M. Boulos, Tekna Plasma Systems Inc., Sherbrooke, QC, Canada

Summary: Induction plasmas have been widely recognized as a viable tool for the in-flight melting and purification of powders. A wide range of materials are currently produced on an industrial scale using induction plasma technology. These are characterized by their high purity, dense, free-flowing, spherical particle shape. A number of these materials are subsequently used for the preparation of CVD targets for the electronic industry. The process steps involve the cold pressing followed by the hipping of the powder in order to form the CVD target. These two separate steps could be, however, combined in a single more economical single step of in-flight plasma melting and purification of the powders, and the deposition on the molten droplets on a dummy substrate. The dense high purity deposit thus formed could be then transferred to the final target backing material. The coating could also be directly made on worn out targets thus allowing their refurbishing by adding material only where it is needed and final finishing the top surface of the target. A brief description of the overall process steps developed by Tekna Plasma Systems will be presented. Emphasis will be placed on the fundamentals mechanism involved, and the analysis of the potential industrial applications this process and its limitations.