Abstract: Based on the existing experimental data and their statistical errors, it is not possible to make a sound recommendation of the cross-section set of Campbell et al (J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 34 (2001) 1185). We comment on this paper.

Abstract: Nonlinear electron plasma waves driven by a finite-charged particle pulse or rigid object moving at relativistic speeds are investigated. Quasi-stationary smooth and spiky wake waves comoving with the object are found. Localized soliton-like solutions are also shown to exist. Relativistic effects tend to prevent their formation because of the electron mass increase. The application of the very-large-amplitude wake density waves as a source of ultrahigh-energy cosmic-ray events is discussed.

Abstract: We study the evolution of the structural and electronic properties of crystalline indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) upon amorphization by first-principles calculation. The bottom of the conduction band (BCB) is found to be constituted of a pseudo-band of molecular orbitals that resonate at the same energy on different atomic sites. They display a bonding character between the s orbitals of the metal sites and an anti-bonding character arising from the interaction between the oxygen and metal s orbitals. The energy level of the BCB shifts upon breaking of the crystal symmetry during the amorphization process, which may be attributed to the reduction of the coordination of the cationic centers. The top of the valence band (TVB) is constructed from anti-bonding oxygen p orbitals. In the amorphous state, they have random orientation, in contrast to the crystalline state. This results in the appearance of localized tail states in the forbidden gap above the TVB. Zinc is found to play a predominant role in the generation of these tail states, while gallium hinders their formation. Last, we study the dependence of the fundamental gap and effective mass of IGZO on mechanical strain. The variation of the gap under strain arises from the enhancement of the anti-bonding interaction in the BCB due to the modification of the length of the oxygen-metal bonds and/or to a variation of the cation coordination. This effect is less pronounced for the amorphous material compared to the crystalline material, making amorphous IGZO a semiconductor of choice for flexible electronics. Finally, the effective mass is found to increase upon strain, in contrast to regular materials. This counterintuitive variation is due to the reduction of the electrostatic shielding of the cationic centers by oxygen, leading to an increase of the overlaps between the metal orbitals at the origin of the delocalization of the BCB. For the range of strain typically met in flexible electronics, the induced variation in the effective mass is found to be negligible (less than 1%).

Abstract: Plasma medicine is a rapidly evolving multidisciplinary field at the intersection of chemistry, biochemistry, physics, biology, medicine and bioengineering. It holds great potential in medical, health care, dentistry, surgical, food treatment and other applications. This multidisciplinary nature and variety of possible applications come along with an inherent and intrinsic complexity. Advancing plasma medicine to the stage that it becomes an everyday tool in its respective fields requires a fundamental understanding of the basic processes, which is lacking so far. However, some major advances have already been made through detailed experiments over the last 15 years. Complementary, computer simulations may provide insight that is difficultif not impossibleto obtain through experiments. In this review, we aim to provide an overview of the various simulations that have been carried out in the context of plasma medicine so far, or that are relevant for plasma medicine. We focus our attention mostly on atomistic simulations dealing with plasmabiomolecule interactions. We also provide a perspective and tentative list of opportunities for future modelling studies that are likely to further advance the field.

Abstract: High density polyethylene surfaces were exposed to the atmospheric post-discharge of a radiofrequency plasma torch supplied in helium and oxygen. Dynamic water contact angle measurements were performed to evaluate changes in surface hydrophilicity and angle resolved x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was carried out to identify the functional groups responsible for wettability changes and to study their subsurface depth profiles, up to 9 nm in depth. The reactions leading to the formation of CO, C = O and OC = O groups were simulated by molecular dynamics. These simulations demonstrate that impinging oxygen atoms do not react immediately upon impact but rather remain at or close to the surface before eventually reacting. The simulations also explain the release of gaseous species in the ambient environment as well as the ejection of low molecular weight oxidized materials from the surface.

Abstract: The application of atmospheric pressure plasmas in medicine is increasingly gaining attention in recent years, although very little is currently known about the plasma-induced processes occurring on the surface of living organisms. It is known that most bio-organisms, including bacteria, are coated by a liquid film surrounding them, and there might be many interactions between plasma species and the liquid layer before the plasma species reach the surface of the bio-organisms. Therefore, it is essential to study the behaviour of the reactive species in a liquid film, in order to determine whether these species can travel through this layer and reach the biomolecules, or whether new species are formed along the way. In this work, we investigate the interaction of reactive oxygen species (i.e. O, OH, HO2 and H2O2) with water, which is assumed as a simple model system for the liquid layer surrounding biomolecules. Our computational investigations show that OH, HO2 and H2O2 can travel deep into the liquid layer and are hence in principle able to reach the bio-organism. Furthermore, O, OH and HO2 radicals react with water molecules through hydrogen-abstraction reactions, whereas no H-abstraction reaction takes place in the case of H2O2. This study is important to gain insight into the fundamental operating mechanisms in plasma medicine, in general, and the interaction mechanisms of plasma species with a liquid film, in particular.

