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Author Kumar, N.; Attri, P.; Dewilde, S.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Inactivation of human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma with atmospheric plasma treated media and water: a comparative study Type A1 Journal article
Year 2018 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys
Volume 51 Issue (up) 25 Pages 255401
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract In recent years, the interest in treating cancer cells with plasma treated media (PTM) and plasma treated water (PTW) has increased tremendously. However, the actions of PTM and PTW are still not entirely understood. For instance, it is not clear whether the action of PTM is due to a modification in proteins/amino acids after plasma treatment of the media, or due to reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) generated from the plasma, or a combination of both effects. To differentiate between the actions of RONS and modified proteins/amino acids on the treatment of cancer cells, we compared the effects of PTM and PTW on two different pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (MiaPaca-2, BxPc3) and pancreatic stellate cells

(PSCs) (hPSC128-SV). PSCs closely interact with cancer cells to create a tumor-promoting environment that stimulates local tumor progression and metastasis. We treated culture media and deionized water with a cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) jet, and subsequently applied this PTM/PTW at various ratios to the pancreatic cancer and PSC cell lines. We evaluated cell death, intracellular ROS concentrations and the mRNA expression profiles of four oxidative stress-related genes, i.e. Mitogen-activated protein kinase 7 (MAPK7), B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2), Checkpoint kinase 1 (CHEK1) and DNA damage-inducible transcript 3, also known as C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP). Our findings demonstrate that PTM and PTW have a similar efficacy to kill pancreatic cancer cells, while PTW is slightly more effective in killing PSCs, as compared to PTM. Furthermore, we observed an enhancement of the intracellular ROS concentrations in both pancreatic cancer cells and PSCs. Thus, it is likely that under our experimental conditions, the anti-cancer activity of PTM can be attributed more to the RONS present in the treated liquid, than to the modification of proteins/amino acids in the media. Furthermore, the fact that the chemo-resistant PSCs were killed by PTM/PTW may offer possibilities for new anti-cancer therapies for pancreatic cancer cells, including PSCs.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000434266900001 Publication Date 2018-06-04
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 6 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes We gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Research Foundation—Flanders (FWO) (grant number 12J5617N) and from the European Marie Skłodowska–Curie Individual Fellowship ‘Anticancer-PAM’ within Horizon2020 (grant number 743546). We also thank Atsushi Masamune (Division of Gastroenterology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan) for providing us with human PSCs (hPSC128-SV) for this study. Approved Most recent IF: 2.588
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:151962 Serial 4997
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Author Van Gaens, W.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Kinetic modelling for an atmospheric pressure argon plasma jet in humid air Type A1 Journal article
Year 2013 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys
Volume 46 Issue (up) 27 Pages 275201-275253
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
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.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication London Editor
Language Wos 000320854700009 Publication Date 2013-06-18
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727;1361-6463; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 115 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.588; 2013 IF: 2.521
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:108725 Serial 1758
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Author Neyts, E.C.; Yusupov, M.; Verlackt, C.C.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Computer simulations of plasmabiomolecule and plasmatissue interactions for a better insight in plasma medicine Type A1 Journal article
Year 2014 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys
Volume 47 Issue (up) 29 Pages 293001
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
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.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication London Editor
Language Wos 000338860300001 Publication Date 2014-06-26
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727;1361-6463; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 28 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.588; 2014 IF: 2.721
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:117853 Serial 472
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Author Bultinck, E.; Mahieu, S.; Depla, D.; Bogaerts, A.
Title The origin of Bohm diffusion, investigated by a comparison of different modelling methods Type A1 Journal article
Year 2010 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys
Volume 43 Issue (up) 29 Pages 292001,1-292001,5
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract 'Bohm diffusion' causes the electrons to diffuse perpendicularly to the magnetic field lines. However, its origin is not yet completely understood: low and high frequency electric field fluctuations are both named to cause Bohm diffusion. The importance of including this process in a Monte Carlo (MC) model is demonstrated by comparing calculated ionization rates with particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collisions (PIC/MCC) simulations. A good agreement is found with a Bohm diffusion parameter of 0.05, which corresponds well to experiments. Since the PIC/MCC method accounts for fast electric field fluctuations, we conclude that Bohm diffusion is caused by fast electric field phenomena.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication London Editor
Language Wos 000279638700001 Publication Date 2010-07-09
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727;1361-6463; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 16 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.588; 2010 IF: 2.109
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:83109 Serial 2521
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Author Verswyvel, H.; Deben, C.; Wouters, A.; Lardon, F.; Bogaerts, A.; Smits, E.; Lin, A.
