Effect of Plasma Parameters on Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet Assisted Nanoparticle Annealing

This paper investigates the properties of a cold atmospheric pressure plasma jet (CAPP-jet) for its application in plasma annealing of nanoparticles. The parametric investigations are carried out to understand the effect of the plasma density and electron temperature on the morphological, electrical, and catalytic properties of silver nanoparticle (AgNP) films deposited on quartz and polyimide substrates. The CAPP-jet is produced using an experimental power supply capable of providing high voltage (10-30kV) at 5-35kHz frequency. Optical emission spectroscopy is used to measure the time-averaged electron temperature, plasma density, and reactive species density. The silver nanoparticle films are characterized by SEM, TEM, UV-Vis spectroscopy, four-point probe, and electrochemical analyzer. In our experiments, we observed the densification of AgNPs and a subsequent enhancement in the electrical conductivity of the film. The power and plasma density have a direct correlation to the observed conductivity; however, the relationship between the electron temperature and AgNP film properties is still under investigation.