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4, AUGUST 2006

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Oxide-Layer Thickness Effect for Surface Roughness Using Low-Pressure Arc

Toru Iwao, Member, IEEE, Yoshihiro Inagaki, Atsushi Sato, Student Member, IEEE, and Motoshige Yumoto, Member, IEEE

AbstractLow-pressure arc cleaning is a process for removing an oxide layer. Currently, chemical and mechanical means are typically used to remove such layers. However, both methods present difculties such as a liquid waste, dust, and noise. Regarding the low-pressure arc cleaning, waste comes from one source: the oxide layer. In addition, the cathode spot has very high temperatures that are sufcient to remove the oxide layer. This paper describes the removal of the nanometer-thick oxide layer from a thin metal plate. An oxide layer of 27157 nm was removed, thereby, obtaining a smooth surface whose respective arithmetical mean height (Ra ) and average length of an outline curve element (Rsm ) are 0.04 and 6.4 m. In that case, Ra and Rsm increased with an increasing oxide-layer thickness at 3971680 nm. Those results depend on the oxide-layer thickness. Therefore, although the surface is cratered and rough after a cathode-spot treatment on the chemical oxide layer (6.7 nm), a smooth surface is obtainable after the cathode-spot treatment on the thermal oxide layer (27, 66, and 157 nm). Surface roughness depends on the processing time to produce one crater, which depends on the oxide-layer thickness. Index TermsCathode spots, low-pressure arc, oxide layer, processing time, smooth surface, vacuum arc.
Fig. 1. Schematic illustration of the experimental setup.

I. I NTRODUCTION XIDE LAYERS accrete stably on steel-material surfaces during manufacturing. Low-pressure arc cathode spots can remove the oxide layers from metallic surfaces [1], [2]. After removal of the oxide layers, those surfaces become rough because the high-temperature cathode spot melts the surface. Cathode spots are characterized [1], [3] by: 1) numerous arc spots; 2) vapor emission of the cathode material because of extremely intense arc power; 3) rapid, apparently random movement of the spots on the cathode surface [1]; and 4) preferential formation on oxides [1]. Oxides under the cathode spots are vaporized and removed instantaneously. Application of a low-pressure arc creates neither noise nor sludge, because the treatment is conducted in an enclosed space. Although few reports have addressed the cleaning action of the cathode spots in the process of the low-pressure plasma spray (LPPS) [3], [4], few reports have described the smoothsurface treatment. Removal characteristics of the oxide layer on a stainless steel have been reported [1]. The present study
Manuscript received December 4, 2005; revised March 31, 2006. T. Iwao and M. Yumoto are with the Faculty of Engineering, Musashi Institute of Technology, Tokyo 158-8557, Japan. Y. Inagaki and A. Sato are with the Graduate School of Engineering, Musashi Institute of Technology, Tokyo 158-8557, Japan. Color versions of Figs. 25 are available online at http://ieeexplore.ieee.org. Digital Object Identier 10.1109/TPS.2006.877745

elucidated the smooth-surface treatment of a nanometer-thick oxide layer on a SUS430 stainless steel using the cathode spots produced using a low-pressure arc. Results were evaluated using an Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and laser microscopy to determine the effect of the oxide-layer thickness on the arithmetical mean height (Ra ), and the average length of the outline curve element (Rsm ). In addition, the relation between the oxide-layer thickness and the processing time to produce one crater were investigated to determine the effect for the surface roughness.

