JP2005072016A - Electrode structure of plasma treatment device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electrode structure of a plasma treatment device for preventing forming a gap between an electrode and a solid dielectric plate. <P>SOLUTION: A plate 13 of the solid dielectric plate 13 covers a face opposed to the other electrode of an electrode 11 of the plasma treatment device 1. The electrode 11 is provided with a plate supporting member 14 supported by a holder 12 and also to support the both sides of the plate 13. An edge face of the plate 13 is gradually inclined from the other electrode side toward the electrode side of the device 1 so as to project toward the member 14. On the other hand, the member 14 is formed with an L-shaped cross sectional groove 14c into which the edge face of the plate 13 is fitted. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrode structure of a plasma processing apparatus, and more particularly to an electrode structure suitable for performing plasma surface treatment under normal pressure.

  For example, Patent Document 1 describes an atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus. This apparatus includes a pair of upper and lower electrodes arranged in a normal pressure environment. An electric field is applied between these electrodes and a processing gas is introduced. As a result, glow-like discharge occurs, the processing gas is turned into plasma, and the plasma surface treatment of the workpiece is performed under normal pressure. On the other hand, there is a possibility that an arc may be generated by applying an electric field. This is particularly likely under normal pressure. Therefore, a solid dielectric plate made of, for example, quartz glass is provided on the upper surface of the electrode body made of the conductive metal of the lower electrode. As a result, arcing can be prevented, and damage to the workpiece can be prevented.

Japanese Patent No. 3040358 (FIGS. 8 and 7)

Since the solid dielectric plate of the above-mentioned patent document is simply placed on the electrode body, it is not only unstable, but also a minute gap is formed between the electrode body and the solid dielectric plate, where an arc is generated. There is a risk of standing. Further, it cannot be applied to the upper electrode. Therefore, for example, it is conceivable that a member for supporting the solid dielectric plate is provided on the edge of the solid dielectric plate and the plate support member is fixed to the electrode body.
However, there may be no gap between the electrode body and the solid dielectric plate due to manufacturing error of each component.

In order to solve the above-described problems, an electrode structure of a plasma processing apparatus according to the present invention includes one electrode, a solid dielectric plate covering a surface facing the other electrode of the one electrode, and the solid dielectric A plate support member for supporting the body plate, and an edge surface of the solid dielectric plate is inclined so as to protrude toward the plate support member from the other electrode side toward the one electrode side. The plate support member is formed with a groove having a cross-sectional shape in which an edge of the solid dielectric plate is fitted. Thereby, the solid dielectric plate can be easily supported.
It is desirable that a pair of the plate support members are provided on both sides of the one electrode, and these plate support members support both edge portions of the solid dielectric plate.

  It is desirable to have an electrode main body portion including the one electrode, and the plate support member is provided on the electrode main body portion so as to be slidable and fixable in the facing direction. Thus, by sliding the plate support member toward the one electrode side, the solid dielectric plate can be pressed not only against the one electrode but also pressed against the electrode main body portion. By fixing, the pressed state of the solid dielectric plate to the electrode can be maintained. Accordingly, it is possible to reliably prevent a gap from being formed between the solid dielectric plate and the electrode, and to reliably prevent an arc from being generated between the solid dielectric plate and the electrode.

It is desirable that a guide groove extending in the facing direction is formed on one of the electrode main body and the plate support member, and a fitting protrusion that is slidably fitted in the guide groove is provided on the other. .
Thereby, the slide configuration can be simplified.

It is desirable that the electrode main body and the plate support member are fixed by a screw member, and the hole through which the screw member of the plate support member passes is a long hole having a long axis directed in the facing direction.
As a result, the screw member can be securely screwed into the screw hole of the electrode main body through the long hole of the plate support member in a state where the solid dielectric plate is pressed against the electrode regardless of the manufacturing error of each constituent member. The plate support member can be reliably and easily fixed to the electrode main body.

