STUDY OF PLASMA OXIDATION OF METALS

The complete plasma oxidation process consists of several parts: volum e processes in chemically active plasma of oxygen or its mixtures with inert gases, transport of particles through the transient region betw een undisturbed plasma and metal sample immersed into plasma, processe s on the surface of the sample and the transport of both oxygen and me tal ions through the growing oxide layer. The problem has been studied by the combination of experiment and modelling. In the paper the larg e influence of transport of charged particles through the transient re gion plasma-substrate is demonstrated. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.