II. E XPERIMENTAL A RRANGEMENT D ETAILS A. Experimental Setup Fig. 1 shows that the experimental setup comprises a vacuum chamber containing electrodes and a water-cooled copper electrode as an anode, along with a dc power supply (no-load voltage of 200 V) for the arc, and an evacuation system with a rotary pump. The SUS430 workpiece surface has an oxide layer. The workpiece is connected to the negative pole of the power supply and serves as a cathode. The anode and cathode surfaces are maintained at 40-mm separation. The chamber with the specimen was evacuated to 30 Pa. Argon gas was introduced into the chamber at 0.1 MPa; it was evacuated again to 30 Pa. This operation was repeated. Adjusting the needle valve of the gas inlet controlled the chamber pressure. At this time, the pressure was adjusted to 100 Pa. A transferred arc was ignited

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B. Roughness and Smooth Surface Fig. 4 shows the surface roughness of each sample measured using a laser microscope. Although high peaks exist at 6.7 nm, low peaks exist at 27, 66, and 157 nm. The peaks increase with an increasing oxide-layer thickness. In addition, although the length between the peaks becomes great at 6.7 or 1680 nm, it is less at 27, 66, or 157 nm. Fig. 5 shows the arithmetical mean height (Ra ) and the average length of the outline curve element (Rsm ) measured using a laser microscope after the treatment. The Ra and Rsm , each becomes high at 0.53 and 23 m when the oxide-layer thickness is 6.7 nm. However, when its thickness is 27, 66, or 157 nm, the Ra and Rsm , respectively, becomes low and constant at 0.04 and almost 6.4 m: The respective Ra and Rsm are 0.03 and 13 m before the treatment. When the oxide-layer thickness is 1 680 nm, the Ra and Rsm become high at 0.32 and 14.5 m, respectively, because of large craters created by the cathode spot. Subsequently, Rsm decreases, thereby, a smoother surface is obtained with this cathode-spot treatment using the low-pressure arc. Numerous small indentations exist on the surface when the Ra and Rsm are small. For that reason, to achieve a smooth surface, it is important to form small indentations. Therefore, the smooth surface requires a small Ra and Rsm . One reason is that the high-temperature cathode spot melts the surface even if the arc is in a low-pressure condition. Consequently, the cathode spot presented a thermal-plasma condition. When the cathode-spot size and number are constant, the cathode-spot energy densities are equal. C. Model of Crater Formation In this experimental condition, the current and voltage are constant. Fig. 6(a)(d) shows the model of the formed crater under a consideration of the above energy-density condition. The low-pressure arc forms a large crater in the case of the chemical oxide layer, as shown in Fig. 6(a), because it can form a crater not only at the oxide layer, but also at the bulk layer. However, it forms a very small crater in the case of the thin oxide layer, as shown in Fig. 6(b) and (c), because it can form the crater mostly at the oxide layer and slightly at the bulk layer. A thick oxide layer takes a long time for removal. The bulk metal was melted because of a thermal conduction. At this time, the bulk metal was gush as shown in Fig. 6(d). Therefore, Fig. 5 shows that, Ra and Rsm are small in the cases of 27, 66, and 157 nm. Fig. 7 shows the relation between Ra and Rsm for a smooth surface. In this result, a smooth surface is obtainable after the treatment of the thin oxide layer. The Ra and Rsm should be high values; alternatively, Ra should be high when a rough surface is desired. In this case, the oxide-layer thickness can be changed. D. Cathode-Spot Size Fig. 8 shows the relation between the oxide-layer thickness and the processing time to make one crater under an experimental case to determine the effect for the surface

Fig. 2. Input voltage.

