TY - GEN
T1 - Erosion of low-temperature co-fired ceramics in a radio frequency inductively coupled plasma
AU - Miller, A.
AU - Plumlee, D.
AU - Browning, J.
AU - Moll, A.
PY - 2009
Y1 - 2009
N2 - To expand research in space-based micropropulsion, Boise State University is developing an ion-propulsion system designed in Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramics (LTCC). To evaluate the suitability of this materials system for an ion-propulsion system, a Design of Experiments (DOE) study is formulated to characterize, if any, the erosion of material due to ion bombardment in the proposed design. Designs to mitigate this damage can also be investigated for their effectiveness, in the future. Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) spiral antennas, driven by a Radio Frequency (RF) power source, have been proposed as the means to generate the ions required for the thruster design. A basic ICP flat-spiral antenna design, embedded within the LTCC substrate, will be used to ignite an argon plasma at low-pressure in a vacuum chamber, for duration tests of the LTCC substrate material. The DOE study includes the factors of chamber pressure, soak time, and supplied RF power. These factors are varied within two levels, and investigated for their contributions to erosion effects. The effects of the plasma exposure will be evaluated using optical profilometry or Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) techniques to determine the volume and depth of removed material, as well as the nature of the eroded surface. The results of the DOE study will be analyzed to develop a model of substrate erosion with respect to pressure, time, and power. Though this model may not be comprehensive, it can help to predict a maximum bound for the expected lifetime of a thruster operating at set conditions.
AB - To expand research in space-based micropropulsion, Boise State University is developing an ion-propulsion system designed in Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramics (LTCC). To evaluate the suitability of this materials system for an ion-propulsion system, a Design of Experiments (DOE) study is formulated to characterize, if any, the erosion of material due to ion bombardment in the proposed design. Designs to mitigate this damage can also be investigated for their effectiveness, in the future. Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) spiral antennas, driven by a Radio Frequency (RF) power source, have been proposed as the means to generate the ions required for the thruster design. A basic ICP flat-spiral antenna design, embedded within the LTCC substrate, will be used to ignite an argon plasma at low-pressure in a vacuum chamber, for duration tests of the LTCC substrate material. The DOE study includes the factors of chamber pressure, soak time, and supplied RF power. These factors are varied within two levels, and investigated for their contributions to erosion effects. The effects of the plasma exposure will be evaluated using optical profilometry or Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) techniques to determine the volume and depth of removed material, as well as the nature of the eroded surface. The results of the DOE study will be analyzed to develop a model of substrate erosion with respect to pressure, time, and power. Though this model may not be comprehensive, it can help to predict a maximum bound for the expected lifetime of a thruster operating at set conditions.
KW - Design of Experiments
KW - DOE
KW - Erosion
KW - Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramics
KW - LTCC
KW - Plasma
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84879847350&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84879847350
SN - 9781615673742
T3 - 5th IMAPS/ACerS International Conference and Exhibition on Ceramic Interconnect and Ceramic Microsystems Technologies 2009, CICMT 2009
SP - 206
EP - 211
BT - 5th IMAPS/ACerS International Conference and Exhibition on Ceramic Interconnect and Ceramic Microsystems Technologies 2009, CICMT 2009
T2 - 5th International Conference on Ceramic Interconnect and Ceramic Microsystems Technologies, CICMT 2009
Y2 - 21 April 2009 through 23 April 2009
ER -