Title Phototoxicity and cell passage affect intracellular reactive oxygen species levels and sensitivity towards non-thermal plasma treatment in fluorescently-labeled cancer cells Type A1 Journal article
Year 2023 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal
Volume 56 Issue (up) 29 Pages 294001
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT); Center for Oncological Research (CORE)
Abstract Live-cell imaging with fluorescence microscopy is a powerful tool, especially in cancer research, widely-used for capturing dynamic cellular processes over time. However, light-induced toxicity (phototoxicity) can be incurred from this method, via disruption of intracellular redox balance and an overload of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This can introduce confounding effects in an experiment, especially in the context of evaluating and screening novel therapies. Here, we aimed to unravel whether phototoxicity can impact cellular homeostasis and response to non-thermal plasma (NTP), a therapeutic strategy which specifically targets the intracellular redox balance. We demonstrate that cells incorporated with a fluorescent reporter for live-cell imaging have increased sensitivity to NTP, when exposed to ambient light or fluorescence excitation, likely through altered proliferation rates and baseline intracellular ROS levels. These changes became even more pronounced the longer the cells stayed in culture. Therefore, our results have important implications for research implementing this analysis technique and are particularly important for designing experiments and evaluating redox-based therapies like NTP.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000978180500001 Publication Date 2023-07-20
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.4 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes This work was partially funded by the Research Foundation— Flanders (FWO) and supported by the following Grants: 1S67621N (H V), 12S9221N (A L), and G044420N (A B and A L). We would also like to thank several patrons, as part of this research was funded by donations from different donors, including Dedert Schilde vzw, Mr Willy Floren, and the Vereycken family. Approved Most recent IF: 3.4; 2023 IF: 2.588
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:196441 Serial 7381
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Author Wang, H.; Cuppens, J.; Biermans, E.; Bals, S.; Fernandez-Ballester, L.; Kvashnina, K.O.; Bras, W.; van Bael, M.J.; Temst, K.; Vantomme, A.
Title Tuning of the size and the lattice parameter of ion-beam synthesized Pb nanoparticles embedded in Si Type A1 Journal article
Year 2012 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys
Volume 45 Issue (up) 3 Pages 035301-035301,7
Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract The size and lattice constant evolution of Pb nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized by high fluence implantation in crystalline Si have been studied with a variety of experimental techniques. Results obtained from small-angle x-ray scattering showed that the Pb NPs grow with increasing implantation fluence and annealing duration. The theory of NP growth kinetics can be applied to qualitatively explain the size evolution of the Pb NPs during the implantation and annealing processes. Moreover, the lattice constant of the Pb NPs was evaluated by conventional x-ray diffraction. The lattice dilatation was observed to decrease with increasing size of the Pb NPs. Such lattice constant tuning can be attributed to the pseudomorphism caused by the lattice mismatch between the Pb NPs and the Si matrix.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication London Editor
Language Wos 000299308400008 Publication Date 2011-12-23
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727;1361-6463; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 5 Open Access
Notes Fwo; Iap Approved Most recent IF: 2.588; 2012 IF: 2.528
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:94208 Serial 3754
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Author Zhang, Q.-Z.; Zhao, S.-X.; Jiang, W.; Wang, Y.-N.
Title Separate control between geometrical and electrical asymmetry effects in capacitively coupled plasmas Type A1 Journal article
Year 2012 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys
Volume 45 Issue (up) 30 Pages 305203
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Both geometrical and electrical asymmetry effects in capacitive argon discharges are investigated using a two-dimensional particle-in-cell coupled with Monte Carlo collision model. When changing the ratio of the top and bottom electrode surface areas and the phase shift between the two applied harmonics, the induced self-bias was found to develop separately. By adjusting the ratio between the high and low harmonic amplitudes, the electrical asymmetry effect at a fixed phase shift can be substantially optimized. However, the self-bias caused by the geometrical asymmetry hardly changed. Moreover, the separate control of these two asymmetry effects can also be demonstrated from their power absorption profiles. Both the axial and radial plasma density distributions can be modulated by the electrical asymmetry effect.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication London Editor
Language Wos 000306475200007 Publication Date 2012-07-10
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727;1361-6463; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 20 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.588; 2012 IF: 2.528
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:100751 Serial 2984
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Author Mao, M.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Investigating the plasma chemistry for the synthesis of carbon nanotubes/nanofibres in an inductively coupled plasma-enhanced CVD system : the effect of processing parameters Type A1 Journal article
Year 2010 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys
Volume 43 Issue (up) 31 Pages 315203-315203,15
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
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.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication London Editor
Language Wos 000280275200007 Publication Date 2010-07-17
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727;1361-6463; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 17 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.588; 2010 IF: 2.109
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:88365 Serial 1724
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Author Setareh, M.; Farnia, M.; Maghari, A.; Bogaerts, A.
