Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling electron flow within a plasma to produce a controlled electron beam is provided. A plasma is formed between a cathode and an acceleration anode. A control anode is connected to the plasma and to the acceleration anode via a switch. If the switch is open, the ions from the plasma flow to the cathode and plasma electrons flow to the acceleration anode. With the acceleration anode suitably transparent and negatively biased with a DC high voltage source, the electrons flowing from the plasma are accelerated to form an electron beam. If the switch is closed, the ions still flow to the cathode but the electrons flow to the control anode rather than the acceleration anode. Consequently, the electron beam is turned off, but the plasma is unaffected. By controlling the opening and closing of the switch, a controlled pulsed electron beam can be generated.

Abstract: A method for dry graphene transfer comprising growing graphene on a growth substrate, chemically modifying a transfer substrate to enhance its adhesion to graphene, contacting the graphene on the growth substrate with the transfer substrate and transfer printing; and separating the transfer substrate with attached graphene from the growth substrate. The growth substrate may be copper foil. The transfer substrate may be a polymer, such as polystyrene or polyethylene, or an inorganic substrate. Also disclosed is the related composite material made by this process.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining plasma parameters such as plasma electron density ne. The probe apparatus includes an LC resonance probe comprising an inductive element and a capacitive element connected in series. The capacitive element of the probe can be in the form of a parallel plate capacitor, a cylindrical capacitor, a spherical capacitor, or any other suitable capacitor. The configuration of the probe apparatus gives it a characteristic resonance frequency ?R0 which can be determined by a circuit analysis device. When the capacitive element of the probe apparatus is placed in a plasma, the probe exhibits a new resonance frequency ?R, which is different from ?R0 because of the dielectric constant ? of the plasma. The difference in resonance frequencies can be used to determine plasma density ne, where n e = m e ? ? 0 e 2 ? ( ? R 2 - ? R ? ? 0 2 ) .

Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining plasma parameters such as plasma electron density ne. The probe apparatus includes an LC resonance probe comprising an inductive element and a capacitive element connected in series. The capacitive element of the probe can be in the form of a parallel plate capacitor, a cylindrical capacitor, a spherical capacitor, or any other suitable capacitor. The configuration of the probe apparatus gives it a characteristic resonance frequency ?R0 which can be determined by a circuit analysis device. When the capacitive element of the probe apparatus is placed in a plasma, the probe exhibits a new resonance frequency ?R, which is different from ?R0 because of the dielectric constant ? of the plasma. The difference in resonance frequencies can be used to determine plasma density ne, when n e = m e ? ? 0 e 2 ? ( ? R 2 - ? R ? ? 0 2 ) .

Abstract: An electron beam enhanced nitriding system that passes a high-energy electron beam through nitrogen gas to form a low electron temperature plasma capable of delivering nitrogen ions and radicals to a substrate to be nitrided. The substrate can be mounted on an electrode, and the substrate can be biased and heated.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of: treating an organic polymer with an electron beam-generated plasma; exposing the treated polymer to air or an oxygen- and hydrogen-containing gas, generating hydroxyl groups on the surface of the polymer; reacting the surface with an organosilane compound having a chloro, fluoro, or alkoxy group and a functional or reactive group that is less reactive with the surface than the chloro, fluoro, or alkoxy group; and covalently immobilizing a biomolecule to the functional or reactive group or a reaction product thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling electron flow within a plasma to produce a controlled electron beam is provided. A plasma is formed between a cathode and an acceleration anode. A control anode is connected to the plasma and to the acceleration anode via a switch. If the switch is open, the ions from the plasma flow to the cathode and plasma electrons flow to the acceleration anode. With the acceleration anode suitably transparent and negatively biased with a DC high voltage source, the electrons flowing from the plasma are accelerated to form an electron beam. If the switch is closed, the ions still flow to the cathode but the electrons flow to the control anode rather than the acceleration anode. Consequently, the electron beam is turned off, but the plasma is unaffected. By controlling the opening and closing of the switch, a controlled pulsed electron beam can be generated.

Abstract: This invention provides a means to deposit thin films and coatings on a substrate using an electron beam generated plasma. The plasma can be used as an ion source in sputter applications, where the ions are used to liberate material from a target surface which can then condense on a substrate to form the film or coating. Alternatively, the plasma may be combined with existing deposition sources including those based on sputter or evaporation techniques. In either configuration, the plasma serves as a source of ion and radical species at the growing film surface in reactive deposition processes. The electron beam large area deposition system (EBELADS) is a new approach to the production of thin films or coatings up to and including several square meters.

Abstract: An ion-ion plasma source, that features a processing chamber containing a large concentration of halogen or halogen-based gases. A second chamber is coupled to the processing chamber and features an electron source which produces a high energy electron beam. The high energy electron beam is injected into the processing chamber where it is shaped and confined by a means for shaping and confining the high energy electron beam. The high energy electron beam produced in the second chamber when injected into the processing chamber ionizes the halogen gas creating a dense, ion-ion plasma in the processing chamber that is continuous in time.

Abstract: An electron beam enhanced nitriding system that passes a high-energy electron beam through nitrogen gas to form a low electron temperature plasma capable of delivering nitrogen ions and radicals to a substrate to be nitrided. The substrate can be mounted on an electrode, and the substrate can be biased and heated.

Abstract: A method and system for material processing employing extracting equivalent fluxes of positive and negative ions at two surfaces from an ion-ion plasma without substantially altering the plasma potential. The extraction is achieved by applying a continuously applied bias to the substrate being processed, in order to attract the ions to the substrate surface to facilitate materials processing such as etching, deposition and chemical modification at the surface. The continuously applied bias is applied via a power source coupled to the plate, also referred to as a stage or chuck, holding the substrate.

Abstract: A large area metallization pretreatment and surface activation system that uses an electron beam-produced plasma capable of delivering substantial ion and radical fluxes at low temperatures over large areas of an organic plastic or polymer material. The ion and radical fluxes physically and chemically alter the surface structure of the organic plastic or polymer material thereby improving the ability of a film to adhere to the material.

Abstract: An ion-ion plasma source, that features a processing chamber containing a large concentration of halogen or halogen-based gases. A second chamber is coupled to the processing chamber and features an electron source which produces a high energy electron beam. The high energy electron beam is injected into the processing chamber where it is shaped and confined by a means for shaping and confining the high energy electron beam. The high energy electron beam produced in the second chamber when injected into the processing chamber ionizes the halogen gas creating a dense, ion-ion plasma in the processing chamber that is continuous in time. A method for creating an ion-ion plasma continuous in time.