 Torr and between 50 and 250 °C. The plasma was produced by flowing helium and oxygen between two concentric electrodes, with the inner one coupled to 13.56 MHz rf power and the outer one grounded. The etch rate increased with the O2 partial pressure, the rf power and the substrate temperature. The apparent activation energy for etching was 0.16 eV. Langmuir-probe measurements revealed that the ion densities were between 1×1010 and 1×1011 cm−3, 5 mm from the end of the powered electrode. Biasing the substrate had no effect on the rate. Ozone, singlet sigma metastable oxygen (b 1Σg+), and singlet delta metastable oxygen (a 1Δg) were detected in the plasma by emission spectroscopy. More ozone was produced in the effluent through the recombination of O atoms with O2. Based on the production rate of O3, the concentration of O atoms 6 mm from the powered electrode was estimated to be ∼7×1014 cm−3 at 6.6 Torr O2...

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Etching polyimide with a nonequilibrium atmospheric-pressure plasma jet

Tantalum was etched in a downstream, atmospheric-pressure plasma. In this process, etching occurred without significant ion bombardment. An etching rate of 6.0±0.5 μm/min was achieved using 14.8 Torr oxygen, 22.4 Torr carbon tetrafluoride, 720±5 Torr helium, 685 W radio frequency power at 13.56 MHz, and a film temperature of 300 °C. The etching rate increased with the applied power, carbon tetrafluoride pressure, oxygen pressure, and residence time of the gas between the electrodes, indicating that the surface reaction depends on the density of reactive fluorine species generated in the plasma. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy revealed that the etched surface was covered with tantalum fluoride and to a lesser extent, tantalum oxide. Based on these observations, a mechanism for tantalum etching is proposed which involves the reaction between fluorine atoms and the adsorbed tantalum fluoride.

/pdf/tantalum-etching-with-a-nonthermal-atmospheric-pressure-2wvvhb3fcw.pdf

A. Schütze

Papers

The atmospheric-pressure plasma jet: a review and comparison to other plasma sources

Deposition of Silicon Dioxide Films with a Non-Equilibrium Atmospheric-Pressure Plasma Jet

Etching polyimide with a nonequilibrium atmospheric-pressure plasma jet

Tantalum Etching with a Nonthermal Atmospheric-Pressure Plasma