using an RF igniter. Then, the arc current was adjusted to 20 A in the constant-current mode. The arc time was 1 s. B. Oxide Layer on the Workpiece The SUS430 workpieces were 30 mm 30 mm with a 0.5-mm height. They were heated in an electrical furnace to their respective heating temperatures. The thermal-oxides thickness, Do , was analyzed using the AES.The workpiece surfaces were covered uniformly with a black oxide. The oxide layers on the workpieces treated using the cathode spot of the low-pressure arc were 6.7 (chemical oxide), 27, 66, 157, 397, 667, and 1680 nm. Chemical oxide forms after an exposure to air. The thermal oxide, called a black oxide, is produced during a processing in the electrical furnace. III. R ESULTS AND D ISCUSSION A. Crater Size and Oxide Layer Thickness The cathode spots move, split, and recombine on the cathode during the processing [5]. Fig. 2 shows the input voltage used for 157-nm oxide-layer thickness. The respective mean voltages are 33.3, 32.6, and 32.7 V in the cases of 6.7, 157, and 1680 nm of the oxide-layer thickness. There is no great difference attributable to the oxide-layer thickness. Fig. 3(a)(g) shows the surface images taken using a laser microscope after the low-pressure arc treatment in the cases of 6.7-(chemical oxide), 27-, 66-, 157-, 397-, 667-, and 1680-nm oxide-layer thickness. These are the different sample surfaces. When the cathode spot of the low-pressure arc moves, some craters are formed, as shown in Fig. 3(a), because of the high energy density of the spots. However, a few small craters exist, as shown in Fig. 3(b)(d). Then, some craters of Fig. 3(e)(g) become larger than those of Fig. 3(b)(d). Therefore, the surface condition is inferred to depend on the oxide-layer thickness. The low-pressure arc can remove the oxide layer in this experimental condition. A chemical oxide layer exists after the treatment because the sample is exposed to an oxygen when it is taken from the vacuum chamber.

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Fig. 3.

Surface image by a laser microscopy. (a) 6.7 nm (chemical oxide). (b) 27 nm. (c) 66 nm. (d) 157 nm. (e) 397 nm. (f) 667 nm. (g) 1680 nm.

Fig. 5. Roughness measured using a laser microscope.

Fig. 4.

Surface roughness.

roughness: 20-A current; two cathode spots; 5-m cathode crater; 33.3, 32.6, 32.7-V mean voltage; 1.51, 0.00, 0.87-m estimated depths of the oxide; and a bulk layer that has been

melted in the case of 6.7, 157, and 1680 nm of the oxidelayer thickness, respectively. The oxide layer of the SUS430 is considered to be Cr2 O3 . The boiling point, specic heat, and specic gravity of Cr2 O3 are 2400 K, 460 J/(kg K), and 6900 kg/m3 , respectively. Because the value for a specic heat of Cr2 O3 is unknown, that of Fe is used. The melting point,

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Fig. 6. Model of a crater formation. (a) 6.7 nm. (b) 27 nm. (c) 127 nm. (d) 1680 nm.

specic heat, and specic gravity of SUS430 bulk (Fe) are 1510 K, 460 J/(kg K), and 7700 kg/m3 , respectively E = iV /N s Qcathode = Qvapor + Qelec + Qsub + Qrad Qcathode = (iV ) Qvapor = s Qelec = i Qsub = s
4 Qrad = sTv

(1) (2) (3)

dD dt

Hv

(4) (5)

dT dx

(6)
x=0

(7) (8) (9)

Fig. 7. Relation between Ra and Rsm for a surface.

t = 1 + 2 + 3 1 = Tv 2E
2

1 2 = 2 E

2 22 Tv + D0 EHv

2Tv

2 + D EH 2 T v 0 v

(10) (11)

3 = 1 + 2 .

In these equations: Qcathode (W/m2 ) is the heat ux to the cathode spot from the arc; Qvapor (W/m2 ) is the surfacevaporization energy; Qelectron (W/m2 ) is the cooling energy of the electrode with an electron emission; Qradiation is the radiation loss (Blackbody) (W/m2 ); Qsubstrate (W/m2 )

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Fig. 8. Relation between the oxide-layer thickness and processing time to make one crater for a surface roughness.