The electrode body portion and the plate support member may be fixed by screwing a screw member through the plate support member into a portion having no hole in the electrode body portion.
As a result, the plate support member is screwed into the electrode body portion without any holes in the state where the solid dielectric plate is pressed against the electrode regardless of the manufacturing error of each constituent member. Can be fixed securely and easily.

It is desirable that a pair of the plate support members are provided on both side portions of the electrode main body, and these plate support members support both edge portions of the solid dielectric plate.
Accordingly, the plate support member can be stably installed on the electrode main body, and the solid dielectric plate can be stably supported.

An outer surface opposite to the electrode body of one plate support member is provided as a defining surface for introducing a processing gas into the interelectrode space, and an outer surface of the other plate support member is an interelectrode space. Provided as a defining surface of the gas outlet path from which the corners of the outer surface of the plate support member and the other electrode side surface are rounded, and the other electrode side surface of the plate support member is It is desirable that the solid dielectric plate be continuous with the other electrode side surface.
As a result, the processing gas can be smoothly fed from the introduction part to the interelectrode space, and the treated gas can be smoothly flowed out from the interelectrode space to the outlet part. Moreover, abnormal discharge at the edge surface of the solid dielectric plate can be prevented by a combination with a configuration in which the edge portion with the inclined edge surface of the solid dielectric plate is fitted in the cross-sectionally shaped groove of the solid dielectric plate. Was also confirmed.

In the electrode structure of the present invention, in a so-called direct type normal pressure plasma processing apparatus in which the space between the electrodes is substantially normal pressure, and an object to be processed is disposed in the space between the electrodes at approximately normal pressure, and plasma processing is performed. It is effective.
The substantially normal pressure (pressure near atmospheric pressure) in the present invention is 1.333 × 10 ^{4 to} 10.664.
It means the range of × 10 ⁴ Pa. In particular, the range of 9.331 × 10 ^{4 to} 10.9797 × 10 ⁴ Pa is preferable because the pressure adjustment is easy and the apparatus configuration is simple.

  According to the present invention, the solid dielectric plate can be reliably supported by the plate support member.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 schematically shows an atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus M1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus M1 includes electrode units 10 and 20 that are paired up and down, a gas supply / discharge mechanism 30, and a feed mechanism 60. The electrode 11 (FIG. 3) of the upper unit 10 is connected to the electric field applying means 40 via the feeder line 41, and the other electrode 21 (FIG. 10) of the lower unit 20 is grounded via the ground line 42. ing. The electric field applying means 40 outputs, for example, a pulse voltage. As a result, a substantially normal pressure interelectrode space 1a between the electrode units 10 and 20 becomes a plasma space. A processing gas is introduced into the plasma space 1a by the gas supply / exhaust mechanism 30 and is converted into plasma. Then, the upper unit 10 is horizontally moved back and forth by the feed mechanism 60 so as to scan the workpiece W (object to be processed) on the lower unit 20. (The workpiece W is passed through the plasma space 1a.) Thereby, the plasma surface treatment of the workpiece W is performed. Of course, the feed mechanism may move the workpiece W.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 10, the ground electrode 21 of the lower ground electrode unit 20 has a large flat plate shape. A solid dielectric layer 23 is coated on the upper surface of the ground electrode 21 by thermal spraying.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, four (plural) upper electric field application electrode units 10 are arranged along the feeding direction of the feeding mechanism 60, that is, the front-rear direction. Each electrode unit 10 includes the electric field applying electrode 11 and a holder 12 for the electrode 11 and extends long in the left-right direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction.
The electrode 11 and the holder 12 constitute an “electrode body”.

  The electric field applying electrode 11 is formed in a plate shape that is elongated to the left and right by a conductive metal such as stainless steel or aluminum. The width along the front-rear direction of the electrode 11 is desirably 0.1 mm to 50 mm. If it exceeds 50 mm, it will be difficult to maintain the activity and the processing efficiency will be reduced, and if it is less than 0.1 mm, abnormal discharge will easily occur. More preferably, it is 40 mm or less and 10 mm or more.