Abstract: A zero-dimensional, semi-empirical model is used to describe the plasma chemistry in an argon plasma jet flowing into humid air, mimicking the experimental conditions of a setup from the Eindhoven University of Technology. The model provides species density profiles as a function of the position in the plasma jet device and effluent. A reaction chemistry set for an argon/humid air mixture is developed, which considers 84 different species and 1880 reactions. Additionally, we present a reduced chemistry set, useful for higher level computational models. Calculated species density profiles along the plasma jet are shown and the chemical pathways are explained in detail. It is demonstrated that chemically reactive H, N, O and OH radicals are formed in large quantities after the nozzle exit and H2, O2(1Δg), O3, H2O2, NO2, N2O, HNO2 and HNO3 are predominantly formed as 'long living' species. The simulations show that water clustering of positive ions is very important under these conditions. The influence of vibrational excitation on the calculated electron temperature is studied. Finally, the effect of varying gas temperature, flow speed, power density and air humidity on the chemistry is investigated.

Abstract: A two-dimensional self-consistent fluid model combined with the full set of Maxwell equations is employed to investigate an Ar/CF4 capacitively coupled plasma, focusing on the phase-shift effect on the plasma characteristics at various frequencies and gas mixture ratios. When the discharge is sustained by a single frequency at 13.56 MHz in an Ar/CF4 mixture with a ratio of 0.9/0.1, no obvious difference is detected between the electron densities obtained in the so-called electrostatic model (with only the static electric fields taken into account) and the electromagnetic model (which includes the electromagnetic effects). However, as the frequency increases to 60 and 100 MHz, the difference becomes distinct, due to the significant influence of the electromagnetic effects. The phase-shift effect on the plasma radial uniformity has also been investigated in a dual frequency discharge, i.e. when the top driven source is switched on with a phase difference phiv ranging from 0 to π, in the frequency range 13.56100 MHz. At low concentration of CF4 (10%), Ar+ ions are the major positive ions in the entire range of frequencies. When the frequency is low, i.e. 13.56 MHz, the Ar+ density exhibits an off-axis peak at phiv = 0 due to the edge effect, and a better uniformity caused by the phase-shift modulation is obtained at phiv = π. At 60 MHz, the Ar+ density varies from edge-peaked at phiv = 0 to uniform (i.e. at phiv = 0.53π), and finally at phiv = π, a broad maximum is observed at the centre due to the standing-wave effect. As the frequency increases to 100 MHz, the best radial uniformity is reached at 0.25π, and the maximum moves again towards the radial wall in the reverse-phase case (phiv = π) due to the dominant skin effect. When the frequency is fixed at 100 MHz, the phase-shift control shows a different behaviour at a high concentration of CF4. For instance, the ${\rm CF}_3

Abstract: A two-dimensional fluid model, including the full set of Maxwell equations, has been developed and applied to investigate the effect of a phase shift between two power sources on the radial uniformity of several plasma characteristics in a hydrogen capacitively coupled plasma. This study was carried out at various frequencies in the range 13.56200 MHz. When the frequency is low, at 13.56 MHz, the plasma density is characterized by an off-axis peak when both power sources are in-phase (phgr = 0), and the best radial uniformity is obtained at phgr = π. This trend can be explained because the radial nonuniformity caused by the electrostatic edge effect can be effectively suppressed by the phase-shift effect at a phase difference equal to π. When the frequency rises to 60 MHz, the plasma density profiles shift smoothly from edge-peaked over uniform to centre-peaked as the phase difference increases, due to the pronounced standing-wave effect, and the best radial uniformity is reached at phgr = 0.3π. At a frequency of 100 MHz, a similar behaviour is observed, except that the maximum of the plasma density moves again towards the radial edge at the reverse-phase case (phgr = π), because of the dominant skin effect. When the frequency is 200 MHz, the bulk plasma density increases significantly with increasing phase-shift values, and a better uniformity is obtained at phgr = 0.4π. This is because the density in the centre increases faster than at the radial edge as the phase difference rises, due to the increasing power deposition Pz in the centre and the decreasing power density Pr at the radial edge. As the phase difference increases to π, the maximum near the radial edge becomes obvious again. This is because the skin effect has a predominant influence on the plasma density under this condition, resulting in a high density at the radial edge. Moreover, the axial ion flux increases monotonically with phase difference, and exhibits similar profiles to the plasma density. The calculation results illustrate that the radial uniformity of the various plasma characteristics is strongly dependent on the applied frequency and the phase shift between both power sources, which is important to realize, for controlling the uniformity of the plasma etch and deposition processes.

