Facile construction of crystalline films by atmospheric non-thermal plasma chemical vapor deposition

Summary form only given. 3D micro/nano structured crystalline films designed appropriately with tunable crystal lattice, defect level, size, morphology or architecture are highly desirable for scientific and technical applications, especially in photocatalysts for the production of electric energy and hydrogen and for chemical degradation. Other interesting photo, electro, maganetic, chemical, phototonic and cytokine effects could also be expected. In this presentation, atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) without any templates and catalysts has been applied to tailor the morphology and crystalline structure of the deposited films. A Si/SiOx nanoparticle-linked network film structure has been obtained by a near atmospheric plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition modulated through a bias voltage. The porosity and oxidation of this nanoparticle-linked network film and the intensity of its photoluminescence spectrum at 410 nm were observed to increase with the bias voltage. A 3D anatase TiO₂ single crystal sheet-connected film with two exposed {001} crystal facets and a high concentration of oxygen defects has been constructed for the first time by a self-confined deposition process of an atmospheric non-thermal reactive plasma of TiCl₄/O2/Ar. Such 3D anatase TiO₂ single crystal sheet-connected films display an observable strong white photoluminescence comparable to commercial fluorescent lamp interior coatings. The reactive species, the substrate self-heating, the nanoparticle coagulation and crystallization were greatly influenced by the power frequency and the bias voltage. This simple and rapid plasma deposition opened an effective and economic way to construct various 3D crystalline films with low cost and large scale..