Tunable diode laser spectroscopy as a technique for combustion diagnostics

Over the past few years mid-infrared absorption spectroscopy based on quantum cascade lasers operating over the region from 3 to 12 µm and called quantum cascade laser absorption spectroscopy or QCLAS has progressed considerably as a powerful diagnostic technique for in situ studies of the fundamental physics and chemistry of molecular plasmas. The increasing interest in processing plasmas containing hydrocarbons, fluorocarbons, nitrogen oxides and organo-silicon compounds has led to further applications of QCLAS because most of these compounds and their decomposition products are infrared active. QCLAS provides a means of determining the absolute concentrations of the ground states of stable and transient molecular species at time resolutions below a microsecond, which is of particular importance for the investigation of reaction kinetics and dynamics. Information about gas temperature and population densities can also be derived from QCLAS measurements. Since plasmas with molecular feed gases are used in many applications such as thin film deposition, semiconductor processing, surface activation and cleaning, and materials and waste treatment, this has stimulated the adaptation of QCLAS techniques to industrial requirements including the development of new diagnostic equipment. The recent availability of external cavity (EC) QCLs offers a further new option for multi-component detection. The aim of this paper is fourfold: (i) to briefly review spectroscopic issues arising from applying pulsed QCLs, (ii) to report on recent achievements in our understanding of molecular phenomena in plasmas and at surfaces, (iii) to describe the current status of industrial process monitoring in the mid-infrared and (iv) to discuss the potential of advanced instrumentation based on EC-QCLs for plasma diagnostics.

Applications of quantum cascade lasers in plasma diagnostics: a review

Laser sensors for energy systems and process industries: Perspectives and directions

Infrared laser absorption spectroscopy (LAS) is a promising modern technique for sensing trace gases with high sensitivity, selectivity, and high time resolution. Mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers, operating in a pulsed or continuous wave mode, have potential as spectroscopic sources because of their narrow linewidths, single mode operation, tunability, high output power, reliability, low power consumption, and compactness. This paper reviews some important developments in modern laser absorption spectroscopy based on the use of quantum cascade laser (QCL) sources. Among the various laser spectroscopic methods, this review is focused on selected absorption spectroscopy applications of QCLs, with particular emphasis on molecular spectroscopy, industrial process control, combustion diagnostics, and medical breath analysis.

Applications of absorption spectroscopy using quantum cascade lasers.

Achieving the high sensitivity necessary for trace gas detection in the midinfrared molecular fingerprint region generally requires long absorption path lengths. In addition, for wider application, especially for field measurements, compact and cryogen free spectrometers are definitely preferable. An alternative approach to conventional linear absorption spectroscopy employing multiple pass cells for achieving high sensitivity is to combine a high finesse cavity with thermoelectrically (TE) cooled quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) and detectors. We have investigated the sensitivity limits of an entirely TE cooled system equipped with an ∼0.5 m long cavity having a small sample volume of 0.3 l. With this spectrometer cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy employing a continuous wave QCL emitting at 7.66 μm yielded path lengths of 1080 m and a noise equivalent absorption of 2×10−7 cm−1 Hz−1/2. The molecular concentration detection limit with a 20 s integration time was found to be 6×108 molecules/cm3 for N2O a...

/pdf/trace-gas-measurements-using-optically-resonant-cavities-and-2ne5v5be50.pdf

Trace gas measurements using optically resonant cavities and quantum cascade lasers operating at room temperature

In etch plasmas used for semiconductor processing, concentrations of the precursor gas NF3 and of the etch product SiF4 are measured online and in situ using a new diagnostic arrangement, the Q-MACS Etch system, which is based on quantum cascade laser absorption spectroscopy (QCLAS). In addition, the etch rates of SiO2 layers and of the silicon wafer are monitored including plasma-etching endpoint detection. For this purpose the Q-MACS Etch system is working as an interferometer arrangement. The experiments are performed in an industrial, dual-frequency, capacitively coupled, magnetically enhanced, reactive ion etcher (MERIE), which is a plasma reactor developed for dynamic random access memory (DRAM) technologies. In the spectral range 1028 ± 0.3 cm–1, the absorption cross-sections of SiF4 and NF3 are determined to be σ = (7.7 ± 0.7) × 10–18 cm2 molecule–1 and σ = (8.7 ± 0.8) × 10–20 cm2 molecule–1, respectively.

In Situ Monitoring of Silicon Plasma Etching Using a Quantum Cascade Laser Arrangement

The combination of quantum cascade lasers and infra red absorption spectroscopy (QCLAS) opens up new possibilities for plasma process monitoring and control. First measurements are reported with an especially designed quantum cascade laser arrangement for application in semiconductor industrial environments to track the approach for in situ process control in silicon etch plasmas. In gas mixtures with N 2 and in microwave (MW) plasmas at pressures below 30 Pa concentrations of C 4 F 6 and of SiF 4 were measured simultaneously online for the first time. It could be demonstrated, that using quantum cascade lasers (QCL) it is possible to control ex situ mass flow controllers (MFC) based on in situ measured species concentrations in the gas phase and in the MW plasma bulk.

In situ diagnostic of etch plasmas for process control using quantum cascade laser absorption spectroscopy

In this paper, first measurements with a particularly designed quantum-cascade-laser (QCL) arrangement for application in semiconductor industrial environments for in situ wafer-to-wafer etch monitoring are reported. The combination of QCLs and infrared absorption spectroscopy (QCLAS) opens up new possibilities for plasma process monitoring and control. In silicon etch plasmas, concentrations of the etch product SiF4 were measured real time in an industrial-production environment. The comparison of the results with inline data of the processed wafers shows a correlation between the amount of produced SiF4 and the measures of the trench depth and the bottom void. Furthermore, it is shown that the characteristics of the refractive index of Si and SiO2 in the mid-infrared can be used to determine etch rates of SiO2 and Si wafers during the processing.

Wafer2Wafer Etch Monitor via In Situ QCLAS

Concentrations of the etch product SiF4 were measured online and in situ in technological etch plasmas with an especially designed quantum cascade laser arrangement for application in semiconductor industrial environment, the Q-MACS Etch. The combination of quantum cascade lasers and infra red absorption spectroscopy (QCLAS) opens up new attractive possibilities for plasma process monitoring and control. With the realization of a specific interface the Q-MACS Etch system is synchronized to the etch process and allows therefore automated measurements, which is important in a high volume production environment.

http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/157/1/012007/pdf

In situ monitoring of plasma etch processes with a quantum cascade laser arrangement in semiconductor industrial environment

The recent development of quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) offers an attractive new option for the monitoring and control of industrial plasma processes and for trace-gas analysis as well as for highly time-resolved studies on the kinetics of plasma processes. The contribution reviews selected examples of the application of QCLs for infrared absorption studies in basic research and for plasma monitoring and control in industry.

http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/227/1/012005/pdf

Quantum Cascade Laser Absorption Spectroscopy - a New Method to Study Molecular Plasma Components

Handle everyday research tasks with reliable, citation-backed results

Your personal Research Agent to handle research tasks with citation-backed results

Popular Tasks used by Researchers

How can I help with your research?

Meet SciSpace

Get more enhanced response by uploading the PDFs you want me to reference.

No relevant PDFs in your library

SciSpace is the AI research assistant for academics. Run systematic literature reviews on 280M+ papers, and write papers with cited sources. Trusted by 1M+ students, PhDs & researchers.

SciSpace | AI for Research

Analyze PDFs

Code & Manuscripts

Funding & Grants

Literature & Patents

Medical & Clinical Data

Systematic Review

Visualize & Present

Web & Data

Build a Google Scholar-like website for your research.

Build a website

Create charts and images for your research

Create a Chart

Write a paper for submission to a journal

Draft a manuscript

Patent Search

Design eye-catching scientific posters in minutes.

Scientific Poster Generation

Systematic Literature Review

One task is running at the moment. Your messages will be shown right after.

Drag and drop or click here to browse

Loved by <highlight>1 million+</highlight> researchers

Extract a list of specific topics and their sources from unstructured text

Topics

Compare and analyze relevant papers that matches with your search

Papers

Get insights from PDFs and bookmarked papers from your library

My library

Recent searches

Try searching for:

Catch AI-generated content in scholarly and non-scholarly content

{ai} Detector

Ai Writer

Get PDF Summaries, highlighted text explanations 

Chat with PDF

Effortlessly create in-text citations and bibliographies in APA and 2,500 other formats

Citation generator

Get explanations, summaries, and answers on academic papers

Ease up your research workflow with {scispace}'s cohort of exciting AI tools

Elevate your academic writing skills and convey your ideas the way you want

Paraphraser

Explore our range of reading and writing tools

Your file is being prepared and should be ready in a few minutes. If it's a large file, it might take a bit longer. You can close this window, and we'll email you the file when it's done.

You have reached a maximum limit of <strong>{limit}</strong> columns in the table. Remove at least <strong>1</strong> column to add or create another one.

S Wege

Author Tools

Chat about Author