Novel plasma generating systems for advanced materials processing

Material processing using nano-technology is now advancing towards a more precise and controllable “smart” stage and plasma systems with high performance are being required for advanced thermal processing. One such unique plasma generator, a high speed plasma accelerator is capable of generating high energy plasma flows of required composition within a large range of plasma parameters. Another gas tunnel type plasma system also exhibits high energy density and high efficiency. Its application to the plasma spraying of ceramics proved that the characteristics of these ceramic coatings are superior to conventional ones. Various types of plasma accelerators are described here with emphasis on a MagnetoPlasma Compressor of Compact Geometry (MPC-CG) which was used to investigate plasma flow interaction with solid silicon surfaces. Different types of submicron structure were obtained due to the compression plasma flow action? The plasma produced by a gas tunnel type plasma source was used for the surface modification of Titanium, TiN films being formed in a relatively short time of 5 s. Plasma sprayed ZrO₂/Al₂O₃ coatings were also investigated, and the results showed that the ZrO₂/Al₂O₃ composite system has the possibility for the development of high functionally graded thermal barrier coating (TBC), which exhibits excellent mechanical properties and oxidation resistance.