High density, inductively coupled RF plasma source and its application in nitriding of stainless steel

The thesis presents an experimental and theoretical investigation of a low frequency, high density, inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source and its results of application in plasma nitriding of AISI 304 stainless steel. The experimental apparatus and diagnostics, including the RF voltage and current probes, the magnetic probe, the single Langmuir probe and the optical emission spectroscopy technique, are described in detail.The measurements of global electric parameters for Ar and N2 discharges show that there are two discharge states in low frequency ICP source: E-mode state with a faint light emission and H-state mode with a bright light emission.The E-mode discharge is characterised by a low plasma resistance and a high plasma reactance.Master of Scienc