EL 282 - Plasma and Thin Films Deposition

Credit Hours: 3

This course is an introductory study of plasma systems and thin film deposition techniques. The course includes the following topics: states of matter and properties of gases; DC, AC and RF plasma; plasma glow discharge; plasma sources; plasma power measurements; transmission lines fundamentals such as electrical properties of coaxial cables, transmission parameters, coaxial cables as impedance transformers; impedance matching; plasma based thin film deposition techniques. Laboratory experiments focus on spectral emissions from gases, I-V characteristics of NE-2 bulbs, structure of DC glow discharge, velocity of propagation in a coaxial cable, reflection coefficient and standing wave ratio, coaxial cables as impedance transformers, impedance matching, DC sputtering, AC/RF sputtering, and thin film characterization.

Course Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

describe DC, AC, and RF plasma;
describe the transmission of RF electromagnetic waves in coaxial cables;
construct, analyze, and measure RF propagation circuits including RF sources, coaxial cables, impedance-matched circuits, SWR analyzers, and oscilloscopes; and
deposit and measure thin films in DC and AC/RF sputtering systems.

Prerequisites: EL 202, EL 203
F/S (N)