Abstract: A hybrid model, called the hybrid plasma equipment model, was used to study inductively coupled SF6 plasmas used for Si etching applications. The plasma properties such as number densities of electrons, positive and negative ions, and neutrals are calculated under typical etching conditions. The electron kinetics is analysed by means of the electron energy probability function. The plasma chemistry taking place in pure SF6 and in an Ar/SF6 mixture is also discussed, and finally the effect of the argon fraction on the plasma properties is investigated.

Abstract: A parameter study is carried out for an inductively coupled plasma used for the synthesis of carbon nanotubes or carbon nanofibres (CNTs/CNFs), by means of the Hybrid Plasma Equipment Model. The influence of processing parameters including gas ratio for four different gas mixtures typically used for CNT/CNF growth (i.e. CH4/H2, CH4/NH3, C2H2/H2 and C2H2/NH3), inductively coupled plasma (ICP) power (501000 W), operating pressure (10 mTorr1 Torr), bias power (01000 W) and temperature of the substrate (01000 °C) on the plasma chemistry is investigated and the optimized conditions for CNT/CNF growth are analysed. Summarized, our calculations suggest that a lower fraction of hydrocarbon gases (CH4 or C2H2, i.e. below 20%) and hence a higher fraction of etchant gases (H2 or NH3) in the gas mixture result in more 'clean' conditions for controlled CNT/CNF growth. The same applies to a higher ICP power, a moderate ICP gas pressure above 100 mTorr (at least for single-walled carbon nanotubes), a high bias power (for aligned CNTs) and an intermediate substrate temperature.

Abstract: A hybrid model, called the hybrid plasma equipment model (HPEM), was used to study an inductively coupled plasma in gas mixtures of H2 or NH3 with CH4 or C2H2 used for the synthesis of carbon nanotubes or carbon nanofibres (CNTs/CNFs). The plasma properties are discussed for different gas mixtures at low and moderate pressures, and the growth precursors for CNTs/CNFs are analysed. It is found that C2H2, C2H4 and C2H6 are the predominant molecules in CH4 containing plasmas besides the feedstock gas, and serve as carbon sources for CNT/CNF formation. On the other hand, long-chain hydrocarbons are observed in C2H2-containing plasmas. Furthermore, the background gases CH4 and C2H2 show a different decomposition rate with H2 or NH3 addition at moderate pressures.

Abstract: Using a molecular dynamics model the crystallinity of MgxAlyOz thin films with a variation in the stoichiometry of the thin film is studied at operating conditions similar to the experimental operating conditions of a dual magnetron sputter deposition system. The films are deposited on a crystalline or amorphous substrate. The Mg metal content in the film ranged from 100% (i.e. MgO film) to 0% (i.e. Al2O3 film). The radial distribution function and density of the films are calculated. The results are compared with x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analyses of experimentally deposited thin films by the dual magnetron reactive sputtering process. Both simulation and experimental results show that the structure of the MgAlO film varies from crystalline to amorphous when the Mg concentration decreases. It seems that the crystalline MgAlO films have a MgO structure with Al atoms in between.

Abstract: In this paper, some modelling approaches to describe direct current (dc) magnetron discharges developed in our research groups will be presented, including an analytical model, Monte Carlo simulations for the electrons and for the sputtered atoms, a hybrid Monte Carlo-fluid model and particle-in-cell-Monte Carlo collision simulations. The strengths and limitations of the various modelling approaches will be explained, and some characteristic simulation results will be illustrated. Furthermore, some other simulation methods related to the magnetron device will be briefly explained, more specifically for calculating the magnetic field distribution inside the discharge, and for describing the (reactive) sputtering.

Abstract: The atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge in helium is a pulsed discharge in nature. If during the electrical current pulse a glow discharge is reached, then this pulse will last only a few microseconds in operating periods of sinusoidal voltage with lengths of about 10 to 100 µs. In this paper we demonstrate that right before a glow discharge is reached, the discharge very closely resembles the commonly assumed Townsend discharge structure, but actually contains some significant differing features and hence should not be considered as a Townsend discharge. In order to clarify this, we present calculation results of high time and space resolution of the pulse formation. The results indicate that indeed a maximum of ionization is formed at the anode, but that the level of ionization remains high and that the electric field at that time is significantly disturbed. Our results also show where this intermediate structure comes from.