KR20220014563A - Atmosphere type plasma treatment apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus capable of preventing local overheating of parts such as a power bar, comprising: a case having an accommodating space therein; a gas supply unit installed in the case and capable of supplying a process gas to the accommodation space; a power supply device installed in the case and capable of applying power for electrodes; a gas discharge plate installed in the case and having a plurality of gas outlets formed therein; and an electrode body installed in the accommodating space to be spaced apart from the gas discharge plate, and electrically connected to the power supply device to excite the process gas into a plasma state, wherein the power supply device may be insulated from the case a power bar formed in a bar shape penetrating the insulating member installed in the case so that a portion thereof is electrically connected to an external terminal to supply power to the electrode body; and a cooling device for cooling the heat concentrated on the power bar.

Description

Atmosphere type plasma treatment apparatus

The present invention relates to an atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus, and more particularly, to an atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus capable of preventing local overheating of parts such as a power bar.

In general, most electrode structures of atmospheric pressure plasma generators used in semiconductor and display manufacturing processes are DBD (Dielectric Barrier Discharge) methods.

The structure of the currently commercialized DBD type atmospheric pressure plasma electrode is a two-dimensional opposing structure in which metal and dielectric face or are located on the circumference of the circumference. has been In this method, there is a disadvantage in that the efficiency of the plasma decreases due to the problem of power loss and temperature rise due to parasitic discharge at the contact surface.

In order to increase atmospheric pressure plasma efficiency, an electrode device for atmospheric pressure plasma of a scanning method in which an electrode is formed long in the width direction of a processing object having a wide width, such as a display substrate, and scans while the processing object or electrode is moved in the movement direction may be applied.

In the case of such a scan method, the width direction length of the object to be processed varies for each object, and the one-piece electrode body was manufactured by matching the length of the plasma electrode applied thereto to the length of the object to be processed. In the case of a wide width of several meters, it was difficult to form a substantially long electrode according to the specifications of the electrode processing apparatus. There were many problems, such as a significant increase in the production cost of

In contrast, a multi-electrode method using a multi-electrode body formed by connecting a plurality of unit electrodes in parallel using a horizontal connecting bar to one vertical power bar for supplying power has been developed, but in this case, for example, the multi-electrode body In the case of a large electrode having a width of 1000 mm or more, heat is concentrated on the power bar, so even if the process gas flows inside the case, the power bar or the external terminal (external cable) connected to the power bar is damaged. .

The present invention is to solve various problems including the above problems, by forming a power bar in a pipe shape and forming a refrigerant flow path (process gas flow path) inside the power bar to increase the surface current of the inner diameter surface of the power bar. By lowering the resistance, the resistance heat is reduced, and at the same time, the inside of the power bar is directly cooled to prevent damage to the power bar or external terminals due to high temperature heat generation, and the temperature around the insulation member or case is lowered. An object of the present invention is to provide an atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus capable of maintaining normal product functions. However, these problems are exemplary, and the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto.

Atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus according to the spirit of the present invention for solving the above problems, a case in which an accommodation space is formed therein; a gas supply unit installed in the case and capable of supplying a process gas to the accommodation space; a power supply device installed in the case and capable of applying power for electrodes; a gas discharge plate installed in the case and having a plurality of gas outlets formed therein; and an electrode body installed in the accommodating space to be spaced apart from the gas discharge plate, and electrically connected to the power supply device to excite the process gas into a plasma state, wherein the power supply device may be insulated from the case a power bar formed in a bar shape penetrating the insulating member installed in the case so that a portion thereof is electrically connected to an external terminal to supply power to the electrode body; and a cooling device for cooling the heat concentrated on the power bar.

Also, according to the present invention, the cooling device may be a refrigerant passage formed inside the power bar to cool the power bar using a refrigerant.

In addition, according to the present invention, the refrigerant passage may include: a refrigerant inlet line formed at an outer end of the power bar and connected to an external refrigerant supply pipe to receive the refrigerant; a refrigerant induction line connected to the refrigerant inlet line and guiding the refrigerant in a vertical direction so that the refrigerant can exchange heat while passing through a central axis of the power bar; and a refrigerant discharge line connected to the refrigerant induction line and discharging the refrigerant in a horizontal direction so that the refrigerant can be discharged to the accommodation space of the case.

Also, according to the present invention, the refrigerant may include at least the process gas.

In addition, according to the present invention, the power bar may include: a body in which a male thread penetrating a ring-shaped tip contact portion of the external terminal is formed; and a tightening screw portion having one end connected to the external refrigerant supply pipe and having a female screw portion screwed to the male screw portion so that the other end may be in close contact with the ring-shaped tip contact portion.

In addition, according to the present invention, the insulating member may include: an insulating bracket installed between the case and the power bar to prevent a short circuit between the case and the power bar; and an insulating box installed on the insulating bracket and formed in a shape to surround a portion of the external terminal and the power bar to prevent a short circuit between the case and the external terminal.

Also, according to the present invention, the electrode body may be a multi-electrode substrate in which a plurality of the unit electrode substrates are arranged in a row at least in a row so that the plurality of unit electrode substrates are arranged to be elongated in the longitudinal direction.

In addition, according to the present invention, the power supply device is electrically connected to the power bar, the connection bar is installed in the receiving space to correspond to the multi-electrode substrate; further comprising, the case, the connection bar to accommodate the A plurality of fixing brackets made of an insulating material may be installed so as to be positioned in the space.

According to some embodiments of the present invention made as described above, the power bar is formed in a pipe shape and a refrigerant flow path (process gas flow path) is formed inside the power bar to reduce resistance due to an increase in surface current of the inner diameter surface of the power bar. At the same time, it is possible to prevent damage to the power bar or external terminals due to high temperature heat generation by directly cooling the inside of the power bar, and at the same time to reduce the resistance heat by lowering the temperature of the product by lowering the temperature around the insulation member or case. It has the effect of maintaining normal function. Of course, the scope of the present invention is not limited by these effects.

1 is an external perspective view illustrating an atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged external perspective view showing an enlarged power supply of the atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus of FIG. 1 .
3 is an overall cross-sectional view illustrating the atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus of FIG. 1 .
4 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus of FIG. 3 .
FIG. 5 is a partially cut-away perspective view illustrating the atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus of FIG. 4 .
FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of parts showing the atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus of FIG. 1 ;

Hereinafter, several preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Examples of the present invention are provided to more completely explain the present invention to those of ordinary skill in the art, and the following examples may be modified in various other forms, and the scope of the present invention is as follows It is not limited to an Example. Rather, these embodiments are provided so as to more fully and complete the present disclosure, and to fully convey the spirit of the present invention to those skilled in the art. In addition, in the drawings, the thickness or size of each layer is exaggerated for convenience and clarity of description.

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view illustrating an atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged exterior showing an enlarged power supply device 30 of the atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus 100 of FIG. 1 . It is a perspective view, FIG. 3 is an overall cross-sectional view showing the atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus 100 of FIG. 1 , FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view showing the atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus 100 of FIG. 3 , and FIG. 5 is the atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus 100 of FIG. It is a partially cut-away perspective view showing the plasma processing apparatus 100 , and FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of parts showing the atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus 100 of FIG. 1 .

1 to 6 , the atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus 100 according to some embodiments of the present invention includes a case 10 , a gas supply unit 20 , a power supply device 30 , and a gas It may include a discharge plate 40 and an electrode body 50 .

Here, for example, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 , the case 10 may have a box shape with an open lower side including an upper plate and a side plate so that an accommodating space A is formed therein.

Here, the upper plate and the side plate are made of a plurality of panels, and these panels may be assembled with each other using fasteners such as screws or bolts.

More specifically, the case 10 may be made of a conductive metal material to form the same ground level as the gas discharge plate 40 as the gas discharge plate 40 is installed under the open lower side. have.

However, the shape of the case 10 is not necessarily limited to the drawings, and it is possible to form any three-dimensional cylindrical shape.

In addition, the case 10 may be provided with a plurality of fixing brackets (B) made of an insulating material to position the connection bar (C), which will be described later, in the accommodation space (A).

In addition, for example, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 , the gas supply unit 20 is uniformly disposed on one side of the upper plate of the case 10 so that a plurality of them are spaced apart from each other, and in the accommodating space (A). It may be a structure in the form of a hole or a supply pipe capable of supplying the process gas (G).

Here, the gas supply unit 20 includes the case ( 10), at least one may be disposed at a predetermined distance from the center of the upper plate.

Here, the process gas G may be injected for the purpose of concurrently cooling the inside of the case 10 using the gas supply unit 20 .

Accordingly, the process gas G introduced into the case 10 through the gas supply unit 20 may be filled in the accommodation space A so that the pressure may be uniformly distributed.

In addition, for example, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 , the power supply device 30 is installed on the upper plate of the case 10 and is a device capable of applying power for electrodes, and the electrode body ( 50) may be supplied with power for plasma formation.

In addition, for example, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 , the power device 30 has a bar shape penetrating the insulating member 60 installed in the case 10 so as to be insulated from the case 10 . The power bar 31 made of a conductive material and heat concentrated on the power bar 31 so that a part of it is electrically connected to the external terminal E to supply power to the electrode body 50 . It may include a connection bar (C) electrically connected to the cooling device (32) and the power bar (31) for cooling, and installed in the accommodation space (A) to correspond to the multi-electrode substrate (52).

Here, the cooling device 32 may be a refrigerant passage 33 formed inside the power bar 31 to cool the power bar 31 using the refrigerant M.

More specifically, for example, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 , the refrigerant passage 33 has an inverted T-shape as a whole, and is formed at the outer end of the power bar 31 , and the refrigerant ( A refrigerant inlet line 331 connected to the external refrigerant supply pipe P so as to receive M), and connected to the refrigerant inlet line 331 , and the refrigerant M moves the central axis of the power bar 31 . It is connected to a refrigerant inducing line 332 and the refrigerant inducing line 332 for guiding the refrigerant M in a vertical direction so that heat exchange can be performed while passing, and the refrigerant M is the receiving space of the case 10 . It may include a refrigerant discharge line 333 for discharging the refrigerant (M) in a horizontal direction so as to be discharged to (A).

Accordingly, the refrigerant M may be introduced into the power bar 31 along the refrigerant inlet line 331 connected to the external refrigerant supply pipe P, and along the refrigerant induction line 332 . It can be guided vertically along the central axis of the power bar 31, and the receiving space ( It is possible to cool the resistance heat generated from the power bar 31 while being discharged to A).

Here, various gases such as an inert gas may be applied as the refrigerant M, but preferably, the process gas G may be applied.

At this time, since the cross-sectional area of the power bar 31 is reduced due to the refrigerant passage 33 formed in the power bar 31, the resistance of the power bar 31 may increase, but as a result of repeated experiments, the When the inner diameter of the refrigerant passage 33 is 5 to 70 percent of the outer diameter of the power bar 31, the resistance is rather reduced due to the surface current phenomenon in which the amount of surface current increases, and thus the resistance heat is also reduced, so that the refrigerant passage 33 is It was confirmed that it is advantageous to form. Accordingly, it is preferable that the refrigerant guide 33 has an inner diameter of 5% to 70% of the outer diameter of the power bar 31 .

In addition, more specifically, for example, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 , the power bar 31 may be installed in the center of the upper plate of the case 10 . When the power bar 31 installed in the central part is used, the refrigerant M introduced into the case 10 can be evenly distributed in the left and right directions without being biased toward either side in the accommodating space A. can

In addition, more specifically, for example, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 , the power bar 31 has a male screw portion Sa penetrating the ring-shaped tip contact portion R of the external terminal E. The formed body part 31-1 and one end are connected to the external refrigerant supply pipe (P), and the other end is screwed to the male thread part (Sa) so that the other end can be in close contact with the ring-shaped tip contact part (R). Sb) may include a fastening screw portion 31-2 is formed.

Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 6 , the male screw portion Sa of the body portion 31-1 is inserted into the ring-shaped tip contact portion R, and the male screw portion Sa is inserted into the tightening screw portion 31- 2), the external terminal E and the power bar 31 are physically and electrically fixed to each other with a screw defect in the female screw portion Sb, thereby preventing a contact failure phenomenon.

Meanwhile, in the atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus 100 according to some embodiments of the present invention, the insulating member 60 is further provided so that the case 10 and the power bar 31 can maintain an insulating state in a timely manner. may include

1 to 6 , the insulating member 60 includes the case 10 and the power bar 31 to prevent a short circuit between the case 10 and the power bar 31 . The external terminal (E) and the power bar (E) installed between the insulating bracket 61 and the insulating bracket 61 to prevent a short circuit between the case 10 and the external terminal E It may include an insulating box 62 formed in a shape surrounding a portion of the 31).

Therefore, it is possible to prevent a short circuit between the case 10 and the power bar 31 by using the insulating member 60 , as well as a short circuit between the case 10 and the external terminal E. This can be prevented, and it is possible to prevent the resistance heat generated from the power bar 31 from adversely affecting the surroundings.

On the other hand, for example, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 , the gas discharge plate 40 is installed on the lower surface of the side plate of the case 10 using various fasteners such as screws or bolts, and a plurality of gas The outlet 41 is formed and may be made of a plate-shaped conductive metal material to maintain a ground state with the case 10 .

That is, the case 10 and the gas discharge plate 40 may be electrically connected to each other so as to maintain an electrically grounded state.

On the other hand, for example, as shown in FIG. 6 , the electrode body 50 is installed in the accommodation space A so as to be spaced apart from the gas discharge plate 40 , and is electrically connected to the power supply device 30 . As an electrode structure for excitation of the process gas G into a plasma state, the electrode body 50 includes a plurality of unit electrode substrates 51 such that the plurality of unit electrode substrates 51 are elongated in the longitudinal direction. It may be at least a multi-electrode substrate 52 arranged in a row and shifted from each other.

Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 , the power bar 31 is formed in a pipe shape and the refrigerant passage 33 is formed inside the power bar 31 to form the inner diameter surface of the power bar 31 . At the same time, the resistance heat is reduced by lowering the resistance due to the increase of the surface current of can be prevented, and by lowering the temperature of the surrounding such as the insulating member 60 or the case 10, the function of the product can be maintained normally.

In addition, by forming the multi-electrode substrate 50 which is formed elongated as a whole while connecting the pre-fabricated unit electrode substrates 51 in the longitudinal direction, if necessary, uniting the unit electrode substrates in a Lego form and combining a plurality of them. By forming it, it is possible to operate from a small electrode to a large electrode, and it is possible to prevent the electrode bending problem in a large electrode. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the production cost and production time of the electrode, thereby increasing the productivity of the product and lowering the unit price of the product.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings, which are merely exemplary, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible therefrom. Therefore, the true technical protection scope of the present invention should be determined by the technical spirit of the appended claims.

10: case
A: accommodating space
G: process gas
20: gas supply
30: power supply
31: power bar
31-1: body part
31-2: tightening thread part
32: cooling device
33: refrigerant flow path
331: refrigerant inlet line
332: refrigerant guide line
333: refrigerant discharge line
40: gas exhaust plate
41: gas outlet
50: electrode body
51: unit electrode substrate
52: multi-electrode substrate
60: insulation member
61: insulation bracket
62: insulation box
E: external terminal
M: refrigerant
P: External refrigerant supply pipe
R: ring-shaped tip contact
Sa: male part
Sb: female thread part
C: connecting bar
B: fixed bracket
100: atmospheric pressure plasma processing device

Claims (8)

a case in which an accommodation space is formed therein;
a gas supply unit installed in the case and capable of supplying a process gas to the accommodation space;
a power supply device installed in the case and capable of applying power for electrodes;
a gas discharge plate installed in the case and having a plurality of gas outlets formed therein; and
and an electrode body installed in the receiving space to be spaced apart from the gas discharge plate and electrically connected to the power supply to excite the process gas into a plasma state; and
The power supply is
a power bar formed in a bar shape penetrating an insulating member installed in the case so as to be insulated from the case and made of a conductive material so that a part thereof is electrically connected to an external terminal to supply power to the electrode body; and
a cooling device for cooling the heat concentrated on the power bar;
Including, atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus. The method of claim 1,
The cooling device is
An atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus, which is a refrigerant passage formed inside the power bar to cool the power bar using a refrigerant. 3. The method of claim 2,
The refrigerant passage is
a refrigerant inlet line formed at an outer end of the power bar and connected to an external refrigerant supply pipe to receive the refrigerant;
a refrigerant induction line connected to the refrigerant inlet line and guiding the refrigerant in a vertical direction so that the refrigerant can exchange heat while passing through a central axis of the power bar; and
a refrigerant discharge line connected to the refrigerant induction line and discharging the refrigerant in a horizontal direction so that the refrigerant can be discharged to the accommodation space of the case;
Including, atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus. 3. The method of claim 2,
and the refrigerant comprises at least the process gas. The method of claim 1,
The power bar is
a body portion in which a male thread penetrating the ring-shaped tip contact portion of the external terminal is formed; and
a tightening screw portion having one end connected to the external refrigerant supply pipe and having a female screw portion screwed to the male screw portion so that the other end can be in close contact with the ring-shaped tip contact portion;
Including, atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus. The method of claim 1,
The insulating member is
an insulating bracket installed between the case and the power bar to prevent a short circuit between the case and the power bar; and
an insulating box installed on the insulating bracket and formed in a shape surrounding a portion of the external terminal and the power bar to prevent a short circuit between the case and the external terminal;
Including, atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus. The method of claim 1,
The electrode body,
A multi-electrode substrate in which a plurality of the unit electrode substrates are arranged in a line at least in a row so that the plurality of unit electrode substrates are arranged to be elongated in the longitudinal direction, the multi-electrode substrate being displaced from each other, the atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus. 8. The method of claim 7,
The power supply is
a connection bar electrically connected to the power bar and installed in the accommodating space to correspond to the multi-electrode substrate;
further comprising,
In the case, a plurality of fixing brackets made of an insulating material are installed to position the connection bar in the accommodation space, the atmospheric pressure plasma processing apparatus.

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