layer thickness increases, the and 3 to make one crater increase, except in the case of 6.7 nm (chemical oxide-layer thickness). Surface roughness is determined by 3 , because the increment of 3 depends on the bulk depth.Therefore, the surface roughness depends on the processing time, which depends on the oxide-layer thickness to produce one crater. In the case of 157 nm, the total processing time is very fast, with a low peak, because the cathode spot only melts the oxide layer. Therefore, the roughness becomes extremely smooth, as shown in Fig. 5. In the case of 1680 nm, it takes a long time to evaporate the oxide layer; the bulk is melted through the thermal conduction. Therefore, the roughness is determined by melting the bulk thickness, and the surface becomes rough, as shown in Fig. 5. In addition, the cathodespot movement becomes fast with decreasing the oxide-layer thickness at the experiment. This result is explainable by this calculation. Therefore, this processing time of the oxide layer, which depends on the oxide-layer thickness, is important to treat the surface. IV. C ONCLUSION

represents the thermal conductivity to a bulk (one dimension); i(A) is the current of each cathode spot; I (A) is the arc current; V (V) shows the arc voltage; (= 1/3) [3] is the ratio of the cathode spot for all input energy; (eV) is the work function of the oxide layer; = /(Cp ) is the thermal diffusivity; T denotes temperature (K); [W/(m K)] is the thermal conductivity; (kg/m3 ) represents the surface mass density; Cp [J/(kg K)] is the specic heat at a constant pressure; Tv (K) is the boiling point of the surface; t(s) represents the total processing time (treating oxide and bulk layer); 1 (s) is the time to reach the boiling temperature of the oxide-layer surface; 2 (s) is the time to evaporate the oxide layer; 3 (s) is the time to treat the bulk layer; 1 (s) is the time to reach the melting temperature of the bulk-layer surface; 2 (s) is the time to melt the bulk layer; E (W/m2 ) is the energy density of the cathode spot; D(t)(m) denotes the time function of the oxide-layer thickness; D0 (m) is the initial value of the oxide layer; t(s) denotes time; tu (s) is the time necessary for removal of the oxide layer; L(m) is the melt depth; [W/(m2 K4 )] denotes the Stefan-Boltzmann constant; N is the number of cathode spots; s is the cathodespot area (m2 ); and Hv (J/m3 ) represents the vapor energy per unit volume. Equation (2) shows the energy balance of a heat ux to the cathode spot from the arc. Each energy is expressed by (3)(7). Here, Qrad is ignored because of the low radiation. Equations (9) and (10) are derived from (2). Parameters of this experiment are substituted for (9) and (10). In this calculation, the cathode spot evaporates the oxide layer and melts the bulk layer. The total processing times to produce one crater, (= 1 + 2 + 3), are 2.42 103 , 6.94 104 , 5.24 103 s in the cases of 6.7, 157, 1680 nm of the oxide-layer thickness. The time to reach the boiling temperature of the oxide-layer surface and time to evaporate the oxide layer; 1 + 2 , are 2.86 104 , 6.94 104 , and 3.78 103 s. The time to treat the bulk layer, 3 , is 2.14 103 , 0, 1.46 103 s. When the oxide-

Removal of a nanometer-thick oxide layer on a thin metal plate was described. The main results are described below. 1) The oxide layer is removed, and a smooth surface whose arithmetical mean height (Ra ) and average length of outline curve element (Rsm ) are obtainable as 0.04 and 6.4 m, respectively, using an oxide layer of 27 nm. These values are identical to those before treatment. 2) Roughness depends on the oxide-layer thickness. Craters form, because of the cathode spot of high energy density when the oxide-layer thickness is small: ca. 6.7 nm. When the oxide-layer thickness is 27, 66, or 157 nm, the crater becomes quite small, and the roughness decreases. However, when the oxide-layer thickness is greater than 157 nm, the crater becomes large, and roughness increases. 3) A smooth surface is obtained using this cathode-spot treatment with a low-pressure arc. One reason is that the high-temperature cathode spot melts the surface, even if the arc is in a low-pressure condition. For that reason, the cathode spot presents a thermal-plasma condition. 4) Low-pressure arc treatment forms large craters in a chemical oxide layer. The treatment can produce a crater not only in the oxide layer, but also in the bulk layer. However, it forms a small crater in the case of a thin oxide layer because, it can form the crater at the oxide layer and a small bulk layer. 5) Surface roughness depends on the processing time, which depends on the oxide-layer thickness to produce a crater; the roughness is determined by the melting bulk thickness. ACKNOWLEDGMENT The authors would like to thank Prof. T. Inaba and M. Hara of Chuo University for their fruitful suggestions.