The front and rear electrodes 11 are relatively wide, and the inner two electrodes 11 are relatively narrow. As a result, the electrode units 10 at both front and rear ends are relatively wide, and the inner two electrode units 10 are relatively narrow.
The power supply line 41 from the electric field applying means 40 is branched and connected to the electrode 11 of each unit 10 (see FIG. 1).

  The holder 12 made of insulating resin extends in the left-right direction in the shape of an elongated box with an open bottom surface. Side plates 14 (plate support members) are provided on the front and rear side surfaces of the holder 12, and end caps 15 are provided on the left and right end surfaces, respectively. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the electrode 11 is accommodated in the holder 12. The exposed lower surface of the electrode 11 (the surface facing the ground electrode 21) is flush with the front and rear lower end surfaces of the holder 12. A solid dielectric plate 13 made of, for example, quartz glass is applied to the lower surfaces of the electrodes 11 and the holder 12. The solid dielectric plate 13 prevents arc discharge in the plasma space 1a.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 9, the corners of the outer surface of the side plate 14 on the front and rear sides of the holder 12 and the upper and lower edge surfaces are rounded. The lower edge surface of the side plate 14 is continuous with the lower surface of the solid dielectric plate 13.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 10, bottom holders 16 are attached to the lower ends of the left and right ends of the holder 12 with bolts 94. The lower end surface of the bottom holder 16 protrudes below the solid dielectric plate 13. At the lower end of the bottom holder 16, a convex piece 16 a that protrudes toward the left and right inside is formed. The convex pieces 16 a sandwich and support the left and right ends of the solid dielectric plate 13 in cooperation with the electrode 11.
Since the configuration related to the support structure of the solid dielectric plate 13 includes the gist of the present invention, it will be described in detail later.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the gap between the lower end protrusion of the bottom holder 16 and the ground electrode unit 20 is very narrow. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the outside air from entering the plasma space 1a and the processing gas in the plasma space 1a from leaking outside.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the four electrode units 10 arranged in the front-rear direction are connected by a support frame 70. A pseudo unit 19 made of a resin having substantially the same shape as that of the electrode unit 10 is provided on the front and rear sides of the electrode units 10. The support frame 70 also includes the pseudo unit 19. These units 10 and 19 and the frame 70 constitute an electrode device 10X. A gap 10a is formed between the units 10 and 19 adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction. (That is, the side plates 14 before and after the electrode unit 10 define a gap 10a.)

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the support frame 70 has a pair of upper and lower frame members 71 and 72 that extend in the front-rear direction at the left and right ends of the electrode unit 10. The ends of the upper and lower frame members 71 and 72 are connected by a short prismatic end block 73.

  Intermediate portions of the left and right upper frame members 71 are connected by a beam member 79 extending in the left-right direction. The beam member 79 is moved back and forth by the feed mechanism 60, so that the entire electrode device 10X is fed back and forth.

The lower frame member 72 penetrates the six units 10 and 19 in a skewered manner. As a result, the units 10 and 19 are supported by the frame 70. That is, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, recesses 12d and 15d are respectively formed on the mating surfaces of the holder 12 and the end cap 15 of each unit 10, and through holes 11d defined by these recesses 12d and 15d. A frame member 72 is passed through.
The left and right ends of the pseudo unit 19 are similarly configured.

  By loosening the bolt 92 that joins the holder 12 and the end cap 15, the positions of the units 10 and 19 can be adjusted back and forth along the frame member 72. As a result, the gap 10a between the adjacent units 10 and 19 can be enlarged or reduced. Furthermore, the units 10 and 19 can be detached from the frame 70 by removing the end cap 15.

Next, the gas supply / discharge mechanism 30 of the atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus M1 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, the gas supply / exhaust mechanism 30 of the atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus M1 includes two types of units 31, 51 attached to the upper electrode unit 10, a processing gas source 3, and an exhaust pump 5. I have. A flexible gas supply pipe 3a extends from the processing gas source 3 and branches to be connected to three (a plurality of) blowing units 31 (processing gas blowing means). Flexible exhaust pipes 5a extend from two (plurality) of suction units 51 (gas suction means), and these join together to connect to the exhaust pump 5.

  2 and 3, the blow-out unit 31 and the suction unit 51 are alternately arranged in the front-rear direction so as to correspond to the gap 10a on the upper side of the units 10 and 19 (the back part opposite to the ground electrode 21 side). Is arranged. Each blowing unit 31, 51 straddles between the upper surfaces of the adjacent units 10, 19.

That is, the blowing units 31 at both ends of the three blowing units 31 are arranged so as to straddle between the upper surfaces of the wide unit 10 and the pseudo unit 19 at both front and rear ends. Further, the central blowing unit 31 is disposed so as to straddle between the upper surfaces of the two narrow units 10 at the center. The gaps 10a corresponding to these blowout units 31 are denoted by reference numeral “10a ₁ ”.

The two suction units 51 are arranged so as to straddle between the upper surfaces of the wide unit 10 at both front and rear ends and the adjacent narrow unit 10. The gaps 10a corresponding to these suction units 51 are indicated by reference numeral “10a ₂ ”.

A specific structure of each blowing unit 31 will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 3, 5, and 9, the blowout unit 31 includes double pipes 33 and 34 that extend left and right, and a casing 32 that accommodates the double pipes 33 and 34. By connecting the gas supply pipe 3a to, for example, the right end (one end) of the inner pipe 33, the processing gas from the processing gas source 3 is introduced into the pipe 33 through the pipe 3a. Yes. A large number of spot-like small holes 33a are formed in the upper portion of the inner pipe 33 at short intervals along the longitudinal direction. The processing gas enters the space between the inner and outer pipes 33 and 34 through these small holes 33a. The inner pipe 33 is eccentric to the upper side with respect to the outer pipe 34. Thereby, the space between the inner and outer pipes 33 and 34 is narrower on the upper side and wider on the lower side. In this space, the processing gas flows from top to bottom. Thus, the processing gas is made uniform in the left-right longitudinal direction. A slit 34 a is formed on the lower side of the outer pipe 34 over substantially the entire length. The slit 34a has continuous with the corresponding gaps 10a ₁ above. Thus, process gas passes through the slit 34a and the corresponding gaps 10a _1, adapted to be blown into the plasma space 1a.

Blowing unit corresponding gaps 10a ₁ are provided as "introduction path to the electrode space of the processing gas", the outer surface of the electrode side plates 14 defining the the clearance 10a ₁ (the surface opposite to the holder 12), It is provided as "the definition plane of the introduction path of the processing gas into the electrode space".

Next, a specific structure of the suction unit 51 will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 3, 6, and 9, the suction unit 51 includes a casing 52 that extends left and right, and a partition wall 53 that partitions the inside of the casing 52 into two upper and lower chambers 52 a and 52 b. The bottom plate 54 of the casing 52 is formed with a slit 54a that extends over substantially the entire length. Through this slit 54a, the lower chamber 52b has continuous with the corresponding gaps 10a ₂ above. A plurality of circular holes 53a are formed in the partition wall 53 at intervals on the left and right. The upper and lower chambers 52a and 52b are connected through the circular hole 53a. At the center of the top plate of the casing 52, a discharge cylinder 54 connected to the upper chamber 52a is provided. An exhaust pipe 5 a to the exhaust pump 5 is connected to the discharge cylinder 54. By driving the exhaust pump 5, the processed gas (including the by-product generated by the processing) in the plasma space 1 a is sucked uniformly into the corresponding gap 10 a ₂ along the longitudinal direction, and the slit 54 a of the unit 51. After passing through the lower chamber 52b, the circular hole 53a, the upper chamber 52a, and the discharge cylinder 54 in sequence, the exhaust gas is exhausted from the exhaust pump 5 through the pipe 5a.