Title CF4 decomposition in a low-pressure ICP : influence of applied power and O2 content Type A1 Journal article
Year 2014 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys
Volume 47 Issue (up) 35 Pages 355205
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract This paper focuses on the investigation of CF4 decomposition in a low-pressure inductively coupled plasma by means of a global model. The influence of O2 on the CF4 decomposition process is studied for conditions used in semiconductor manufacturing processes. The model is applied for different powers and O2 contents ranging between 2% and 98% in the CF4/O2 gas mixture. The model includes the reaction mechanisms in the gas phase coupled with the surface reactions and sticking probabilities of the species at the walls. The calculation results are first compared with experimental results from the literature (for the electron density, temperature and F atom density) at a specific power, in the entire range of CF4/O2 gas mixture ratios, and the obtained agreements indicate the validity of the model. The main products of the gas mixture, obtained from this model, include CO, CO2 and COF2 together with a low fraction of F2. The most effective reactions for the formation and loss of the various species in this process are also determined in detail. Decomposition of CF4 produces mostly CF3 and F radicals. These radicals also contribute to the backward reactions, forming again CF4. This study reveals that the maximum decomposition efficiency of CF4 is achieved at a CF4/O2 ratio equal to 1, at the applied power of 300 W.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication London Editor
Language Wos 000341353800017 Publication Date 2014-08-15
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727;1361-6463; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 8 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.588; 2014 IF: 2.721
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:118327 Serial 3521
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Author Razzokov, J.; Yusupov, M.; Cordeiro, R.M.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Atomic scale understanding of the permeation of plasma species across native and oxidized membranes Type A1 Journal article
Year 2018 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys
Volume 51 Issue (up) 36 Pages 365203
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Cold atmospheric plasmas (CAPs) have attracted significant interest for their potential benefits in medical applications, including cancer therapy. The therapeutic effects of CAPs are related to reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS) present in the plasma. The impact of ROS has been extensively studied, but the role of RNS in CAP-treatment remains poorly understood at the molecular level. Here, we investigate the permeation of RNS and ROS across native and oxidized phospholipid bilayers (PLBs) by means of computer simulations. The results reveal significantly lower free energy barriers for RNS (i.e. NO, NO2, N2O4) and O3 compared to hydrophilic ROS, such as OH, HO2 and H2O2. This suggests that the investigated RNS and O3 can permeate more easily through both native and oxidized PLBs in comparison to hydrophilic ROS, indicating their potentially important role in plasma medicine.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000441182400002 Publication Date 2018-08-08
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 10 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes M Y gratefully acknowledges financial support from the Research Foundation—Flanders (FWO), grant 1200216N. The computational work was carried out using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen (UA), a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI) and the UA. RMC thanks FAPESP and CNPq for financial support (grants 2012/50680-5 and 459270/2014-1, respectively). Approved Most recent IF: 2.588
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:152824 Serial 5005
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Author Van der Paal, J.; Aernouts, S.; van Duin, A.C.T.; Neyts, E.C.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Interaction of O and OH radicals with a simple model system for lipids in the skin barrier : a reactive molecular dynamics investigation for plasma medicine Type A1 Journal article
Year 2013 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys
Volume 46 Issue (up) 39 Pages 395201
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Plasma medicine has been claimed to provide a novel route to heal wounds and regenerate skin, although very little is currently known about the elementary processes taking place. We carried out a series of ReaxFF-based reactive molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the interaction of O and OH radicals with lipids, more specifically with α-linolenic acid as a model for the free fatty acids present in the upper skin layer. Our calculations predict that the O and OH radicals most typically abstract a H atom from the fatty acids, which can lead to the formation of a conjugated double bond, but also to the incorporation of alcohol or aldehyde groups, thereby increasing the hydrophilic character of the fatty acids and changing the general lipid composition of the skin. Within the limitations of the investigated model, no formation of possibly toxic products was observed.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication London Editor
Language Wos 000324810400007 Publication Date 2013-09-11
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727;1361-6463; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 36 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.588; 2013 IF: 2.521
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:109904 Serial 1684
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Author Wang, H.; Wang, W.; Yan, J.D.; Qi, H.; Geng, J.; Wu, Y.
