1. Aluminum Implantation in Kapton® for Space Applications: Magnetic Field Effects on Implantation in Vacuum Arcs
- Author
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R.S. Dallaqua, Antonio Fernando Beloto, Nicole R. Demarquette, Léon Gengembre, I.H. Tan, Mario Ueda, Jose O. Rossi, Unité de Catalyse et Chimie du Solide - UMR 8181 (UCCS), Centrale Lille Institut (CLIL)-Université d'Artois (UA)-Centrale Lille-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Chimie du CNRS (INC)-Université de Lille, Laboratorio Associado de Materiaias e Sensores, Instituto Nacional de Pequisas Espaciais, Depo Eng. Metalurgica e de Materiais, Escola Politecnica da USP, and Université d'Artois (UA)-Centrale Lille-Institut de Chimie du CNRS (INC)-Université de Lille-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
- Subjects
Materials science ,oxidation ,space polymers ,Analytical chemistry ,General Physics and Astronomy ,02 engineering and technology ,Temperature cycling ,Dielectric ,01 natural sciences ,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy ,[PHYS.PHYS.PHYS-PLASM-PH]Physics [physics]/Physics [physics]/Plasma Physics [physics.plasm-ph] ,0103 physical sciences ,ion implantation ,Composite material ,010302 applied physics ,General Engineering ,[CHIM.MATE]Chemical Sciences/Material chemistry ,Vacuum arc ,Plasma ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,Plasma-immersion ion implantation ,Kapton ,Magnetic field ,plasma immersion ,surface charging ,xps ,vacuum arc ,0210 nano-technology - Abstract
Aluminum was implanted in samples of Kapton®, a polyimide commonly used in spacecrafts, in order to form a protective layer against degradation by atomic oxygen, abundant in space. Implantation was carried out in a vacuum-arc-generated aluminum plasma, with and without the presence of a confining magnetic field. The main effect of the magnetic field is to increase plasma density by two orders of magnitude and, as a result, the dielectric Kapton® sample should charge much faster than in the unmagnetized case. Implantation depths should therefore be larger in the unmagnetized case. Results of X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy depth profile analysis, however, showed similiar implantation depths in both cases, with magnetized samples having a slightly deeper and larger mixing layer. Possible mechanisms to explain this result are discussed. Both treatments resulted in an excellent protective layer as demonstrated by samples exposed to oxygen plasmas, adhesion, thermal cycling, transmission and reflectance tests.
- Published
- 2005