Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A, Vol.23, No.4, 1018-1021, 2005
Plasma-based ion implantation sterilization technique and ion energy estimation
Plasma-based ion implantation (PBII) is applied as a sterilization technique for three-dimensional work pieces. In the sterilization process, a pulsed negative high voltage (5 mu s pulse width, 300 pulses/s,-800 V to -13 kV) is applied to the electrode (workpiece) under N-2 at a gas pressure of 2.4 Pa. The resultant self-ignited plasma is shown to successfully reduce the number of active Bacillus pumilus cells by 105 times after 5 min of processing. The nitrogen ion energy is estimated using a simple method based on secondary ion mass spectroscopy analysis of the vertical distribution of nitrogen in PBII-treated Si. (c) 2005 American Vacuum Society.