Title Thermodynamic properties and transport coefficients of a two-temperature polytetrafluoroethylene vapor plasma for ablation-controlled discharge applications Type A1 Journal article
Year 2017 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys
Volume 50 Issue (up) 39 Pages 395204
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Ablation-controlled plasmas have been used in a range of technical applications where local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) is often violated near the wall due to the strong cooling effect caused by the ablation of wall materials. The thermodynamic and transport properties of ablated polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) vapor, which determine the flowing plasma behavior in such applications, are calculated based on a two-temperature model at atmospheric pressure. To our knowledge, no data for PTFE have been reported in the literature. The species composition and thermodynamic properties are numerically determined using the two-temperature Saha equation and the Guldberg-Waage equation according to van de Sanden et al's derivation. The transport coefficients, including viscosity, thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity, are calculated with the most recent collision interaction potentials using Devoto's electron and heavy-particle decoupling approach but expanded to the third-order approximation (second-order for viscosity) in the frame of the Chapman-Enskog method. Results are computed for different degrees of thermal non-equilibrium, i.e. the ratio of electron to heavy-particle temperatures, from 1 to 10, with electron temperature ranging from 300 to 40 000 K. Plasma transport properties in the LTE state obtained from the present work are compared with existing published results and the causes for the discrepancy analyzed. The two-temperature plasma properties calculated in the present work enable the modeling of wall ablation-controlled plasma processes.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication London Editor
Language Wos 000410390100001 Publication Date 2017-07-04
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 3 Open Access Not_Open_Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.588
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:145603 Serial 4754
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Author Ruelle, B.; Felten, A.; Ghijsen, J.; Drube, W.; Johnson, R.L.; Liang, D.; Erni, R.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Dubois, P.; Hecq, M.; Bittencourt, C.;
Title Functionalization of MWCNTs with atomic nitrogen : electronic structure Type A1 Journal article
Year 2008 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys
Volume 41 Issue (up) 4 Pages 045202-45204
Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract The changes induced by exposing multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to atomic nitrogen were analysed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), x-ray and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. It was found that the atomic nitrogen generated by a microwave plasma effectively grafts chemical groups onto the CNT surface altering the density of valence electronic states. HRTEM showed that the exposure to atomic nitrogen does not significantly damage the CNT surface.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication London Editor
Language Wos 000253177900018 Publication Date 2008-01-29
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727;1361-6463; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 16 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.588; 2008 IF: 2.104
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:102633 Serial 1306
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Author Khalili, M.; Daniels, L.; Lin, A.; Krebs, F.C.; Snook, A.E.; Bekeschus, S.; Bownel, W.B.; Miller, V.
Title Non-thermal plasma-induced immunogenic cell death in cancer Type A1 Journal article
Year 2019 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys
Volume 52 Issue (up) 42 Pages 423001
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Recent advances in biomedical research in cancer immunotherapy have identified the use of an oxidative stress-based approach to treat cancers, which works by inducing immunogenic cell death (ICD) in cancer cells. Since the anti-cancer effects of non-thermal plasma (NTP) are largely attributed to the reactive oxygen and nitrogen species that are delivered to and generated inside the target cancer cells, it is reasonable to postulate that NTP would be an effective modality for ICD induction. NTP treatment of tumors has been shown to destroy cancer cells rapidly and, under specific treatment regimens, this leads to systemic tumorspecific immunity. The translational benefit of NTP for treatment of cancer relies on its ability to enhance the interactions between NTP-exposed minor cells and local immune cells which initiates subsequent protective immune responses. This review discusses results from recent investigations of NTP application to induce ICD in cancer cells. With further optimization of clinical devices and treatment protocols, NTP can become an essential part of the therapeutic armament against cancer.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000479103100001 Publication Date 2019-07-13
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 6 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.588
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:161774 Serial 6313
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Zhang, Y.; Jiang, W.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Kinetic simulation of direct-current driven microdischarges in argon at atmospheric pressure Type A1 Journal article
Year 2014 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys
Volume 47 Issue (up) 43 Pages 435201
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract A one-dimensional, implicit particle-in-cell Monte Carlo collision model is used to simulate the plasma kinetic properties at a steady state in a parallel-plate direct current argon glow microdischarge under various operating conditions, such as driving voltage (301000 V) and gap size (101000 µm) at atmospheric pressure. First, a comparison between rf and dc modes is shown for the same pressure, driving voltage and gap spacing. Furthermore, the effect of gap size scaling (in the range of 101000 µm) on the breakdown voltage, peak electron density and peak electron current density at the breakdown voltage is examined. The breakdown voltage is lower than 150 V in all gaps considered. The microdischarge is found to have a neutral bulk plasma region and a cathode sheath region with size varying with the applied voltage and the discharge gap. In our calculations, the electron and ion densities are of the order of 10181023 m−3, which is in the glow discharge limit, as the ionization degree is lower than 1% . The electron energy distribution function shows a two-energy group distribution at a gap of 10 µm and a three-energy group distribution at larger gaps such as 200 µm and 1000 µm, emphasizing the importance of the gap spacing in dc microdischarges.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication London Editor
Language Wos 000343150500011 Publication Date 2014-10-03
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727;1361-6463; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 10 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.588; 2014 IF: 2.721
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:119152 Serial 1759
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Author Mao, M.; Wang, Y.N.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Numerical study of the plasma chemistry in inductively coupled SF6 and SF6/AR plasmas used for deep silicon etching applications Type A1 Journal article
Year 2011 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys
Volume 44 Issue (up) 43 Pages 435202,1-435202,15
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
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.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication London Editor
Language Wos 000296591100004 Publication Date 2011-10-13
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727;1361-6463; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 20 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.588; 2011 IF: 2.544
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:91754 Serial 2409
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Author Rubino, S.; Schattschneider, P.; Rusz, J.; Verbeeck, J.; Leifer, K.
