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Novel automation of intermittent spray pyrolysis using microcontroller

V. SENTHILNATHAN1,* , S. GANESAN2, SARITHA SENTHILNATHAN3, M. V. VASU3, V. VIJAYAKUMAR GANDHI4

Affiliation

  1. Department of Physics, Kumaraguru College of Technology, Coimbatore-641 006, India
  2. Department of Physics, Government College of Technology, Coimbatore-641 013, India
  3. Nathas.com Research Ideas Center, Saravanampatty, Coimbatore- 641 035, India
  4. Larsen & Toubro Ltd., KKNPP project site, Kudankulam, India – 627 106 ,India

Abstract

Spray pyrolysis represents a very simple and relatively cost-effective processing method (especially with regard to equipment costs). The quality and properties of the films depend largely on the process parameters. The most important parameter is the substrate surface temperature. In Intermittent spray the spray is paused after regular interval to reduce the drop down of substrate temperature in continuous spray. It is a proven fact that intermittent spray has advantages over the continuous spray pyrolysis deposition. In this work the SPTD equipment is fabricated. The novelty is the use of a simplified low cost microcontroller to automate the intermittent spray process as per the requirements. In this it simultaneously governs the precise intermittent spray, ventilation of the chamber and substrate movement. Hence, it becomes almost an automatic coating process which helps to get quality thin films. The focus of interest in this research paper is to mention the computer programme written in C language for the microcontroller. It automatically controls the spray process as per the user defined intermittent spray settings. Using this economic device thin film like TCO and TiO2 were prepared for studying / manufacturing Dye Sensitised Solar Cell (DSSC). This paper is expected to be useful for researchers and manufacturers for making thin films by almost automatic SPTD method..

Keywords

Microcontroller, intermittent Spray Pyrolysis, Thin films, DSSC.

Submitted at: Sept. 14, 2010
Accepted at: Oct. 14, 2010

Citation

V. SENTHILNATHAN, S. GANESAN, SARITHA SENTHILNATHAN, M. V. VASU, V. VIJAYAKUMAR GANDHI, Novel automation of intermittent spray pyrolysis using microcontroller, Journal of Optoelectronics and Advanced Materials Vol. 12, Iss. 10, pp. 2144-2149 (2010)