Estimation of Nitrogen Ion Energy in Sterilization Technology by Plasma Based Ion Implantation

Abstract

Plasma based ion implantation (PBII) with negative voltage pulses to the test specimen has been applied to the sterilization process as a technique suitable for three-dimensional work pieces. Pulsed high negative voltage (5 μs pulse width, 300 pulses/s, -800 V to -15 kV) was applied to the electrode in this process at a gas pressure of 2.4 Pa of N₂. We found that the PBII process, in which N₂ gas self-ignitted plasma generated by only pulsed voltages is used, reduces the number of active Bacillus pumilus cell. The number of bacteria survivors was reduced by 10^-5 x with 5 min exposure. Since the ion energy is the most important processing parameter, a simple method to estimate the nitrogen ion energy from distribution of nitrogen atoms in Si implanted by PBII was developed. The implanted ion energy is discussed from the SIMS in depth profiles.