NCPST National Centre for Plasma Science & Technology - Ireland
 

 

Industry

Industrial Training with the NCPST

The training programmes are focused at engineers, technicians and operators working in high technology areas who need to be familiar with these technologies as well as with the basic principles.  An understanding of these technologies is essential for the developing, optimising and troubleshooting of operations.  The following programmes are available in both tutor lead and web-based delivery format.  All programmes can be adapted to meet the needs of the customer.

Current Programmes Available:

  • Plasmas in Industrial Applications

  • Vacuum Technology and its Applications

  • General Electrical and RF Safety



The Benefits

  • Increased efficiency in the workforce leading to increased productivity and cost reduction.
  • Reduced Staff Turnover.
  • Time saving in trouble shooting.
  • Increased insight into the manufacturing process.
  • Better interaction between employees and customers/suppliers.
  • Improved feeling of job satisfaction.



For further information contact:

Jim Conway
National Centre for Plasma Science and Technology
Dublin City University
Glasnevin
Dublin 9

T: +353-(0)1-700-7680
F: +353-(0)1-700-8484
Email: jpc@physics.dcu.ie

Introduction to Plasmas in Industrial Applications

Aim : The information necessary for an understanding of plasmas as they are applied in an industrial context.  Process engineers and technicians/operators working with a plasma need to be familiar both with the technologies associated with the use of plasmas and with the basic principles of plasma physics.  Knowing how a plasma will respond when the process parameters change is essential for developing, optimising and troubleshooting a plasma process.

Objective : The emphasis is on understanding the basic concepts and the techniques applied in plasma generation. It is assumed that the participant has a basic knowledge of physics and mathematics, but it is also assumed that they are completely unfamiliar with plasmas.  As part of this course each participant will receive a detailed reference manual. 
This course is provided in a general format but can be tailored to meet clients needs.  If you or you company are interested in further information on this course please complete the following form:

Name:
Email:
Company:
Course Query:

General Outline

Introduction to Plasmas

  • What is a Plasma? Where are plasmas found, Plasma sin nature and in technology.
  • Fundamental Processes in Plasmas.
  • Electrical Interactions and Debye Shielding.
  • Charged Particle Collisions and Plasma Chemistry.
  • Equilibrium and Steady State.
  • Particle distribution and temperature.
  • Methods of plasma generation and types of plasma.
  • Why RF?


Vacuum Technology

  • Gas flow, gas pressure , gas surface interaction.
  • Classification of vacuum
  • Types of pumps.
  • Residual gases in vacuum.
  • Vacuum compatible materials and sealing techniques.
  • Cleanliness.
  • Vacuum problems and solutions


RF Power and Plasma Generation

  • AC circuits and impedance.
  • Current, voltage and power.
  • LCR circuits and resonance.
  • Transmission lines and impedance matching.
  • Matchboxes, power loss, connections and shielding.
  • Equivalent circuits of capacitive plasmas
  • Self bias, potential and electric field distribution


Plasma Properties

  • Generation and loss of ions and electrons
  • Sheaths, ambipolar diffusion.
  • The Bohm sheath criterion and ion energy.
  • Particle and energy balance; plasma density and electron temperature.
  • RF sheath structure and scaling
  • Estimating plasma parameters


Plasma Surface Interactions

  • Surface physics.
  • Ion-surface interactions, electron-surface interactions.
  • The role of radicals and other neutral species.
  • Damage, etching, sputtering, deposition and implantation.

The basics of vacuum technology in industrial applications

Aim: To provide the information necessary for an understanding of vacuums as they are applied in an industrial context.  Process engineers and technicians/operators working with vacuum need to be familiar both with the technologies associated with the use of vacuums and with the basic principles of vacuum physics. 

Objective: As part of this course each participant will receive a detailed reference manual. This course is provided in a general format but can be tailored to meet clients needs. If you would like further information on this course or are interested in participating in a course please complete the expression of interest form or email jpc@physics.dcu.ie

Name:
Email:
Company:
Course Query:

General Outline

1 Introduction

  • Introduction to Industrial Uses
  • Why use it in Plasma


2 Gas Fundamentals & Kinetic Theory

  • The Mean Free Path
  • The Impingement Rate
  • Vapour Pressure
  • Macroscopic Gas Laws
  • Partial Pressure


3 Classification of Vacuum

  • Classification of vacuum by pressure range


4 Gas sources in a Chamber

  • Adsorption
  • Outgassing
  • Leaks
  • Vapours
  • Permeation
  • Virtual leaks


5 Gas Flow Regimes

  • Continuum or Viscous Flow
  • Molecular Flow
  • Knudsen Flow


6 Gas Flow in Real Systems and Pipes

  • Conductance, Speed, Throughput
  • Pipe Conductance under Continuum Flow
  • Aperture Conductance in Molecular Flow
  • Long Pipe Conductance under Molecular Flow
  • Generalised Pipe Conductance under Molecular Flow
  • Practical Situations


7 Vacuum Materials and Sealing Techniques

  • Materials and Properties
  • Vacuum Chambers
  • Standardised Seals
  • Fittings


8 The Pumping Process

  • Equation of State
  • Chamber Pressure as a Function of Speed and Time
  • Design a Vacuum Chamber


9 Vacuum Pumps

  • Rotary Oil Pump 
  • Roots Pump
  • Turbomolecular Pump
  • Diffusion Pump
  • Sorption Pump
  • Sublimation Pump
  • Getter-ion Pump
  • Cryopump


10 Pressure Measurement

  • The Pirani Gauge
  • The Ionisation Gauge
  • Capacitance Manometer
  • Inverted Magnetron


11 Good Vacuum Practice

  • General guidelines for good vacuum practice


12 Leak Detection

  • Verifying the Leak
  • Detection Routine
  • Test Gases and Vapours
  • Residual Gas Analyser or Mass Spectrometer

General Electrical and Radio Frequency (RF) Safety

General Outline

Aim : This programme is designed to make participants aware of the dangers, hazards and safety precautions one should consider when working with electrical and RF equipment.

Objectives:

  1. Define the nature of an electric shock
  2. Identify factors that lead to electric shock
  3. Define nature of RF radiation
  4. Identify hazards associated with RF & EM exposure
  5. Define safety precautions

Indicative Syllabus 

Module 1 – General Electrical Safety - Review

Module 2 – Radio Frequency (RF) - Review

Module 3 – Electric shock

Module 4 – Exposure to Radio Frequency RF – The Human Body

Module 5 – Exposure to Radio Frequency RF – Effects on Equipment and Instrumentation

Module 6 – Electrical Hazard Prevention & Safe Practices around RF.

Delivery: Either Web-Based or Instructor lead or combination