Suction unit corresponding gaps 10a ₂ is provided as "outlet passage of the gas from the inter-electrode space", outer surface of the electrode side plates 14 defining the the clearance 10a ₂ are "outlet passage of the gas from the inter-electrode space It is provided as the "composition plane".
Therefore, the outer surface of one side plate 14 among the side plates 14 on both the front and rear sides of each electrode unit 10 is provided as a defining surface for introducing a processing gas into the plasma space 1a. The surface is provided as a defining surface of a gas lead-out path from the plasma space 1a.

Processing gas from the blowing unit 31 at both ends of the electrode device 10X, after through corresponding gaps 10a ₁ of each unit 31, which is plasma of through the lower space 1a of the wide units 10 at both ends, said width wide unit 10 It adapted to be sucked into the suction unit 51 from the front and rear inside of the gap 10a ₂ of (see arrows in FIG. 1). Further, the processing gas from the central blowing unit 31 is divided into two front and rear through the central gap 10 a _1, and after being plasmized through the space 1 a below the two narrow units 10, A gap 10a ₂ between the front and rear sides of the narrow unit 10
Is sucked into the suction unit 51 (see the arrow in FIG. 1). As a result, only a fresh process gas capable of obtaining a large degree of activity can be flowed below any unit 10, and the efficiency of plasma surface treatment can be improved.

  The attachment structure to the units 10 and 19 of the blowing unit 31 and 51 is demonstrated. The units 31 and 51 are provided in the units 10 and 19 so that the front and rear positions can be adjusted, removed, and rearranged.

Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 9, bolt holes 12 e and 19 e are formed in the upper surface of the holder 12 of the electrode unit 10 and the upper surface of the pseudo unit 19, respectively. On the other hand, insertion holes 32 a are formed in the bottom flanges on both front and rear sides of the casing 32 of the blowout unit 31. A bolt 93 passed through the insertion hole 32a is screwed into the bolt holes 12e and 19e. As a result, the adjacent units 10 and 19 are detachably fixed via the blowing unit 31. Further, the insertion hole 32a is a long hole with the long axis directed in the front-rear direction. This allows adjusting the longitudinal position of the units 10 and 19, and to be able to adjust the spacing (width of the gap 10a ₁₎ between turn neighboring units 10, 19.

  Further, the bolt holes 12e on the upper surface of the unit 10 are also provided at positions that are symmetrical with respect to the side on which the blowout unit 31 is attached. As a result, as shown by the phantom line in FIG. 9, the blowing unit 31 can be attached to the arrangement position of the suction unit 51 instead.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the left and right ends of the blowout unit 31 are sandwiched between the upper frame member 71 and the units 10 and 19.

As shown in FIG. 6, insertion pieces 56 made of plate-like insulating resin are suspended from the left and right ends of the suction unit 51. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the insert 56 is pledged to the right and left end portions of the gap 10a _2. Further, as shown in FIGS. 2, 5, and 6, a narrow gap 10 b is formed between the left and right end surfaces of the side plate 14 of the unit 10 and the end cap 15 and the frame member 72. The front and rear side edges of the insertion piece 56 are inserted into the gap 10b. Then, the side edge of the insertion piece 56 is sandwiched between the end cap 15 and the side plate 14 by bolting the end cap 15. Thereby, the adjacent units 10 are fixed via the insertion piece 56. Each suction unit 51 is adapted to be secured to the unit 10 while permitting width adjustment of the gap 10a _2. Also to be able to prevent the suction of atmosphere leakage or outside of the processing gas from the left and right ends of the gap 10a ₂ by the insertion piece 56.

Incidentally, as shown in FIG. 2, a gap 10b for insertion piece 56 is also provided in the corresponding gaps 10a ₁ blow not to suction the corresponding gaps 10a ₂ only. Therefore, the suction unit 51 can be attached to the arrangement position of the blowout unit 31 instead.

The most characteristic part of the present invention will be described.
As described above, the solid dielectric plate 13 is provided on the lower surface of each electrode unit 10. The solid dielectric plate 13 can be separated from the electrode 11 and is supported by side plates 14 on the front and rear side surfaces of the holder 12.

The support structure for the solid dielectric plate 13 will be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 9, the front and rear edge surfaces of the solid dielectric plate 13 are inclined so as to incline upward toward the front and rear side plates 14.
That is, it is inclined so as to protrude toward the side plate 14 from the lower side (ground electrode side) toward the upper side (electric field application electrode side). Thereby, the front and rear edge portions of the solid dielectric plate 13 are sharpened in a knife edge shape to form a knife edge portion 13c.

  On the other hand, concave grooves 14c each having a letter-shaped cross section are formed at the lower ends of the inner side surfaces of the front and rear side plates 14, respectively. The knife edge portion 13c of the solid dielectric plate 13 is inserted into the concave groove 14c. As a result, the front and rear edges of the solid dielectric plate 13 are supported by the pair of front and rear side plates 14.

  A structure for attaching the side plate 14 to the holder 12 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 9, vertical vertical projections 12 a (fitting projections) are provided on the front and rear side surfaces of the holder 12. On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, vertically long grooves 14 a (guide grooves) are formed on the inner surface of the side plate 14. A vertical protrusion 12a is inserted into the vertical groove 14a so as to be slidable up and down. Thereby, the side plate 14 can slide up and down with respect to the holder 12.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the side plate 14 is formed with an elongated bolt insertion hole 14 b extending vertically. A bolt 91 (screw member) passed through the hole 14 b is screwed into the screw hole 12 b of the holder 12. Thereby, the side plate 14 is fixed to the holder 12.

  According to the above configuration, the knife edge portion 13c of the solid dielectric plate 13 can be easily fitted into the concave groove 14c having a letter-shaped cross section of the side plate 14, and the front and rear edges of the solid dielectric plate 13 are paired with each other. It can be easily supported by the side plate 14.

  Then, by using the sliding fit between the vertical protrusions 12a of the holder 12 and the vertical grooves 14a of the side plate 14, the side plate 14 is pushed up (the phantom line in FIG. 9), and the solid dielectric plate 13 is simply attached to the electrode 11. It can be pressed without stopping. At this time, even if there is a manufacturing error or the like in each component member, the long hole 14 b of the side plate 14 is surely communicated with the screw hole 12 b of the holder 12. Accordingly, the bolt 91 can be easily screwed into the screw hole 12 b through the long hole 14. Thus, the side plate 14 can be fixed to the holder 12 in a state where the solid dielectric plate 13 is pressed against the electrode 11. As a result, it is possible to reliably prevent a gap from being formed between the solid dielectric plate 13 and the electrode 11, and to reliably prevent an arc from being generated between the solid dielectric plate 13 and the electrode 11.

Further, the upper and lower edges R up of the side plate 14, by the lower end surface is solid dielectric plate 13 flush, it is possible to feed smoothly process gas from the gap 10a ₁ into the plasma space 1a, processing the pre gas can be discharged smoothly from the space 1a into the gap 10a _2.

FIG. 11 shows a modification of the means for fixing the side plate 14 to the holder 12.
Also in this modification, the side plate 14 and the holder 12 are fixed by bolts 95 (screw members). On the other hand, the hole 14d for inserting the bolt 95 of the side plate 14 is not a long hole but a normal round hole. Further, as shown in FIG. 11A, the hole for the bolt 95 is not formed in the holder 12 before the side plate 14 is fixed.

In this modification, after the solid dielectric plate 13 is pressed against the electrode 11, the bolt 95 is screwed into the front and rear side portions (portions without holes) of the holder 12 through the holes 14 d of the side pyrates 14. As a result, as shown in FIG. 11B, the side plate 14 can be easily attached to the holder 12 while maintaining the pressed state of the solid dielectric plate 13 against the electrode 11 in relation to the manufacturing error of each component. Can be fixed to.
A screw hole 12 g is formed in the holder 12 by screwing the bolt 95. Of course, the holder 12 is made of a soft resin that can be screwed into the bolt 95, and the bolt 95 is made of a hard metal that can be screwed into the holder 12.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various forms can be adopted.
For example, a conductor layer such as an aluminum foil may be pasted on the upper surface of the solid dielectric plate 13, and this conductor layer may be pressed against the electrode 11 to conduct.
The present invention may be applied to the ground electrode (lower electrode) instead of or in addition to the electric field application electrode (upper electrode).
The pair of electrodes of the plasma processing apparatus is constituted by a cylindrical electrode and a concave electrode having a partial cylindrical concave surface corresponding to the cylindrical surface of the cylindrical electrode, and the present invention can be applied to the concave electrode. In this case, the fixed dielectric plate has a curved plate shape corresponding to the partial cylindrical concave surface.
In addition to the so-called direct type apparatus in which the object to be processed is arranged in the interelectrode space as in the embodiment, the so-called remote apparatus in which the object to be processed is arranged outside the interelectrode space and blows a plasma flow toward this. It can also be applied to a device of the type.
The present invention is applicable not only to a substantially normal pressure but also to a plasma treatment under a reduced pressure.
The present invention can be applied to various plasma processes such as cleaning, etching, film formation, surface modification, and ashing.

It is the schematic which shows the basic composition of the atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the electric field application electrode apparatus of the said normal pressure plasma processing apparatus which follows the II-II line | wire of FIG. It is sectional drawing of the said electric field application electrode apparatus which follows the III-III line | wire of FIG. It is sectional drawing of the said electric field application electrode apparatus which follows the IV-IV line of FIG. It is sectional drawing of the said electric field application electrode apparatus which follows the VV line | wire of FIG. It is sectional drawing of the said electric field application electrode apparatus which follows the VI-VI line of FIG. It is a front view of the front and rear side surfaces of the holder of the electric field applying electrode device. It is a front view of the holder opposing surface of the side plate of the said electric field application electrode apparatus. It is sectional drawing which expands and shows one of the electrode units of the electric field application electrode apparatus in FIG. FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating a left end portion of the electric field applying electrode unit in FIG. 4. (A) It is sectional drawing of the electric field application electrode unit of the state before showing the modification of the fixing means to the holder of a side plate, and fixing these. (B) It is sectional drawing of the electric field application electrode unit of the state which showed the modification of the fixing means to the holder of a side plate, and fixed these.

Explanation of symbols

M1 Atmospheric pressure plasma processing equipment W Work 1a Plasma space (space between electrodes)
10X electric field application electrode device 10 electric field application electrode unit 10a ₁ gap corresponding to blowout unit (introduction path of process gas to interelectrode space)
10a ₂ Suction unit compatible gap (gas lead-out path from the space between electrodes)
11 Electric field application electrode (1 electrode, electrode body component)
12 Holder (component of electrode body)
12a Longitudinal protrusion (fitting protrusion)
13 Solid Dielectric Plate 13c Knife Edge (Inclined Edge of Solid Dielectric Plate)
14 Side plate (plate support member)
14a Vertical groove (guide groove)
14b Elongated hole 14c Concave groove
20 Ground electrode unit 21 Ground electrode (other electrode)
91 bolts (screw members passed through the long holes)
95 bolt (screw member screwed into the hole-free part of the electrode body)

Claims (2)

1 electrode, a solid dielectric plate that covers a surface facing the other electrode of the one electrode, and a plate support member that supports the solid dielectric plate,
The solid dielectric plate is inclined so that an edge surface of the solid dielectric plate protrudes from the other electrode side toward the one electrode side toward the plate support member,
An electrode structure for a plasma processing apparatus, wherein the plate support member is formed with a cross-sectionally-shaped groove into which an edge of the solid dielectric plate is fitted.   The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a pair of the plate support members are provided on both sides of the electrode, and the plate support members support both edge portions of the solid dielectric plate. Electrode structure.

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