Study of the surface mechanisms in an Ar–N2 post-discharge cleaning process

The purpose of the present investigation is to gain understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the cleaning properties of Ar–N2 post-discharges at room temperature. The evolution of the gas-phase composition is monitored by optical emission spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is used to characterize the surface of iron samples initially covered by a contamination layer at various treatment times. Both techniques suggest that cleaning is at least a two-step process, beginning with the removal of aliphatic carbon from the surface.