Title Simulation of magnetic circular dichroism in the electron microscope Type A1 Journal article
Year 2010 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys
Volume 43 Issue (up) 47 Pages 474005,1-474005,11
Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract As electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) and x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) probe the same transitions from coreshell states to unoccupied states above the Fermi energy, it should always be possible to apply the two techniques to the same physical phenomena, such as magnetic dichroism, and obtain the same information. Indeed, the similarity in the expression of the electron and x-ray cross-sections had been already exploited to prove the equivalence of x-ray magnetic linear dichroism and anisotropy in EELS, by noting that the polarization vector of a photon plays the same role as the momentum transfer in electron scattering. Recently, the same was proven true for x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) by establishing a new TEM technique called EMCD (electron energy-loss magnetic chiral dichroism) (Schattschneider P et al 2006 Nature 441 4868), which makes use of special electron scattering conditions to force the absorption of a circularly polarized virtual photon. The intrinsic advantage of EMCD over XMCD is the high spatial resolution of electron microscopes, which are readily available. Among the particular obstacles in EMCD that do not exist for synchrotron radiation, is the notoriously low signal and the very particular scattering conditions necessary to observe a chiral dichroic signal. In spite of that, impressive progress has been made in recent years. The signal strength could be considerably increased, and some innovations such as using a convergent beam have been introduced. EMCD has evolved into several techniques, which make full use of the versatility of the TEM and energy filtering, spectroscopy or STEM conditions (Rubino S 2007 Magnetic circular dichroism in the transmission electron microscope PhD Thesis Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, Austria).
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication London Editor
Language Wos 000284099700006 Publication Date 2010-11-12
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727;1361-6463; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 13 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.588; 2010 IF: 2.109
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:85808UA @ admin @ c:irua:85808 Serial 3012
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Author Tinck, S.; Tillocher, T.; Dussart, R.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Cryogenic etching of silicon with SF6 inductively coupled plasmas: a combined modelling and experimental study Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys
Volume 48 Issue (up) 48 Pages 155204
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract A hybrid Monte Carlofluid model is applied to simulate the wafer-temperature-dependent etching of silicon with SF6 inductively coupled plasmas (ICP). The bulk plasma within the ICP reactor volume as well as the surface reactions occurring at the wafer are self-consistently described. The calculated etch rates are validated by experiments. The calculations and experiments are performed at two different wafer temperatures, i.e. 300 and 173 K, resembling conventional etching and cryoetching, respectively. In the case of cryoetching, a physisorbed SFx layer (x = 06) is formed on the wafer, which is negligible at room temperature, because of fast thermal desorption, However, even in the case of cryoetching, this layer can easily be disintegrated by low-energy ions, so it does not affect the etch rates. In the investigated pressure range of 19 Pa, the etch rate is always slightly higher at cryogenic conditions, both in the experiments and in the model, and this could be explained in the model due to a local cooling of the gas above the wafer, making the gas denser and increasing the flux of reactive neutrals, like F and F2, towards the wafer.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication London Editor
Language Wos 000351856600009 Publication Date 2015-03-25
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727;1361-6463; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 9 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.588; 2015 IF: 2.721
Call Number c:irua:124209 Serial 551
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Author Zhang, Y.-R.; Bogaerts, A.; Wang, Y.-N.
Title Fluid simulation of the phase-shift effect in Ar/CF4 capacitively coupled plasmas Type A1 Journal article
Year 2012 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys
Volume 45 Issue (up) 48 Pages 485204
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
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
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication London Editor
Language Wos 000311148300011 Publication Date 2012-11-06
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727;1361-6463; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 8 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.588; 2012 IF: 2.528
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:101754 Serial 1232
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Author Gul, B.; Tinck, S.; De Schepper, P.; Aman-ur-Rehman; Bogaerts, A.
Title Numerical investigation of HBr/He transformer coupled plasmas used for silicon etching Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys
Volume 48 Issue (up) 48 Pages 025202
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract A two-dimensional hybrid Monte Carlofluid model is applied to study HBr/He inductively coupled plasmas used for etching of Si. Complete sets of gas-phase and surface reactions are presented and the effects of the gas mixing ratio on the plasma characteristics and on the etch rates are discussed. A comparison with experimentally measured etch rates is made to validate the modelling results. The etch rate in the HBr plasma is found to be quite low under the investigated conditions compared to typical etch rates of Si with F- or Cl-containing gases. This allows for a higher control and fine-tuning of the etch rate when creating ultra-small features. Our calculations predict a higher electron temperature at higher He fraction, because the electrons do not lose their energy so efficiently in vibrational and rotational excitations. As a consequence, electron impact ionization and dissociation become more important, yielding higher densities of ions, electrons and H atoms. This results in more pronounced sputtering of the surface. Nevertheless, the overall etch rate decreases upon increasing He fraction, suggesting that chemical etching is still the determining factor for the overall etch rate.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication London Editor
Language Wos 000347980100011 Publication Date 2014-12-10
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727;1361-6463; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 7 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.588; 2015 IF: 2.721
Call Number c:irua:121335 Serial 2394
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Author Van der Paal, J.; Verlackt, C.C.; Yusupov, M.; Neyts, E.C.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Structural modification of the skin barrier by OH radicals : a reactive molecular dynamics study for plasma medicine Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys
Volume 48 Issue (up) 48 Pages 155202
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract While plasma treatment of skin diseases and wound healing has been proven highly effective, the underlying mechanisms, and more generally the effect of plasma radicals on skin tissue, are not yet completely understood. In this paper, we perform ReaxFF-based reactive molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the interaction of plasma generated OH radicals with a model system composed of free fatty acids, ceramides, and cholesterol molecules. This model system is an approximation of the upper layer of the skin (stratum corneum). All interaction mechanisms observed in our simulations are initiated by H-abstraction from one of the ceramides. This reaction, in turn, often starts a cascade of other reactions, which eventually lead to the formation of aldehydes, the dissociation of ceramides or the elimination of formaldehyde, and thus eventually to the degradation of the skin barrier function.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication London Editor
Language Wos 000351856600007 Publication Date 2015-03-25
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727;1361-6463; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 20 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.588; 2015 IF: 2.721
Call Number c:irua:124230 Serial 3242
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Author de de Meux, A.J.; Pourtois, G.; Genoe, J.; Heremans, P.
Title Comparison of the electronic structure of amorphous versus crystalline indium gallium zinc oxide semiconductor : structure, tail states and strain effects Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys
Volume 48 Issue (up) 48 Pages 435104
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
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%).
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication London Editor
Language Wos 000365876300012 Publication Date 2015-09-30
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 23 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.588; 2015 IF: 2.721
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:130277 Serial 4153
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Author Zhang, C.; Ren, K.; Wang, S.; Luo, Y.; Tang, W.; Sun, M.
Title Recent progress on two-dimensional van der Waals heterostructures for photocatalytic water splitting : a selective review Type A1 Journal article
Year 2023 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal
Volume 56 Issue (up) 48 Pages 483001-483024
Keywords A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)
Abstract Hydrogen production through photocatalytic water splitting is being developed swiftly to address the ongoing energy crisis. Over the past decade, with the rise of graphene and other two-dimensional (2D) materials, an increasing number of computational and experimental studies have focused on relevant van der Waals (vdW) semiconductor heterostructures for photocatalytic water splitting. In this review, the fundamental mechanism and distinctive performance of type-II and Z-scheme vdW heterostructure photocatalysts are presented. Accordingly, we have conducted a systematic review of recent studies focusing on candidates for photocatalysts, specifically vdW heterostructures involving 2D transition metal disulfides (TMDs), 2D Janus TMDs, and phosphorenes. The photocatalytic performance of these heterostructures and their suitability in theoretical scenarios are discussed based on their electronic and optoelectronic properties, particularly in terms of band structures, photoexcited carrier dynamics, and light absorption. In addition, various approaches for tuning the performance of these potential photocatalysts are illustrated. This strategic framework for constructing and modulating 2D heterostructure photocatalysts is expected to provide inspiration for addressing possible challenges in future studies.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 001076327300001 Publication Date 2023-08-30
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.4 Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 3.4; 2023 IF: 2.588
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:200353 Serial 9081
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Author Bogaerts, A.; Khosravian, N.; Van der Paal, J.; Verlackt, C.C.W.; Yusupov, M.; Kamaraj, B.; Neyts, E.C.
