Modification of the Near-Surface Layers of a Copper Foil under the Action of a Volume Gas Discharge in Air at Atmospheric Pressure

Abstract – We have studied the modification of the near-surface layers of a copper foil under the ac-tion of a volume gas discharge, which was generated in air at atmospheric pressure by nanosecond high-voltage pulses of both negative and positive polarity applied between the foil and an electrode with a small radius of curvature. It is established that the surface layer of the discharge-treated copper foil in the central region is cleaned from carbon contami-nations, while oxygen atoms penetrate in depth of the foil. The depth of a cleaned layer depends on the polarity of voltage pulses. For the positive voltage polarity on the foil, the cleaning takes place up to a depth exceeding 50 nm, while oxygen penetrates up to a depth of about 25 nm. 1