Journal article
Dust release from surfaces exposed to plasma
Physics of plasmas, Vol.13(12), pp.123504-123504-11
12/2006
DOI: 10.1063/1.2401155
Abstract
Micrometer-sized particles adhered to a surface can be released when exposed to plasma. In an experiment with a glass surface coated with lunar-simulant dust, it was found that particle release requires exposure to both plasma and an electron beam. The dust release rate diminishes almost exponentially in time, which is consistent with a random process. As proposed here, charges of particles adhered to the surface fluctuate. These charges experience a fluctuating electric force that occasionally overcomes the adhesive van der Waals force, causing particle release. The release rate increases with plasma density, so that plasma cleaning is feasible at high plasma densities. Applications of this cleaning include controlling particulate contamination in semiconductor manufacturing, dust mitigation in the exploration of the moon and Mars, and dusty plasmas.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Dust release from surfaces exposed to plasma
- Creators
- T. M Flanagan - University of IowaJ Goree - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Physics of plasmas, Vol.13(12), pp.123504-123504-11
- DOI
- 10.1063/1.2401155
- ISSN
- 1070-664X
- eISSN
- 1089-7674
- Number of pages
- 11
- Grant note
- NASA
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 12/2006
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy; Mechanical Engineering
- Record Identifier
- 9984200024802771
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