Title Multi-level molecular modelling for plasma medicine Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys
Volume 49 Issue (up) 49 Pages 054002
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Modelling at the molecular or atomic scale can be very useful for obtaining a better insight in plasma medicine. This paper gives an overview of different atomic/molecular scale modelling approaches that can be used to study the direct interaction of plasma species with biomolecules or the consequences of these interactions for the biomolecules on a somewhat longer time-scale. These approaches include density functional theory (DFT), density functional based tight binding (DFTB), classical reactive and non-reactive molecular dynamics (MD) and united-atom or coarse-grained MD, as well as hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) methods. Specific examples will be given for three important types of biomolecules, present in human cells, i.e. proteins, DNA and phospholipids found in the cell membrane. The results show that each of these modelling approaches has its specific strengths and limitations, and is particularly useful for certain applications. A multi-level approach is therefore most suitable for obtaining a global picture of the plasma–biomolecule interactions.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000368944100003 Publication Date 2015-12-16
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 11 Open Access
Notes This work is financially supported by the Fund for Scientific Research Flanders (FWO) and the Francqui Foundation. The calculations were carried out in part using the Turing HPC infrastructure of the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen, a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI) and the Universiteit Antwerpen. Approved Most recent IF: 2.588
Call Number c:irua:131571 Serial 3985
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Author Tinck, S.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Computational study of the CF4 /CHF3 / H2 /Cl2 /O2 /HBr gas phase plasma chemistry Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys
Volume 49 Issue (up) 49 Pages 195203
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract A modelling study is performed of high-density low-pressure inductively coupled CF4/CHF3/H2/Cl2/O2/HBr plasmas under different gas mixing ratios. A reaction set describing the complete plasma chemistry is presented and discussed. The gas fraction of each component in this mixture is varied to investigate the sensitivity of the plasma properties, like electron density, plasma potential and species densities, towards the gas mixing ratios. This research is of great interest for microelectronics applications because these gases are often combined in two (or more)-component mixtures, and mixing gases or changing the fraction of a gas can sometimes yield unwanted reaction products or unexpected changes in the overall plasma properties due to the increased chemical complexity of the system. Increasing the CF4 fraction produces more F atoms for chemical etching as expected, but also more prominently lowers the density of Cl atoms, resulting in an actual drop in the etch rate under certain conditions. Furthermore, CF4 decreases the free electron density when mixed with Cl2. However, depending on the other gas components, CF4 gas can also sometimes enhance free electron density. This is the case when HBr is added to the mixture. The addition of H2 to the gas mixture will lower the sputtering process, not only due to the lower overall positive ion density at higher H2 fractions, but also because more H+, H2 + and H3 + are present and they have very low sputter yields. In contrast, a larger Cl2 fraction results in more chemical etching but also in less physical sputtering due to a smaller abundance of positive ions. Increasing the O2 fraction in the plasma will always lower the etch rate due to more oxidation of the wafer surface and due to a lower plasma density. However, it is also observed that the density of F atoms can actually increase with rising O2 gas fraction. This is relevant to note because the exact balance between fluorination and oxidation is important for fine-tuning the overall etch rate and for control of the sidewall profile. Finally, HBr is often used as a chemical etcher, but when mixed with F- or Cl-containing gases, HBr creates the same diluting effects as Ar or He, because a

higher fraction results in less chemical etching but more (physical) sputtering.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000375255500017 Publication Date 2016-04-13
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 5 Open Access
Notes We acknowledge the Fund for Scientific Research Flanders (FWO) for financial support of this work. This work was carried out in part using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen, a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI) and the University of Antwerp. Approved Most recent IF: 2.588
Call Number c:irua:132890 Serial 4062
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Author Tinck, S.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Role of vibrationally excited HBr in a HBr/He inductively coupled plasma used for etching of silicon Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys
Volume 49 Issue (up) 49 Pages 245204
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract In this work, the role of vibrationally excited HBr (HBr(vib)) is computationally investigated for a HBr/He inductively coupled plasma applied for Si etching. It is found that at least 50% of all dissociations of HBr occur through HBr(vib). This additional dissociation pathway through HBr(vib) makes the plasma significantly more atomic. It also results in a slightly higher electron temperature (i.e. about 0.2 eV higher compared to simulation results where HBr(vib) is not included), as well as a higher gas temperature (i.e. about 50 K higher than without including HBr(vib)), due to the enhanced Franck–Condon heating through HBr(vib) dissociation,

at the conditions investigated. Most importantly, the calculated etch rate with HBr(vib) included in the model is a factor 3 higher than in the case without HBr(vib), due to the higher fluxes of etching species (i.e. H and Br), while the chemical composition of the wafer surface shows no significant difference. Our calculations clearly show the importance of including HBr(vib) for accurate modeling of HBr-containing plasmas.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000377427100020 Publication Date 2016-05-17
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited Open Access
Notes The Fund for Scientific Research Flanders (FWO) is acknowledged for financial support of this work (Grant no. 0880.212.840). This work was carried out in part using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen, a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI) and the University of Antwerp. Prof. Mark Kushner is also gratefully acknowledged for the useful discussions and for providing the HPEM code. Approved Most recent IF: 2.588
Call Number c:irua:133457 Serial 4072
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Author Tinck, S.; Tillocher, T.; Dussart, R.; Neyts, E.C.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Elucidating the effects of gas flow rate on an SF6inductively coupled plasma and on the silicon etch rate, by a combined experimental and theoretical investigation Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys
Volume 49 Issue (up) 49 Pages 385201
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Experiments show that the etch rate of Si with SF6 inductively coupled plasma (ICP) is significantly influenced by the absolute gas flow rate in the range of 50–600 sccm, with a maximum at around 200 sccm. Therefore, we numerically investigate the effects of the gas flow rate on the bulk plasma properties and on the etch rate, to obtain more insight in the underlying reasons of this effect. A hybrid Monte Carlo—fluid model is applied to simulate an SF6 ICP. It is found that the etch rate is influenced by two simultaneous effects: (i) the residence time of the gas and (ii) the temperature profile of the plasma in the ICP volume, resulting indeed in a maximum etch rate at 200 sccm.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000384095900011 Publication Date 2016-08-24
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 1 Open Access
Notes We are very grateful to Mark Kushner for providing the computational model. The Fund for Scientific Research Flanders (FWO; grant no. 0880.212.840) is acknowledged for financial support of this work. The work was carried out in part using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen, a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI) and the University of Antwerp. Approved Most recent IF: 2.588
Call Number c:irua:134867 Serial 4108
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Author Ozkan, A.; Bogaerts, A.; Reniers, F.
