ABSTRACT
The description of the interaction of plasma particles with a surface would need to detail each chemical component of the plasma interacting with the surface, which is characterized by its distribution of states. The plasma is mainly composed of neutrals in their ground electronic state containing some rotational-vibrational excitation, and atoms. The interaction potential of an atom approaching a surface can be considered as the sum of the potentials of interaction of this atom with each atom on the surface. For adsorption processes, the surface interaction potential strongly depends on the species/surface system. The effect of surface contamination on the adsorption process can be drastically important. During collisions between particles and a surface, energy transfer from the gas to the surface or from the surface to the gas can occur. Interaction of neutrals with surfaces involves transfer of: vibrational energy; translational energy; rotational energy; adsorption potential energy; and recombination - desorption potential energy.
