KR20010019013A - Dc plasma polymerization system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A plasma polymerization device is provided to improve productivity and quality of products by providing a means which can simultaneously treat positive ions and negative ions during surface treatment using plasma, thereby using merits of each ions. CONSTITUTION: A plasma polymerization device comprises an electrode in which each cathode and anode are alternatively arranged on both surfaces of upper and lower sides of a sample (2) of which surface is treated in an opposite direction. An existing plasma polymerization device treating single characteristics only with negative ions or positive ions alone can be changed into a plasma polymerization device treating composite characteristics with both of negative ions and positive ions when surface is treated using plasma since the alternatively arranged electrodes are structured so that cathode and anode opposite to the sample are alternatively arranged. Therefore, a plasma polymerized film of high quality is produced by mixed coating, thereby greatly improving productivity and quality of products.

Description

Plasma Polymerization System {DC PLASMA POLYMERIZATION SYSTEM}

The present invention relates to a plasma polymerization apparatus.

When a thin film is coated on the surface of a sample such as a metal plate using plasma, a coating layer having excellent hardness, wear resistance, and the like is formed. Products with a coating layer are used for magnetic disks, optical disks, ultra hard tools, and the like. In addition, when the coating film formed on the surface of the steel sheet is subjected to plasma treatment, the coated steel sheet is hardened and excellent in durability, corrosion resistance and the like is obtained. In particular, the surface modification effect of improving the hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity can be obtained by polymerizing the surface of the sample, and the surface-modified material has been applied to various ranges.

A typical example of the plasma polymerization apparatus is the apparatus disclosed in WO 99/28530. (See FIG. 1) The configuration of the apparatus is largely a vacuum chamber 1, an electrode 4 installed in the chamber, and a vacuum for adjusting the pressure of the vacuum chamber. Pumps 5, 6, gauges 7 and 8 for measuring the degree of vacuum, power supplies 3 for generating potential differences in the electrodes, and non-reactive gases such as nitrogen and reactive gases around the sample to be surface treated. It consists of the reaction gas regulators 9, 10 etc. which are injected.

An example of the plasma polymerization treatment by the above apparatus will be described.

After installing the sample (2) in the chamber (1) and starting the rotary pump (5) to confirm that the pressure inside the chamber is maintained in a vacuum of about 10 ^-3 Torr with a thermocouple gauge (7), By starting the diffusion pump (5) it is confirmed by the ion gauge (8) that the pressure inside the chamber is maintained at about 10 ^-6 Torr. The sample is positioned biased to the anode (or active electrode) by the power supply 3, and the opposite electrode 4 is grounded. When the pressure in the chamber is maintained at a constant vacuum, reactive and non-reactive gases are injected in turn around the desired location. The mixing ratio of the gas is controlled by the pressure of the thermoelectric meter. When the pressure in the vacuum chamber reaches a constant pressure, it is discharged by direct current or high frequency. Then, the molecular bonds of the gases are broken in the plasma generated by direct current or high frequency, and the broken chains and activated cations or anions combine to form a polymer on the sample surface placed between the electrodes.

However, in the case of the device, the continuous processing is not possible, so productivity is lowered. On the other hand, the apparatus shown in Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the apparatus capable of continuously performing plasma polymerization, and is particularly advantageous for thin film coating a large-area sample. In addition, since the opposite electrodes are arranged on both sides of the sample electrode, polymerization can be performed at the same time, which brings a great effect on productivity. The apparatus regulates the pressure inside the chamber by starting the vacuum pump 5 while transferring the sample 2 to the chamber 1 from the inlet 11 to the outlet 12. There is also an electrode 4 for generating a potential difference in the sample. While the pressure in the chamber is maintained at a constant vacuum, the reaction gas is injected into the reactive gas inlet 9 and generates a plasma. During plasma discharge, the molecular bonds of the reaction gases are broken, and the broken chain and the activated cations or anions combine to form a polymer on the sample surface located between the electrodes.

On the other hand, in the prior art, the plasma polymerization treatment is performed by connecting the electrodes only in one direction to the sample during the surface treatment. 3A and 3B show a connection method of electrodes according to the prior art. Referring to the drawings, the electrodes (counter electrodes) 4 are used in the same polarity. After this arrangement, the sample 2 itself is used as an electrode of a different polarity (that is, a sample electrode) to perform surface treatment. In such an electrode structure, when a reaction gas is injected into the chamber and a plasma is generated, the ionized gas is separated into anions and cations, and the separated ions are attracted to an electric field having the opposite characteristics by the electric field. At this time, the surface treatment effect of the sample is caused by the ions drawn toward the sample.

