Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.

Yoshitami Inoue

Yasushi Sawada

Hiroaki Kitamura

Kosuke Nakamura

Masuhiro Kogoma

Keiichi Yamazaki

Sachiko Okazaki

A plasma treatment apparatus includes two or more pairs of electrodes for plasma generation, a treatment chamber for accommodating the electrodes, gas supply unit for supplying a plasma-generation gas such as rare gas into the chamber, and a power supply. A pulse-like or AC voltage is applied between the electrodes to generate dielectric barrier discharge plasma of the gas in the vicinity of atmospheric pressure, so that an object placed between the electrodes is treated by the plasma. At least one of the electrodes is provided with a tubular electrode substrate and a protection layer formed by heat-fusion coating a glass-based material on at least an outer surface exposed to plasma of the tubular electrode substrate.

Electrode for plasma generation, plasma treatment apparatus using the electrode, and plasma treatment with the apparatus

A plasma processing apparatus for performing plasma processing of an article, comprising: a central electrode; a tubular outer electrode which is provided so as to surround the central electrode; a tubular reaction pipe which is disposed between the central electrode and the outer electrode so as to electrically insulate the central electrode and the outer electrode from each other; a gas supply device for supplying a plasma producing gas to a discharge space defined between the central electrode and the outer electrode in the reaction pipe; an AC power source for applying an AC voltage between the central electrode and the outer electrode; wherein not only the plasma producing gas is supplied to the discharge space by the gas supply device but the AC voltage is applied between the central electrode and the outer electrode by the AC power source so as to generate a glow discharge in the discharge space under atmospheric pressure such that a plasma jet is blown to the article from a blow-off outlet of the reaction pipe; and a cooling device for cooling the central electrode and the outer electrode.

Plasma processing apparatus and method

A plasma treatment apparatus capable of efficiently performing a plasma treatment to a large area of an object while preventing the occurrence of streamer discharge is provided. The apparatus includes at least one pair of electrodes, gas supply unit for supplying a gas for plasma generation to a discharge space defined between the electrodes, and an electric power supply for applying an AC voltage between the electrodes to generate plasma of the gas for plasma generation in the discharge space. At least one of the pair of electrodes has a dielectric layer at an outer surface thereof. At least one of the pair of electrodes has a curved surface jutting into the discharge space. It is preferred that the electrodes are of a cylindrical structure. In this case, it is particularly preferred that the plasma treatment apparatus further includes a coolant supply unit for supplying a coolant to the interior of the electrodes to reduce an electrode temperature during the plasma treatment.

Growing community of inventors

Neyagawa, Japan

Yoshitami Inoue