Structural, Mechanical and Erosion Properties of Plasma Sprayed Yttrium Oxide Coatings by Axial Injection of Fine Powder Slurries for Semiconductor and Flat-Panel-Display Applications

Yttrium oxide coatings have been prepared with high power axial injection plasma spraying using fine powder slurries. In order to understand basic coating properties, comparison of microstructure, porosity and hardness have been conducted among the high power suspension plasma spray coatings, high power plasma spray coatings prepared using conventional sized powder and coatings by conventional plasma spraying with the conventional powder. Erosion properties, the most important property for chamber shielding parts in dry etching equipments, have been also investigated against halogen containing plasma, widely used in the etching process of silicon electronic devices and flat panel display. This paper will describe the superiority of the suspension plasma spray coating of yttrium oxide in terms of high density, high hardness, high uniformity, high anti-plasma erosion resistance and retention of smooth surface after plasma erosion.