Thermal plasma deposition of nanostructured films

A thermal plasma process for the synthesis of nanoparticles and their immed iate assembly into nanostructured films is discussed. In this process, know n as hypersonic plasma particle deposition, a thermal plasma with injected precursors is expanded through a nozzle to nucleate nanoparticles, which ar e then inertially deposited onto a cooled substrate in vacuum. A lightly co nsolidated nanostructured film results. Particle and film diagnostics along with images of the plasma flow are used to explain the formation of nanost ructured silicon carbide films by this process.