However, in the electrode structure described above, the surface treatment of the sample can be performed only by either anion or cation, and each ion cannot be used for surface treatment together. For example, it is known that anions have hydrophilic properties and cations can be relatively fast in coating, but it is impossible in the prior art to take advantage of all of these advantages.

The present invention is to solve the above problems, by providing a means for enabling simultaneous treatment of cations or anions in the surface treatment using plasma to improve the productivity and productability of the plasma polymerization treatment by using the advantages of each ion The purpose is to.

1 is a schematic view showing a conventional plasma polymerization apparatus.

2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a part of an apparatus capable of continuously performing plasma polymerization treatment.

3 is a schematic diagram showing a connection method of an electrode according to the prior art,

3A shows an example of using a counter electrode as an anode,

3B shows an example of using a counter electrode as a cathode.

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment according to the present invention, showing a state in which the cathode and the anode opposed to the upper and lower sides of the sample are arranged cross.

FIG. 5 shows a case where the sample electrode is grounded in the apparatus of FIG. 4 according to another embodiment of the present invention.

*** Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawing ***

1: Deposition chamber 2: Sample (sample electrode)

2a: coating film 3: power supply

4: counter electrode 4a: counter electrode

4b: counter electrode 4c: counter electrode

4d: counter electrode 5: rotary pump

6: Diffusion pump 7: Thermocouple gauge

8: Ion gauge 9: Gas regulator

10: gas control device 11: inlet

15: isolation wall 20: ground

The present invention relates to a plasma polymerization apparatus, in order to solve the above problems, it provides a plasma polymerization apparatus comprising an electrode arrangement in which the cathode and the anode alternately opposed to each of the upper and lower surfaces of the sample to be surface-treated.

Two or more pairs of cathodes and anodes opposed to both sides of the sample may be disposed, and an isolation wall may be further provided between the cathode and the anode. Meanwhile, the sample may be grounded or placed without any connection.

The electrode structure according to the present invention is designed so that the cathode and the anode facing the sample are cross-arranged so that the conventional single-characterized treatment with only anion or cation can be changed to the composite characteristic treatment.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing an embodiment according to the present invention, in which cathodes 4a and 4d and anodes 4b and 4c opposed to upper and lower surfaces of the sample 2 are alternately arranged. The cathode 4a or 4d and the anode 4b or 4c are disposed together on one side of the sample so that both positive and negative ions can be deposited on the sample. On the other hand, opposing electrodes 4a and 4b or 4d and 4c on the same plane are divided into isolation walls 15, which contributes to the deposition of each electrode independently and is less affected by each other. In the case of FIG. 4, the sample 2 is arranged in the chamber 1 without additional connection. However, FIG. 5 shows another embodiment according to the present invention, and it can be seen that the sample 2 is grounded 20.

4 and 5, the sample may be moved or rotated in a straight line in the chamber using a driving device to facilitate the complex characteristic processing. In the continuous processing apparatus, the sample is naturally opposed to the cathode and the anode as the sample moves in the chamber along the advancing direction, so that mixed coating by cations and anions is possible.

In the present invention, unlike the above embodiment, a plurality of electrodes facing each other may be sequentially arranged on both sides of the sample in the longitudinal direction of the sample. In this case, the deposition range in the chamber is increased, which is not only suitable for surface treatment of a large area of the sample, but also the mixing coating is repeated, thereby improving the quality of the coating.

The cross-arranged electrode structure according to the present invention is designed to have a cathode and an anode opposed to the sample cross-arranged so that the single-characterized treatment with only anion or cation during the surface treatment using plasma is a complex characteristic treatment for simultaneously treating cations or anions. You can change it. Therefore, it is possible to produce a high-quality plasma polymerized film by mixing coating will bring a large improvement in productivity and productability.

Claims (1)

Plasma polymerization treatment device comprising an electrode arrangement in which the cathode and the anode alternately opposed to each of the upper and lower surfaces of the sample to be surface-treated.