Formation of Nanoparticles and Polymer Films in RF Gas-Discharge Plasma in Acetylene

Abstract

The aim of this work was to study nanoparticles that are formed in the plasma volume of a radio-frequency capacitive discharge in acetylene. The particles partially penetrate into the polymer film on the electrodes, and partially increase in size, and then fall on the tube wall. It is shown that even when deposited on vertically located electrodes, the polymer film contains nanoparticles with diameter of about 10 nm. In the plasma volume, nanoparticles can grow up to several hundred nanometers in diameter and then fall on the wall of the discharge tube. An analysis of the emission spectra showed that only hydrogen lines and a weak CH band (431 nm) are observed in a burning rf discharge in acetylene. A polymer film deposited on the tube wall effectively absorbs radiation lines in the blue part of the spectrum, while lines in the red and infrared parts of the spectrum are weakly absorbed.