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R EFERENCES
[1] I. I. Beilis, State of theory of vacuum arc, IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci., vol. 29, no. 5, pp. 657670, Oct. 2001. [2] A. E. Guile and B. Juttner, Basic erosion processes of oxidized and clean metal cathodes by electric arcs, IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci., vol. PS-8, no. 3, pp. 259269, 1980. [3] K. Takeda and S. Takeuchi, Removal of oxide layer on metal surface by vacuum arc, Mat. Trans. JIM , vol. 38, pp. 636642, 1997. [4] Y. Kubo, S. Maezono, K. Ogura, T. Iwao, S. Tobe, and T. Inaba, Pretreatment on metal surface for plasma spray with cathode spots of low pressure arc, in Surface and Coating Technology, vol. 200. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Elsevier, 2005, pp. 11681172. [5] B. Juttner, Cathode spots of electric arcs, J. Phys. D, Appl. Phys., vol. 34, no. 17, pp. R103R123, Sep. 2001.

Yoshihiro Inagaki was born in Kanagawa, Japan, on October 5, 1982. He received the B.E. degree in electrical and electronic engineering in 2005 from Musashi Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan, where he is currently working toward the M.E. degree. His current research interests include removing oxide layers from metal layers using low-pressure arc discharge. Mr. Inagaki is a member of the Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan.

Toru Iwao (S98A99M03) was born in Kanagawa, Japan, on February 15, 1974. He received the B.E., M.E., and Ph.D. degrees in electrical and electronic engineering from Chuo University, Tokyo, Japan, in 1997, 1998, and 2000, respectively, and the B.A. degree in human development and education from the University of the Air, Chiba, Japan, in 2002. From 1997 to 1998, he was an Associate Researcher with the Institute of Science and Engineering, Chuo University. In 1999, he was a Research Assistant with the Institute of Science and Engineering, Chuo University. From 2001 to 2004, he was a Research Associate with the Institute of Science and Engineering, Chuo University. Since April 2004, he has been a Lecturer with Musashi Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan. Since 2001, he has been a Visiting and Joint Researcher with Chuo University and Osaka University. From 2001 to 2002, he was a Visiting Scientist at Texas Tech University, Lubbock. From 2002 to 2003, he was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. In 1998, he studied at Central Washington University. His current research interests are plasma arc discharge, thermal plasma, lightning, plasma treatment for hazardous wastes, pulsed power, education of experiment, and so on. Dr. Iwao is a member of the Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan, Japan Society of Applied Physics, Japan Society of Plasma Science and Nuclear Fusion Research, Iron and Steel Institute of Japan, Institute of Engineers on Electrical Discharges in Japan, and Institute of Applied Plasma Science. He received a Paper Presentation Award from the Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan, in 2000, and a Best Paper Presentation Award from the Japan-Korea (JK) Symposium in 2003.

Atsushi Sato (S06) was born in Yamanashi, Japan, on May 23, 1983. He received the B.E. degree in electrical and electronic engineering in 2006 from Musashi Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan where he is currently working toward the M.E. degree. His current research interests include removing oxide layers from metal layers using low-pressure arc discharge. Mr. Sato is a member of the Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan.

Motoshige Yumoto (A75S77A78M86) was born on January 17, 1950. He received the B.E., M.E., and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from Musashi Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan, in 1972, 1974, and 1978, respectively. He is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Musashi Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan, and a Chairperson of the Technical Committee on Electrical Discharge. Mr. Yumoto is a member of the Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan.