Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Development and Performance Evolution of Medium-Pressure He/SF6/O2-Based Plasma and Wet Chemical Etching Process for Surface Modification of Fused Silica

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Plasma Chemistry and Plasma Processing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The rising demand for precision optics widely employed in ground and space-based astronomical instruments and other scientific instrumentation requires highly efficient advanced fabrication methods. Due to complex-shaped fused silica substrate surfaces like freeform or aspheres with strong curvatures or very small-sized components, a novel non-contact medium-pressure plasma-based method is developed to finish optical components. The present study critically compares the polished optical surfaces of a prism with a medium-pressure plasma process and wet chemical etching to provide insight into their smoothing. The results show that surface roughness (Ra) increases from 0.54 to 2.61 nm and 0.53 to 0.57 nm at 5 and 20 mbar total pressures, respectively, using a plasma process without surface contamination. However, wet chemical etching increases surface roughness (Ra) from 0.52 to 15.9 nm. The substrates' surface morphology, elemental composition, and surface topography are analyzed using FESEM, EDX, and AFM. Moreover, subsurface improvements are analyzed using Raman spectroscopy analysis.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16

Similar content being viewed by others

Data Availability

Data will be made available on request.

Abbreviations

FESEM :

Field emission scanning electron microscopy

EDX:

Energy dispersive X-ray

AFM:

Atomic force microscopy

R a :

Surface roughness

UVL:

Ultraviolet lithography

EUVL:

Extreme ultraviolet lithography

APPP:

Atmospheric pressure plasma polishing

RF:

Radio-frequency

PJM:

Plasma jet machining

PAMM:

Plasma-induced atom migration manufacturing

MPPP:

Medium-pressure plasma polishing

MRR:

Material removal rate

LIDT:

Laser-induced damage threshold

OES:

Optical emission spectrometer

References

  1. Narayan H, Yadav S, Das M (2023) Experimental investigations through modeling and optimization for fabrication of fused silica in medium-pressure plasma process. Opt Mater 143:114157

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Yadav HNS, Das M (2023) Surface characteristics of fused silica in medium-pressure plasma process. Mater Today Proc 1–5

  3. Yadav HNS, Kumar M, Kumar A, Das M (2021) Plasma polishing processes applied on optical materials: a review. J Micromanufacturing 6:251659842110388

    Google Scholar 

  4. Kogelschatz U (2003) Dielectric-barrier discharges: their history, discharge physics, and industrial applications. Plasma Chem Plasma Process 23:1–46

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Yadav HNS, Kumar M, Das M (2022) Fundamentals of plasma polishing. In: Jain VK (ed) Advanced machining science. CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp 203–228

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  6. Schindler A and Boehm G and Haensel T and Frank W and Nickel A and Rauschenbach B and Bigl F (2001) Precision optical asphere fabrication by plasma jet chemical etching (PJCE) and ion beam figuring. In: Optical manufacturing and testing. p 242‒248

  7. Zhang J, Wang B, Dong S (2008) Analysis of factors impacting atmospheric pressure plasma polishing. Int J Precis Eng Manuf 9:39–43

    Google Scholar 

  8. Dev DSD, Krishna E, Das M (2019) Development of a non-contact plasma processing technique to mitigate chemical network defects of fused silica with life enhancement of He–Ne laser device. Opt Laser Technol 113:289–302

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Yadav HNS, Kumar M, Kumar A, Das M (2021) COMSOL simulation of microwave plasma polishing on different surfaces. Mater Today Proc 45:4803–4809

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Gerhard C, Weihs T, Luca A et al (2013) Polishing of optical media by dielectric barrier discharge inert gas plasma at atmospheric pressure. J Eur Opt Soc 8:1–5. https://doi.org/10.2971/jeos.2013.13081

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Arnold T, Boehm G, Mueller H, et al (2022) Plasma jet assisted polishing of fused silica freeform optics. In: European physical journal web of conferences. p 03001

  12. Gerhard C, Weihs T, Tasche D et al (2013) Atmospheric pressure plasma treatment of fused silica, related surface and near-surface effects and applications. Plasma Chem Plasma Process 33:895–905

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Arnold T, Boehm G, Paetzelt H (2015) New freeform manufacturing chain based on atmospheric plasma jet machining. In: Freeform optics. p FTh1B.3

  14. Li R, Li Y, Deng H (2022) Plasma-induced atom migration manufacturing of fused silica. Precis Eng 76:305–313

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Suratwala T, Steele W, Wong L et al (2015) Chemistry and formation of the beilby layer during polishing of fused silica glass. J Am Ceram Soc 98:2395–2402. https://doi.org/10.1111/JACE.13659

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Dev DSD, Krishna E, Das M (2016) A novel plasma-assisted atomistic surface finishing on freeform surfaces of fused silica. Int J Precis Technol 6:262

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Narayan H, Yadav S, Krishna E et al (2023) Investigation of MRR and surface characterization using plasma process. Mater Manuf Process 38:1–13

    Google Scholar 

  18. Narayan H, Yadav S, Das M (2023) Parametric optimisation of plasma polishing process using response surface methodology. Surf Eng 39:1–14

    Google Scholar 

  19. Feit MD, Suratwala TI, Wong LL et al (2009) Modeling wet chemical etching of surface flaws on fused silica. Laser-Induced Damage Opt Mater 7504:75040L. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.836912

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Cheng J, Wang J, Hou J et al (2017) Effect of polishing-induced subsurface impurity defects on laser damage resistance of fused silica optics and their removal with HF acid etching. Appl Sci 7:1–23. https://doi.org/10.3390/app7080838

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Ye H, Li Y, Yuan Z et al (2015) Laser induced damage characteristics of fused silica optics treated by wet chemical processes. Appl Surf Sci 357:498–505. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2015.09.065

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Ye H, Li Y, Yuan Z, Zhang Q (2018) Ultrasonic-assisted wet chemical etching of fused silica for high-power laser systems. Int J Appl Glas Sci 9:288–295. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijag.12332

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Yao YX, Wang B, Wang JH, Jin HL, Zhang YF, Dong S (2010) Chemical machining of Zerodur material with atmospheric pressure plasma jet. CIRP Ann 59:337–340

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Wang D, Liu W, Wu Y et al (2011) Material removal function of the capacitive coupled hollow cathode plasma source for plasma polishing. Phys Procedia 19:408–411

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Al-Hawat S, Polonica MA (2010) Spatial structure of emission intensity in capacitive RF discharge of He: Ne mixture at moderate pressures. Acta Phys Pol 117:911–916

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Dev DSD, Enni K, Das M (2018) Novel Finishing process development for precision complex-shaped hemispherical shell by bulk plasma processing. In: Precision product-process design and optimization. pp. 313–335

  27. Xu S, Zu X, Jiang X et al (2008) The damage mechanisms of fused silica irradiated by 355 nm laser in vacuum. Nucl Instrum Method Phys Res Sect B Beam Interact with Mater Atoms 266:2936–2940

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Galeener FL, Leadbetter AJ, Stringfellow MW (1983) Comparison of the neutron, Raman, and infrared vibrational spectra of vitreous Si02, GeOz, and BeF2. Phys Rev 8:15

    Google Scholar 

  29. Galeener FL, Geissberger AE (1983) Vibrational dynamics in Si30-substituted vitreous SiO2. Phys Rev B 27:6199–6204

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Liu F, Qian J, Wang X et al (1997) UV irradiation-induced defect study of glasses by Raman spectroscopy. Phys Rev B—Condens Matter Mater Phys 56:3066–3071

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank the Science and Engineering Research Board, New Delhi, India, for its financial support of project No. E.C.R./2018/002801 titled "Design and development of a novel plasma processing set up for uniform nanopolishing of prism and any freeform surfaces of fused silica."

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India

    Hari Narayan Singh Yadav & Manas Das

Authors
  1. Hari Narayan Singh Yadav
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Manas Das
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

HNSY: Conceptualization, Methodology, Data curation, Investigation, Writing—review & editing. MD: Supervision, Writing—review & editing.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Manas Das.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Yadav, H.N.S., Das, M. Development and Performance Evolution of Medium-Pressure He/SF6/O2-Based Plasma and Wet Chemical Etching Process for Surface Modification of Fused Silica. Plasma Chem Plasma Process 44, 1083–1104 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11090-024-10447-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11090-024-10447-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation