JP5677328B2 - Plasma processing apparatus and plasma processing method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a plasma processing apparatus and a plasma processing method for performing surface cleaning, surface modification, film formation, sterilization, and the like of a material using discharge plasma generated near atmospheric pressure.

  Surface treatment has been introduced in various fields such as surface cleaning of materials, pretreatment for adhesion and coating, film formation, and sterilization. There are various surface treatment means. Among them, treatment using atmospheric pressure plasma is relatively low cost and low environmental load, and has been rapidly spread in recent years.

  Atmospheric pressure plasma treatment is roughly classified into a direct type in which a treatment body is directly inserted into the discharge space and a remote type in which active particles generated in the discharge space are extracted to the outside and irradiated to the treatment body. The remote method is advantageous in that the damage to the processing object due to physical etching or charge-up is small. However, since the life of active particles is generally very short in an air atmosphere, it is necessary to bring the active particles into contact with the processing surface in a short time. is there.

  In an existing atmospheric pressure remote plasma processing apparatus, for example, as in Patent Document 1, a type in which active particles are ejected from the tip of a cylindrical electrode disposed in a coaxial cylindrical shape, and in a parallel plate shape as in Patent Document 2. In general, the type is ejected from the side of the electrode.

  The above method is suitable for planar processing and local processing, but has a problem in application to, for example, processing of the inner surface of a cylinder. This is because the plasma ejection port and the processing surface cannot be brought close to each other, and the short-lived active particles disappear before reaching the processing surface. Further, in order to process various treatment bodies having different shapes and sizes, it is necessary to remake the entire plasma generation unit each time so that the ejection port and the treatment surface can be brought close to each other. Therefore, there is a demand for a flexible plasma processing apparatus and method that can meet various processing needs with a single unit.

  For example, Patent Document 3 discloses an apparatus having a plurality of plasma ejection openings on the surface of an external electrode in a coaxial cylindrical plasma processing apparatus including an internal electrode and an external electrode installed so as to surround the internal electrode. Have been described. Thus, in addition to processing a large area at a time, a plasma treatment with a relatively high degree of freedom can be performed by providing an ejection port in the vicinity of the processing surface.

  The coaxial cylindrical plasma processing apparatus described in Patent Document 4 includes an electrode supporter, and an inner electrode is inserted into the electrode supporter from above, and a plasma outlet is provided at the tip from below. Insert a reaction tube made of a dielectric material. As a result, the inner electrode and the reaction tube can be removed and replaced.

Japanese Patent No. 3057065 Japanese Patent No. 3799819 JP 2003-109799 A Japanese Patent No. 4120087

  However, the prior art has the following problems. In the plasma processing apparatus described in Patent Document 3, gas supply ports are provided on both sides of the cylindrical electrode in a direction perpendicular to the length direction of the electrode. For this reason, for example, when processing of the inner surface of the cylinder is assumed, the gas supply port interferes with the processing body, and the electrode cannot be inserted into the cylinder, so that effective processing cannot be performed. Further, since the gas supply port is directly attached to the electrode, the diameter and length of the electrode cannot be easily changed.

  Also in the plasma processing apparatus described in Patent Document 4, since the reaction tube is a dielectric such as glass, the workability is poor, and the position and shape of the plasma ejection port cannot be arbitrarily determined. Furthermore, since it is necessary to provide an outer electrode on the outer periphery of the reaction tube, when the internal electrode is inserted into the reaction tube, interference between the reaction tube and the internal electrode occurs, and the plasma ejection port and the processing surface cannot be sufficiently close to each other. .

  As described above, each of the apparatuses described in Patent Document 3 and Patent Document 4 cannot effectively process the inner surface of the cylinder, but is also suitable for processing objects having different shapes and dimensions. It is necessary to create a new generation part.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and can be applied to various objects having different shapes and dimensions with a simple operation without recreating the entire apparatus, and has a special shape such as a cylindrical inner surface. Another object of the present invention is to provide a plasma processing apparatus and a plasma processing method that can be applied.

In order to achieve the above-described object, a plasma processing apparatus according to the present invention includes an internal electrode and an external electrode arranged so as to cover an outer periphery of the internal electrode, and includes an outer periphery of the internal electrode and an inner electrode of the external electrode. At least one of the circumferences is covered with a dielectric, and a discharge gap is formed between the internal electrode and the external electrode. A gas is introduced into the discharge gap, and the external electrode An ejection port for irradiating the processing body with plasma generated by applying a voltage between the internal electrode and the internal electrode is formed, and further includes a support, the support including an internal conductor and an external A conductor, and an insulator provided between the inner conductor and the outer conductor so as to insulate the inner conductor and the outer conductor, and the inner electrode maintains conductivity with the inner conductor. Supported by the inner conductor, Department electrode is supported by the external conductor maintains electrical conduction with the outer conductor.
In order to achieve the same object, the present invention also provides a plasma processing method using the plasma processing apparatus.

  According to the present invention, by changing the characteristics of the external electrode or the internal electrode according to the shape of the processing body, it is possible to provide a plasma processing mode that can be applied to processing bodies of various shapes without recreating the entire apparatus. . Thereby, the high processing effect can be exhibited also to processing bodies of complicated shape, such as the inner surface of a cylindrical processing body for which application of conventional processing was difficult.

1 is an overall configuration diagram of a plasma processing apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. It is a perspective view which shows the assembly procedure of the plasma processing apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the plasma processing apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention, and a process body. In Embodiment 1 of this invention, it is a figure which shows the relationship between the plasma processing apparatus at the time of replacing | exchanging to the external electrode of a different shape, and a process body. It is a figure which shows the whole structure, an assembly, and the relationship with a process body regarding the plasma processing apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a figure of the same aspect as FIG. 5 regarding Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a figure explaining the plasma processing apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 4 of this invention. It is a figure explaining the plasma processing apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 5 of this invention. It is a figure explaining the plasma processing apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 6 of this invention. It is a figure in which the formation aspect of the ejection opening regarding the 1st aspect of Embodiment 7 of this invention and the operation | movement aspect of a discharge unit are shown. It is a figure in which the formation aspect of the ejection opening regarding the 2nd aspect of Embodiment 7 of this invention and the operation | movement aspect of a discharge unit are shown. It is a figure in which the formation aspect of the ejection opening regarding the 3rd aspect of Embodiment 7 of this invention and the operation | movement aspect of a discharge unit are shown.

  Embodiments of a plasma processing apparatus and a plasma processing method according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a plasma processing apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The plasma processing apparatus includes a discharge unit 100, a gas supply source 120, and a power source 130. The discharge unit 100 is attached to a cylindrical outer electrode 1 sealed on one side, a columnar inner electrode 3, and the like. And a support 110. The external electrode 1 is disposed so as to cover the outer periphery of the internal electrode 3 through the discharge gap 9. A plurality of ejection openings 7 are opened at the tip and outer periphery of the external electrode 1, and the outer periphery of the internal electrode 3 is covered with a dielectric 6. In the present embodiment and each of the following embodiments, the dielectric may be provided on at least one of the outer periphery of the internal electrode and the inner periphery of the external electrode.

  The support 110 includes a disk-shaped insulator 5, a rod-shaped inner conductor 4 that penetrates the center of the insulator 5, and an outer conductor 2 that covers the outer periphery of the insulator 5. The outer conductor 2 includes a gas supply port 8. The gas supply port 8 includes a gas supply port 8 that communicates with the discharge gap 9, and the gas supply port 8 is connected to a gas supply source 120. The internal conductor 4 is screwed and fastened to the internal electrode 3 in an electrically conductive manner, and the external conductor 2 is screwed and fastened to the external electrode 1 in an electrically conductive manner. The inner conductor 4 is connected to the power source 130, and the outer conductor 2 is connected to the ground.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an assembling procedure of the plasma processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The plasma processing apparatus is assembled by first attaching the internal electrode 3 to the support 110 and then attaching the external electrode 1 to the support 110. A male screw is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the distal end of the internal conductor 4, and a female screw hole is machined in the center of the internal electrode 3, and is fastened by screwing. The outer periphery of the outer conductor 2 is subjected to male screw processing, and the inner periphery of the outer electrode 1 on the opening portion side is subjected to female screw processing. .

  Next, the operation of the plasma processing apparatus according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. By supplying a discharge gas from the gas supply source 120 to the discharge gap 9 and applying a high voltage from the power source 130 to the internal conductor 4, a high electric field is formed between the external electrode 1 and the internal electrode 3. A discharge near atmospheric pressure is formed. The plasma gas containing the active particles generated by the discharge is ejected to the outside through a plurality of ejection ports 7 disposed at the tip and outer periphery of the external electrode 1. At this time, the inner surface and the bottom surface of the processing body 140 are processed by inserting the discharge unit 100 into the cylindrical processing body 140, for example.

  By the way, the active particles generated by the atmospheric pressure plasma generally disappear in a short time within 1 millisecond. Therefore, in order to obtain a high surface treatment effect, it is important to transport the active particles generated in the discharge gap 9 to the treatment surface in a short time. For this purpose, a structure in which plasma gas is jetted from the ejection port 7 at high speed in the vicinity of the processing surface is preferable, and a structure in which gas is not ejected to other than the processing surface and only the processing surface is selectively irradiated. Is desirable. Since the position and shape of the processing surface are different for each processing body, a high processing effect can be obtained by using the external electrode 1 having the ejection port 7 suitable for each processing body. FIG. 4 shows an example in which the external electrode 1 having a different number, diameter, or arrangement of the ejection ports 7 is replaced in the first embodiment. In (a), the ejection port 7 is provided only on the outer periphery of the external electrode 1, and the tip portion is closed. As a result, the plasma gas is ejected only in the outer peripheral direction, and only the inner surface is processed by inserting the discharge unit 100 into the cylindrical processing body 141. Further, (b) is a configuration in which plasma gas is ejected from the side surface of the external electrode 1 in the outer peripheral direction as in the example shown in (a), but the ejection port 7 has a slit shape, and the plasma is uniform. It is ejected with good sex. Further, in FIG. 4C, a single ejection port 7 is provided at the tip of the external electrode 1. As a result, plasma gas is ejected in a spot manner, and intensive processing in a narrow region is realized.

  Thus, in Embodiment 1, since the support body 110 and the internal electrode 3 and between the support body 110 and the external electrode 1 are fastened by simple fastening means, the attachment and detachment is easy. As a result, by replacing the external electrode 1 with a different outlet 7 according to the treatment body, an effective treatment is realized even for a treatment body having a special shape such as a cylindrical inner surface. Moreover, since the replacement | exchange when an electrode deteriorates by discharge is also easy, it is excellent also in maintainability.

In addition, the atmospheric pressure vicinity in this Embodiment refers to 50 kPa-250 kPa in absolute pressure. In the present invention, dielectric barrier discharge is adopted as the discharge method, and discharge with various gases is possible. For example, N ₂ , O ₂ , dry air, a rare gas such as Ar or He, or a mixed gas thereof can be used. For example, when O ₂ is mixed with an inert gas such as N ₂ or a rare gas, a high cleaning and hydrophilic effect can be obtained. Further, when SF6, CF4, or the like is used, water repellent treatment can be performed. However, the kind and composition of the discharge gas are not limited to the above examples.

  Further, as the gas supply source 120 of the present embodiment, there is a means for connecting a mass flow controller to a gas cylinder and supplying a desired gas at a predetermined flow rate. However, the discharge gas may be supplied to the discharge gap 9 at a desired flow rate and composition, and the gas supply method is not limited to the above example.

  Moreover, in this Embodiment, metal materials, such as stainless steel, aluminum, copper, can be used for the material of the external electrode 1, the external conductor 2, the internal electrode 3, and the internal conductor 4, for example. However, the material is not limited to the above example as long as it is a conductive material that can be mechanically connected.

  In the present embodiment, for example, alumina ceramics or glass can be used as the material of the dielectric 6 that covers the outer periphery of the internal electrode 3. These can be formed, for example, by spraying the outer periphery of a rod-shaped metal body or by inserting a metal tube into a cylindrical dielectric tube. However, the dielectric 6 only needs to be formed on the outer periphery of the internal electrode 3 with a desired thickness, and the material and processing method are not particularly limited.

  The thickness of the dielectric 6 is preferably formed in the range of 10 μm to 5000 μm. This is because if the dielectric film is too thin, the dielectric strength is insufficient, and if it is too thick, it is necessary to apply a large voltage in the discharge formation.

  The power supply 130 according to the first embodiment may be any power supply that outputs a voltage whose polarity changes with time. For example, a power supply that outputs an alternating current or a bipolar pulse voltage can be used. Moreover, it is preferable to use it in the range whose frequency is about 1 kz to 1 MHz and the applied voltage is about 1 to 20 KV. If the frequency is too small, it is necessary to apply a large voltage to apply the predetermined power, and if it is too large, the stability of the discharge is impaired. Further, if the applied voltage is too small, no discharge is formed, and if it is too large, the introduction cost of the power source becomes high. However, the specification of the power source may be determined according to the form and operating conditions of the discharge unit 100, and is not limited to the above example.

  In this embodiment, the insulator 5 can be made of a ceramic material such as Macor or an insulating resin material such as Teflon (registered trademark). However, it is only necessary to maintain insulation between the inner conductor 4 and the outer conductor 2, and the material of the insulator 5 is not limited to the above example.

  In addition, the width of the discharge gap 9 in this embodiment (the interval between the external electrode 1 and the internal electrode 3) is preferably 0.05 mm to 50 mm. If the discharge gap 9 is too small, precise parts processing is required, and the manufacturing cost increases. Further, if it is too large, the applied voltage increases accordingly, and the power source becomes large.

  In the present embodiment, the number, shape, and arrangement of the ejection ports 7 are not limited. For example, the ejection ports 7 may be formed on the plover in the longitudinal direction or may be localized on a part of the outer periphery. It is possible to arrange in such a manner. In addition, the diameters and shapes of all the ejection ports are not necessarily the same. For example, the hole diameter may be changed from the outer peripheral tip of the external electrode 1 toward the root.

  In the present embodiment, an example in which a plurality of gas supply ports 8 are provided in the external conductor 2 has been described. However, the number, shape, and arrangement of the gas supply ports 8 are not limited to the above-described example. For example, it can be provided so as to penetrate the insulator 5.

  In the present embodiment, regarding the attachment of the external electrode 1 and the internal electrode 3 to the support 110, a method of fastening by screwing each electrode and conductor has been shown, but the fastening method is limited to the above-described embodiment. Is not to be done. The external electrode 1 and the external conductor 2 are electrically connected to each other as long as the discharge gap 9 is hermetically sealed and detachable. Similarly, the internal electrode 3 and the internal conductor 4 are electrically connected. It is sufficient if it is detachable. Therefore, for example, in addition to the above-described example, the fastening portion between the external electrode 1 and the external conductor 2 can be a flange type, and can be fastened by screwing with a screw through a sealing material.

  Although there is no restriction | limiting in the processing material processed by this Embodiment, For example, high washing | cleaning and hydrophilicity with respect to resin materials, such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate) PP (polypropylene), metal materials, such as aluminum and a brass, and glass Shows the effect. Further, the shape and size of the treatment body are not particularly limited, and the active species irradiated from the ejection port 7 may reach the treatment body surface even if it is other than the inner surface of the cylinder shown in the above example.

  Note that the modification modes described above are not limited to the case of the present embodiment, and the same applies to other embodiments described below.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
FIGS. 5A and 5B relate to the plasma processing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating the overall configuration, FIG. 5B is an assembly, and FIG. In the first embodiment, the plasma processing apparatus in which the outer diameter of the support 110 and the outer diameter of the external electrode 1 are substantially the same is shown. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that an outer electrode 1 and an inner electrode 3 that are thinner than the outer diameter of the support 110 are attached. As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the external electrode 1 in the present embodiment has a first portion 10a and a second portion 10b having different diameters, and the first portion 10a is a support 110. The second portion 10b is a portion where the ejection port 7 is formed. The diameter of the second portion 10b is smaller than the diameter of the first portion 10a. Further, the outer diameter of the internal electrode 3 is set such that a discharge gap 9 having a predetermined width is secured between the outer surface of the inner electrode 3 and the inner surface of the second portion 10 b of the outer electrode 1.

  Thereby, in the second embodiment, in addition to the advantages of the first embodiment, the following advantages are further obtained. That is, in the first embodiment, when applying to a treatment body that is cylindrical and has an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the support 110, the discharge unit 100 can be inserted into the treatment body 140. It was not possible to realize an effective inner surface treatment. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5C, the discharge unit 100 can be inserted into the cylindrical processing body 141 having a small inner diameter, and the inner surface of the processing body is processed. . As a result, in the second embodiment, by using the external electrode 1 having a diameter smaller than that of the support 110, an effective process can be realized in the process of the cylindrical inner surface having a small diameter. Further, if the first portion 10a of the external electrode 1 is made to correspond to the common support body 110, the same support body 110 as that of the first embodiment can be used, and only the external electrode 1 and the internal electrode 3 are exchanged. By doing so, the present invention can be applied to a cylindrical treatment body having a smaller inner diameter.

Embodiment 3 FIG.
FIG. 6 is a diagram of the same mode as FIG. 5 relating to the third embodiment of the present invention. The third embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that an external electrode 1 larger than the outer diameter of the support 110 is attached. As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the diameter of the portion having the ejection port 7 in the external electrode 1 in the present embodiment is larger than that of the support 110, and the inner surface of the external electrode 1. A ring-shaped adapter 11 is disposed between the outer surface of the support 110 and the outer surface of the support 110. That is, the inner surface of the adapter 11 is screwed to the outer surface of the support 110, and the inner surface of the external electrode 1 is screwed to the outer surface of the adapter 11. Further, the outer diameter of the internal electrode 3 is set to a size such that the width of the discharge gap 9 formed between the portion having the ejection port 7 of the external electrode 1 and the internal electrode 3 becomes a predetermined value. Yes.

  Thereby, in the third embodiment, the following advantages are obtained in addition to the advantages of the first embodiment. That is, in the first embodiment, when the diameter of the external electrode 1 is too small than the inner diameter of the cylindrical processing body, even if the discharge unit 100 is inserted into the processing body, the ejection port 7 and the inner surface of the processing body Cannot be brought close to each other at the same time (the entire outer circumference of the external electrode cannot be brought into close proximity to the entire circumference of the inner surface of the processing body), and an effective inner surface treatment cannot be realized. On the other hand, in the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6C, the entire inner surface of the processing body can be processed even by inserting the discharge unit 100 into the cylindrical processing body 142 having a large inner diameter. As a result, in the third embodiment, by using the external electrode 1 having a large diameter, effective processing can be realized in the processing of the cylindrical inner surface having a large diameter. In addition, the same support 110 as that of the first embodiment can be used, and by replacing only the external electrode 1 and the internal electrode 3 and adding the adapter 11, it can be applied to a cylindrical treatment body having a larger inner diameter. In addition, the present invention is also effective for a processing body that requires a large area processing such as a large substrate. The adapter 11 is made of a conductive material, and for example, a metal such as stainless steel can be used. The adapter 11 has a ring shape, for example, and is connected to the external electrode 1 and the external conductor 2 by threading the inner surface and the outer surface thereof. However, the adapter 11 is interposed between the external electrode 1 and the external conductor 2 so that conductivity and confidentiality are maintained and fastened, and the material and shape forming the adapter 11 are limited to the above examples. It is not something.

Embodiment 4 FIG.
FIG. 7 is a view showing a plasma processing apparatus according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. The fourth embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the ejection port 7 is localized in a part of the external electrode 1 and is discharged in a narrow region limited to the vicinity thereof. In the fourth embodiment, the distance between the external electrode 1 and the internal electrode 3 is close only in the vicinity of the ejection port 7, and a sufficient interval is maintained in other parts for insulation. Thereby, by introducing a gas into the discharge gap 9 and applying a high voltage, a discharge is formed only in a limited region near the ejection port 7. As described above, in the fourth embodiment, the effect of suppressing the power cost can be obtained by limiting the discharge region and eliminating the extra discharge.

Embodiment 5 FIG.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a plasma processing apparatus according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. The fifth embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the discharge gap 9 has a partition plate 12 for dividing the gas.
In the fifth embodiment, the discharge gap 9 is divided into two by the partition plate 12 provided in the discharge gap 9 between the internal electrode 3 and the external electrode 1. Thereby, one divided first discharge gap 9a is connected to the first gas supply port 8a, and similarly, the other divided second discharge gap 9b is connected to the second gas supply port 8b. Has been. Here, different discharge gases are supplied from the first gas supply port 8a and the second gas supply port 8b, respectively. As a result, different active particles are generated in the first discharge gap 9a and the second discharge gap 9b. At this time, for example, by rotating the discharge unit 100 as shown in FIG. 8B, different plasma gases are alternately blown onto the inner surface of the treatment body.

As the discharge gas used in Embodiment 5, for example, a mixed gas of an inert gas and O ₂ can be used on one side, and a gas containing an organic silicon component such as hexamethyldisiloxane can be used on the other side. In this case, a silicon oxide film can be formed on the processing surface by alternately supplying Si-based active species and oxygen-based active species. However, the gas type is not limited to the combination of the above examples.

  The partition plate 12 according to the fifth embodiment may be formed by providing a convex structure on the outer periphery of the internal electrode 3 or the inner surface of the external electrode 1. Alternatively, the partition plate 12 may be attached after the internal electrode 3 is attached. In the above example, the discharge gap 9 is divided into two by the partition plate 12, but the number of divisions is not limited to this.

Embodiment 6 FIG.
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a plasma processing apparatus according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention. The basic structure of the sixth embodiment is the same as that of the apparatus described in the fifth embodiment, but the first discharge gap 9a, which is one of the two divided discharge gaps 9, is connected to the gas supply port 8 and the other. The second discharge gap 9 b is connected to the exhaust port 16, and the exhaust port 16 is further connected to an external exhaust means 17.

  This provides the following advantages. As shown by the arrow in FIG. 9B, plasma gas is ejected from the first discharge gap 9a and sucked out from the second discharge gap 9b. Here, the plasma gas generated by the discharge may contain substances that are harmful to the human body and the environment. For example, in a discharge with a gas containing oxygen, ozone is generated as a final product. For this reason, an exhaust means is generally provided in the vicinity of the plasma processing apparatus. However, according to the sixth embodiment, it is not necessary to separately provide gas exhaust means, and the system configuration can be saved in space. Further, by appropriately setting the position of the opening functioning as the exhaust port and the position of the opening functioning as the ejection port 7, the flow of the gas after ejection can be controlled in a desired direction. In the sixth embodiment, the discharge region is not limited to the first discharge gap 9a on the ejection side, and a discharge can be formed in the second discharge gap 9b on the exhaust side. Thereby, for example, environmentally hazardous substances such as volatile organic compounds generated by the reaction between the active particles and the treatment material can be decomposed and discharged by the discharge on the exhaust side. For example, a pump, a fan, a blower, or the like can be used as the exhaust means in the present embodiment, but the exhaust method is not limited to the above example as long as it has a function of sucking out gas.

Embodiment 7 FIG.
10 to 12 illustrate a plasma processing apparatus according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention. In the seventh embodiment, the discharge unit 100 is attached to the actuator 18 that is a drive mechanism, and various types of processing bodies are processed.

  FIG. 10 shows an ejection port formation mode and an operation mode of the discharge unit relating to the first mode of the seventh embodiment. As shown in FIG. 10A, the outer periphery of the external electrode 1 is provided with a plurality of ejection ports 7 that are slightly inclined with respect to the height direction. As shown in FIG. 10B, the discharge unit 100 is inserted into the processing body and moved up and down by the actuator 18. Thereby, the ejection port 7 passes through the entire inner surface of the cylinder, and uniform processing is performed.

  FIG. 11 shows a processing method for the outer surface of a cylindrical processing body, and shows a jet port formation mode and a discharge unit operation mode related to the second mode of the seventh embodiment. As shown in FIG. 11 (a), a discharge unit 100 having an ejection port 7 only in one direction on the outer periphery of the external electrode 1 is connected to an arm 20 as shown in FIG. It is connected to an actuator 18 that is driven to rotate. At this time, the ejection port 7 is attached so as to face the center of the rotation axis, and the discharge unit 100 is moved along the outer periphery of the cylindrical processing body 143 so that the outer surface of the cylindrical processing body 143 is moved. It is processed. Although not shown in the drawings, the ejection port 7 is attached in the direction opposite to the rotation axis and moved in the same manner, so that it has a large cylindrical shape and its inner surface is more than the orbit of the ejection port 7. It can also be implemented to treat the inner surface of a large treatment body.

  FIG. 12 shows another processing method of the inner surface of the cylindrical processing body, and shows a jet port formation mode and an operation mode of the discharge unit according to the third mode of the seventh embodiment. As shown in FIG. 12, a discharge unit 100 having an ejection port 7 on only one of the external electrodes 1 is prepared, and an eccentric position in the discharge unit 100 is attached to the rotation shaft of the actuator 18. At this time, the ejection port 7 is directed in the direction opposite to the rotation axis of the actuator 18. In this manner, the actuator 18 is driven and the discharge unit 100 is moved around, whereby the inner surface of the processing body is processed. In this manner, by moving the discharge unit 100 with the actuator 18, an effective process can be realized for a specially shaped processing body. The driving method may be determined according to the shape of the external electrode 1, the arrangement of the ejection ports 7, the shape of the processing body, and the like, and is not limited to the above example.

  As described above, according to the plasma processing apparatus and the plasma processing method of the present invention, by changing the characteristics of the external electrode or the internal electrode in accordance with the shape of the processing body, it is possible to perform various operations without recreating the entire apparatus. It is possible to provide a plasma processing mode applicable to a shaped processing body. Thereby, the high processing effect can be exhibited also to processing bodies of complicated shape, such as the inner surface of a cylindrical processing body for which application of conventional processing was difficult. In addition, when the internal electrode and the external electrode are detachably attached to the internal conductor and the external conductor while maintaining the conduction with the internal conductor and the external conductor, respectively, by replacing the external electrode or / and the internal electrode, The characteristics of the external electrode and / or the internal electrode can be changed, and the position of the ejection port and the processing body can be brought close to the processing body of various shapes without recreating the entire apparatus. A processing effect is obtained.

  In addition, since the support is provided with at least one gas supply port connected to the discharge gap from the outside, the gas supply port interferes with the processing body when processing the inner surface of the cylindrical processing body. Effective processing is possible.

  The external electrode has a first portion and a second portion having different diameters, the first portion is a portion that is coupled to the support, and the second portion is a portion in which the ejection port is formed. In the case where the diameter of the second portion is smaller than the diameter of the first portion, an effective treatment can be realized in the treatment of the treatment body in which the diameter of the cylindrical inner surface is smaller than the support. . In addition, if the first part of the external electrode is made to correspond to a general-purpose / common support body, it is possible to greatly expand variations of treatment bodies that can be applied by replacing only the external electrode and / or the internal electrode.

  Further, in the case of further comprising an adapter that is disposed between the outer conductor and the outer electrode and maintains conductivity and airtightness and is connected to the outer electrode and the outer conductor, the inner surface of the cylindrical shape is more than the support. Effective processing can be realized in processing of a processing body having a remarkably large diameter.

  Moreover, if the discharge gap is narrowed only in a certain region, and the discharge is formed in a desired region, the discharge is formed in a limited region and the extra discharge is eliminated, thereby reducing the power cost. The suppression effect is obtained.

  In addition, when at least one partition plate that divides the discharge gap is provided between the external electrode and the internal electrode, it is possible to generate a plurality of types of plasma at the same time, Can be performed simultaneously.

  In addition, when the entire discharge unit including a drive mechanism and including the internal electrode, the external electrode, and the support is configured to be moved by the drive mechanism, the inner surface of the cylindrical treatment body, which has been difficult to process conventionally, High-efficiency processing is realized even for special processing requirements such as the outer periphery.

  In addition, when the internal electrode and the external electrode are arranged so that the width of the discharge gap is maintained at 0.05 mm to 50 mm, stable discharge is avoided while avoiding an increase in manufacturing cost and an increase in the size of the apparatus. Can be formed. Further, by applying an alternating current or bipolar pulse voltage to the internal conductor, a dielectric barrier discharge is formed, and there is an advantage that a low-temperature plasma gas containing active species is stably generated. Even when the thickness of the dielectric is 10 μm to 5000 μm, a dielectric barrier discharge is formed, and there is an advantage that a low-temperature plasma gas containing active species is stably generated.

  Although the contents of the present invention have been specifically described with reference to the preferred embodiments, various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art based on the basic technical idea and teachings of the present invention. It is self-explanatory.

  The first to seventh embodiments described above are not only mutually independent invention variations, but can be implemented by combining a plurality of embodiments partially. For example, the partition plate according to the fifth or sixth embodiment may be applied to the discharge gap according to the second, third, or fourth embodiment. Further, the combination of the fifth or sixth embodiment and the second, third, or fourth embodiment may be implemented by being moved by the drive mechanism of the seventh embodiment.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 External electrode, 2 External conductor, 3 Internal electrode, 4 Internal conductor, 5 Insulator, 6 Dielectric, 7 Ejection port, 8 Gas supply port, 9 Discharge gap, 11 Adapter, 12 Partition plate, 16 Exhaust port, 17 Exhaust means, 18 actuator, 20 arm, 100 discharge unit, 110 support, 120 gas supply source, 130 power supply, 140, 141, 142, 143 treatment body.

Claims (15)

An internal electrode;
An external electrode arranged to cover the outer periphery of the internal electrode,
At least one of the outer periphery of the internal electrode and the inner periphery of the external electrode is coated with a dielectric,
A discharge gap is formed between the internal electrode and the external electrode,
On the side surface of the external electrode , there is formed an ejection port for irradiating the processing body with plasma generated by introducing a gas into the discharge gap and applying a voltage between the external electrode and the internal electrode. Has been
Furthermore, a support is provided,
The support has an inner conductor, an outer conductor, and an insulator provided between the inner conductor and the outer conductor so as to insulate the inner conductor and the outer conductor;
One end of the internal electrode is supported by the internal conductor while maintaining conduction with the internal conductor,
One end of the external electrode is supported by the external conductor while maintaining conductivity with the external conductor.
Plasma processing equipment. In the region extending from the other end of the external electrode to the ejection port, it does not have a protruding portion outside the outer diameter of the external electrode.
The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1. The outlet is provided over the entire circumference of the external electrode;
The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1. The internal electrode is detachably attached to the internal conductor while maintaining conductivity with the internal conductor,
The external electrode is detachably attached to the external conductor while maintaining conductivity with the external conductor.
The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 . The support is provided with at least one gas supply port connected to the discharge gap from the outside.
Being
The plasma processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 . The external electrode has a first portion and a second portion having different diameters,
The first part is a part that couples to the support,
The second part is a part where the ejection port is formed,
The diameter of the second part is smaller than the diameter of the first part,
The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 . Arranged between the outer conductor and the outer electrode, maintaining conductivity and airtightness,
An adapter to which the external electrode and the external conductor are connected;
The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 . By narrowing the gap of the discharge gap only in a certain area, discharge is formed in the desired area
To
The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 . At least a partition plate for dividing the discharge gap is provided between the external electrode and the internal electrode.
One or more,
The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1. A drive mechanism,
The entire discharge unit including the internal electrode, the external electrode, and the support body has the drive mechanism.
Moved by,
The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1. A processing object is processed using the plasma processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10.
Plasma processing method. The plasma processing method according to claim 11, wherein an inner surface of the processing body is processed by inserting the external electrode and the internal electrode into the processing body . A plurality of external electrodes having different shapes or arrangement positions of one or more ejection openings are prepared.
Aside,
By exchanging the external electrode according to the shape of the treatment body, the positional relationship between the ejection port and the treatment body is obtained.
Set the clerk arbitrarily,
The plasma processing method of Claim 11 or 12. The plurality of external electrodes are different from each other in outer diameter, inner diameter or height,
By exchanging the external electrode according to the shape of the treatment body, the positional relationship between the ejection port and the treatment body is obtained.
Set the clerk arbitrarily,
The plasma processing method according to claim 11. Prepare a plurality of internal electrodes with different outer diameter, inner diameter or height,
By replacing the internal electrode according to the shape of the external electrode, the width of the discharge gap or the front
Set the shape of the discharge gap arbitrarily,
The plasma processing method according to claim 11.

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