Title Routes to increase the conversion and the energy efficiency in the splitting of CO2by a dielectric barrier discharge Type A1 Journal article
Year 2017 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys
Volume 50 Issue (up) 50 Pages 084004
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Here, we present routes to increase CO2 conversion into CO using an atmospheric pressure dielectric-barrier discharge. The change in conversion as a function of simple plasma parameters, such as power, flow rate, but also frequency, on-and-off power pulse, thickness and the chemical nature of the dielectric, wall and gas temperature, are described. By means of an in-depth electrical characterization of the discharge (effective plasma voltage, dielectric voltage, plasma current, number and lifetime of the microdischarges), combined with infrared analysis of the walls of the reactor, optical emission spectroscopy for the gas temperature, and mass spectrometry for the CO2 conversion, we propose a global interpretation of the effect of all the experimental parameters on the conversion and efficiency of the reaction.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000395400700001 Publication Date 2017-01-30
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 28 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes The authors acknowledge financial support from the IAPVII/ 12, P7/34 (Interuniversity Attraction Pole) program PSIPhysical Chemistry of Plasma–Surface Interaction financially supported by the Belgian Federal Office for Science Policy (BELSPO). A Ozkan would like to thank the financial support given by the Fonds David et Alice Van Buuren. Approved Most recent IF: 2.588
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @ c:irua:140093 Serial 4415
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Author Verlackt, C.C.W.; Neyts, E.C.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Atomic scale behavior of oxygen-based radicals in water Type A1 Journal article
Year 2017 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys
Volume 50 Issue (up) 50 Pages 11LT01
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Cold atmospheric pressure plasmas in and in contact with liquids represent a growing field of research for various applications. Understanding the interactions between the plasma generated species and the liquid is crucial. In this work we perform molecular dynamics (MD) simulations based on a quantum mechanical method, i.e. density-functional based tight-binding (DFTB), to examine the interactions of OH radicals and O atoms in bulk water. Our calculations reveal that the transport of OH radicals through water is not only governed by diffusion, but also by an equilibrium reaction of H-abstraction with water molecules. Furthermore, when two OH radicals encounter each other, they either form a stable cluster, or react, resulting in the formation of a new water molecule and an O atom. In addition,

the O atoms form either oxywater (when in singlet configuration) or they remain stable in solution (when in triplet configuration), stressing the important role that O atoms can play in aqueous solution, and in contact with biomolecules. Our observations are in line with both experimental and ab initio results from the literature.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000415252400001 Publication Date 2017-02-13
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 11 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes The authors thank Peter Bruggeman (University of Minnesota, USA) and Jan Benedikt (Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany) for the interesting discussions regarding the existence of O in aqueous solutions. Furthermore, they acknowledge financial support from the Fund for Scientific Research (FWO) Flanders (project number G012413N). The calculations were performed using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen, a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI) and the Universiteit Antwerpen. Approved Most recent IF: 2.588
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @ c:irua:140845 Serial 4420
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Author Khalilov, U.; Bogaerts, A.; Hussain, S.; Kovacevic, E.; Brault, P.; Boulmer-Leborgne, C.; Neyts, E.C.
Title Nanoscale mechanisms of CNT growth and etching in plasma environment Type A1 Journal article
Year 2017 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys
Volume 50 Issue (up) 50 Pages 184001
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Plasma-enhanced chemical deposition (PECVD) of carbon nanotubes has already been shown to allow chirality control to some extent. In PECVD, however, etching may occur simultaneously with the growth, and the occurrence of intermediate processes further significantly complicates the growth process.

We here employ a computational approach with experimental support to study the plasma-based formation of Ni nanoclusters, Ni-catalyzed CNT growth and subsequent etching processes, in order to understand the underpinning nanoscale mechanisms. We find that hydrogen is the dominant factor in both the re-structuring of a Ni film and the subsequent appearance of Ni nanoclusters, as well as in the CNT nucleation and etching processes. The obtained results are compared with available theoretical and experimental studies and provide a deeper understanding of the occurring nanoscale mechanisms in plasma-assisted CNT nucleation and growth.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000398300900001 Publication Date 2017-04-03
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 6 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes UK gratefully acknowledges financial support from the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO), Belgium (Grant No. 12M1315N). The work was carried out in part using the Turing HPC infrastructure of the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen, a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Centre VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI) and the Universiteit Antwerpen. The authors also thank Prof A C T van Duin for sharing the ReaxFF code. Approved Most recent IF: 2.588
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @ c:irua:141918 Serial 4533
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