WO2014077623A1

WO2014077623A1 - Plasma processing device comprising multiple ballast modules

Info

Publication number: WO2014077623A1
Application number: PCT/KR2013/010408
Authority: WO
Inventors: 김번중; 서춘성; 최동규
Original assignee: 주식회사 지아이티
Priority date: 2012-11-16
Filing date: 2013-11-15
Publication date: 2014-05-22

Abstract

Provided is a plasma processing device comprising: a chamber; a plurality of discharge electrode sheets provided inside the chamber; a power source unit for supplying electrical power to the discharge electrode sheets; and ballast modules provided between the discharge electrode sheets and the power source unit. Here, each discharge electrode sheet comprises at least one first discharge electrode and at least one second discharge electrode which has (have) a different polarity from the first discharge electrode(s) and is (are) disposed spaced apart in the Y-axis direction; the plurality of discharge electrode sheets are respectively disposed facing each other spaced apart in the X-axis direction; and discharge electrodes provided in mutually facing positions have the same polarity as each other.

Description

Plasma processing apparatus comprising multiple ballast modules

The present invention relates to an apparatus for treating a surface of a metal or a polymer, and more particularly, to a plasma processing apparatus for treating a surface of a metal or a polymer using plasma ions.

When energy is applied to the gas molecules, the outermost electrons of the gas molecules are released and the gas molecules are divided into positively charged ions and free electrons. A state in which the positively charged ions and free electrons are gathered at a predetermined density or more and is generally neutral and has a high reactivity is called plasma.

When the plasma having such a high reaction energy impinges on the surface of a material, the energy of the plasma may be transferred to the surface of the material to be collided, and the metal or polymer may be cleaned or surface treated using the plasma. Plasma may be applied to the back.

In the surface treatment apparatus using the plasma, an arc discharge does not occur and a discharge process should be performed in a glow discharge region. This is because if an arc is generated in the plasma processing apparatus, the apparatus may be damaged, and the object to be treated may be damaged. However, as the plasma processing apparatus becomes larger and larger in area, there is a problem in that the discharge current increases and the likelihood of arc discharge increases.

Accordingly, the present invention is to provide a plasma processing apparatus capable of dividing the discharge electrodes of a large-area plasma processing apparatus into a plurality of discharge electrode sets, and having a ballast module in each of the discharge electrode sets to reduce the occurrence of arc discharge.

A chamber, a plurality of discharge electrode sets provided in the chamber, a power supply unit for supplying power to the discharge electrode set, and a ballast module provided between the discharge electrode set and the power supply unit, wherein the discharge electrode set includes at least one agent; And a first discharge electrode and at least one second discharge electrode having a different polarity from the first discharge electrode and spaced apart in the y-axis direction, wherein each of the plurality of discharge electrode sets is spaced apart from each other in the x-axis direction. Discharge electrodes disposed in the form and provided at positions facing each other have the same polarity as each other.

The ballast module may include a ballast unit.

The ballast unit may be provided with any one of a resistor, a reactor, and an electronic resistor.

The ballast module may further include a switch unit connecting the ballast unit and the power supply unit.

The ballast module may further include a detector configured to measure an electrical characteristic value of power flowing in the ballast unit, and a controller configured to control an operation of the switch unit by comparing a value measured by the detector and a reference value.

The first discharge electrode and the second discharge electrode may be formed in a plate shape having a length, a width, and a thickness.

A plurality of holes may be provided in the first discharge electrode and the second discharge electrode.

A space in which a target object is disposed may be provided between the plurality of discharge electrode sets.

The power supply unit may apply any one of DC power, AC power, and pulse power.

The ballast module includes a ballast unit for adjusting a current density flowing between the discharge electrode set, a switch unit connecting the ballast unit and the power supply unit, a detector unit for measuring an electrical characteristic value of electric power flowing in the ballast unit, and the detector unit. It may include a control unit for controlling the operation of the switch unit by comparing the one value and the reference value.

The large-area plasma processing apparatus according to the present invention divides the discharge treatment area into a plurality of discharge electrode sets, and includes a ballast module in each discharge electrode set to prevent arc discharge from occurring and to improve the stability and uniformity of the discharge. It can be maintained.

1 is a schematic perspective view of a plasma processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a schematic plan view of a plasma processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a view showing a DC discharge characteristic curve of the plasma processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a diagram showing the configuration of a ballast module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

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

The present invention can be variously modified and can be embodied in various forms. Only specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in the text. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above specific embodiments, and it should be understood that all changes, equivalents, or substitutes included in the spirit and technical scope of the present invention are included in the scope of the present invention.

In this specification, specific structural to functional descriptions are merely illustrated for the purpose of describing embodiments of the present invention, and embodiments of the present invention may be embodied in various forms and are limited to the embodiments described herein. It is not to be understood that the present invention is to be construed as including all modifications, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and technical scope of the present invention.

When a component is described as being connected to or in contact with another component, it will be understood that there may be another component in between, although it may be directly connected or in contact with another component.

In addition, when a component is described as being directly connected or integrated in contact with another component, it may be understood that there is no other component in between. Other expressions describing the relationship between the components, such as "between" and "directly between" or "adjacent to" and "directly adjacent to", may be interpreted as well.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing exemplary embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

As used herein, the terms "comprise", "comprise" or "have" are intended to designate that there is a feature, number, step, action, component, part, or combination thereof that is practiced, and that one or the same. It is to be understood that the present invention does not exclude in advance the possibility of the presence or addition of other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

Terms such as first, second, third, etc. may be used to describe various components, but such components are not limited by the terms. The terms are used to distinguish one component from other components.

1 is a view showing a plasma processing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of a plasma processing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

1 and 2, the plasma processing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a chamber 110, a plurality of discharge electrode sets 200 provided in the chamber 110, and the discharge electrode set. It may include a power supply unit 300 for supplying power to the 200 and the ballast module 400 for adjusting the current density flowing between the discharge electrode set 200.

In FIG. 1, four discharge electrode sets 200 are illustrated in the chamber 110. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and at least two discharge electrode sets 200 may be provided in the chamber 110. .

Each of the discharge electrode sets 200 may include at least one first discharge electrode 210 and at least one second discharge electrode 220 for inducing plasma.

The first discharge electrode 210 and the second discharge electrode 220 have a plate shape having a predetermined length, width, and thickness. In addition, a plurality of holes may be formed in the first discharge electrode 210 and the second discharge electrode 220 in the form of a plate. Hereinafter, for convenience of description, the thickness direction of the first discharge electrode 210 is referred to as the x-axis direction, the width direction of the discharge electrode is referred to as the y-axis direction, and the length direction of the discharge electrode is referred to as the z-axis direction.

In the discharge electrode set 200, the first discharge electrode 210 and the second discharge electrode 220 may be alternately spaced apart from each other in the y-axis direction.

The first discharge electrode 210 provided in each of the discharge electrode sets 200 may induce a plasma discharge capacitively coupled with the adjacent second discharge electrode 220.

Each of the discharge electrode sets 200 may be spaced apart from each other in the x-axis direction, and a plasma target object 500 may be disposed between the discharge electrode sets 200.

A space for plasma discharge may be formed in the chamber 110. The chamber 110 may include a fixed frame 120 for fixing the plurality of discharge electrode sets 200, a jig 130 for fixing the plasma target object 500, and an inside of the chamber 110. It may include a gas injection unit 140 for injecting an inert gas, etc. required for the furnace plasma process and a gas discharge unit 150 for discharging the residue after the plasma treatment to the outside.

Meanwhile, although the chamber 110 is illustrated as a hexahedral structure in FIG. 1, the chamber 110 is not necessarily limited thereto, and the shape of the chamber 110 may be modified according to the shape of the plasma target object 500.

In the chamber 110, a plurality of fixing frames 120 may be provided to fix the plurality of discharge electrode sets 200. That is, each of the first discharge electrodes 210 and the second discharge electrodes 220 provided in the same fixed frame 120 may constitute one discharge electrode set 200.

Since the fixed frame 120 has a cassette magazine shape, a user can easily mount or detach the plurality of discharge electrodes on the fixed frame 120.

A jig 130 may be provided between each of the fixing frames 120 to fix the plasma processing target object 500.

Referring to FIG. 2, the connection relationship between the discharge electrode set 200 and the power supply unit 300 of the plasma processing apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment will be described.

The power supply unit 300 may supply power such as DC power, AC power, or pulse power to the plurality of discharge electrode sets 200.

The discharge electrode set 200 may include at least one first discharge electrode 210 and at least one second discharge electrode 220 having a different polarity from the first discharge electrode 210.

When the power supplied from the power supply unit 300 is a DC power source, power having different polarities may be applied to the first discharge electrode 210 and the second discharge electrode 220.

That is, a plasma capacitively coupled between the first discharge electrode 210 present in one discharge electrode set 200 and the second discharge electrode 220 adjacent to the first discharge electrode 210 is generated.

The ballast module 400 may be provided between each of the discharge electrode sets 200 and the power supply unit 300. The ballast module 400 may be provided with one ballast module 400 for each discharge electrode set 200.

The ballast module 400 may be configured as a ballast unit 410. The ballast unit 410 may be formed of any one of a resistance ballast, a reactor ballast, and an electronic resistance ballast.

The ballast unit 410 may function to suppress an abnormal phenomenon during discharge, so that the discharge is maintained at a stable operating point. The plasma processing apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment may individually control each of the discharge electrode sets 200 by providing one ballast unit 410 per discharge electrode set 200.

That is, in the case of using a single ballast unit, if an abnormal shape occurs in any one discharge area, all the discharge areas are affected. However, when the discharge area is divided into the discharge electrode sets 200 and each of the separate ballast units 410 is used. Even if an abnormal phenomenon occurs in any one discharge electrode set 200 may not affect the discharge generated in the remaining discharge electrode set 200.

In addition, by distributing the discharge area into the respective discharge electrode sets 200 through the ballast unit 410 to cope with the abnormal phenomenon, the burden of increasing the discharge area can be reduced.

In addition, the ballast unit 410 may play a role of controlling an overcurrent to flow in the discharge electrode set 200 once discharge is started.

The ballast module 400 may be provided only with the ballast unit 410, and may further include a switch unit 420, a detector 430, and a controller 430 which will be described later.

The DC discharge characteristic curve is a graph showing a change in the discharge current I with respect to the voltage V applied by the power supply unit to the discharge electrode. That is, it is a graph showing a change in the discharge current I flowing between the discharge electrode set 200 according to the DC voltage V applied by the power supply unit 300.

The DC discharge characteristic curve may be largely divided into towngent regions A through B, glow discharge regions B through E, and arc discharge regions E through F. FIG.

The Townsend regions A to B refer to regions in which the voltage applied to the discharge electrode set 200 by the power supply unit 300 is lower than the discharge start voltage Vf, and no discharge occurs in this region.

When a voltage higher than the discharge start voltage Vf is applied by the power supply unit 300, the power supply unit 300 enters the glow discharge regions B to E. The glow discharge regions B to E start to discharge and the current I ) Increases but voltage drops sharply (B ~ C), normal glow (C ~ D) area where discharge actually occurs, and current (I) increases above normal discharge current (In) and voltage increases together. It can be divided into an abnormal glow (D ~ E) region.

When entering the abnormal glow (D-E) region, the discharge electrode set 200 is heated to start the release of hot electrons. As a result, the voltage decreases and is passed to the arc discharge regions E to F. FIG.

Therefore, for the stability of the discharge, it is preferable that the discharge occurs only in the normal glow (C ~ D) region. That is, it is important not to enter the abnormal glow area (D-E), which may be determined by the area of the discharge electrode set 200 and the capacity of the ballast module 400.

In the case of the conventional plasma processing apparatus, a ballast is provided between the discharge electrode and the power supply device to prevent the arc discharge from occurring. However, as the discharge area of the plasma processing apparatus gradually increases, there is a problem that the possibility of anomalies such as arc discharge gradually increases.

Therefore, in the present invention, the total discharge area of the plasma processing apparatus is divided into each discharge electrode set 200, and one ballast module 400 is provided for each discharge electrode set 200, thereby causing an abnormal phenomenon such as arc discharge. It is to provide a plasma processing apparatus 100 that can prevent this from occurring.

Therefore, the area processed by the plasma processing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention is the same as the conventional plasma processing apparatus, but more stable discharge can occur than the conventional plasma processing apparatus.

4 illustrates a ballast module 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The ballast module 400 includes a ballast unit 410 that functions to suppress an abnormal phenomenon during discharge, so that the discharge is maintained at a stable operating point, preferably, the ballast unit and the power supply unit 300. A switch unit 420 for connecting the control unit 420, a detector 430 for measuring an electrical characteristic value of electric power flowing in the ballast unit, and a controller 440 for controlling the operation of the switch unit by comparing a value measured by the detector with a reference value. Each may further include.

The switch unit 420 may serve to connect between the discharge electrode set 200 and the power supply unit 300 according to a control signal of the controller 440.

The detector 430 may serve to measure an electrical characteristic value such as a current or a voltage flowing in the ballast unit 410.

The controller 440 compares the current value flowing through the ballast unit 410 and the reference current value measured by the detector 430 to the switch unit 420 when the measured current value is greater than the reference current value. It may serve to apply an off signal.

Similarly, the control unit 440 compares the voltage value of the ballast unit 410 and the reference voltage value measured by the detection unit 430, and when the measured voltage value is larger than the reference voltage value, the switch unit 420. It may also serve to apply an off-signal.

That is, the controller 440 may prevent damage to the device in advance by blocking the power supply of the power supply unit 300 when a current higher than a reference value or a high voltage is applied to the ballast unit 410.

The reference current value or the reference voltage value may be arbitrarily set by the user.

The plasma processing apparatus including the multiple ballast module described above is merely exemplary, and it should be understood that all changes, equivalents, or substitutes included in the spirit and scope of the present invention are included in the scope of the present invention.

Claims

chamber;

A plurality of discharge electrode sets provided in the chamber;

A power supply unit for supplying power to the discharge electrode set; And

And a ballast module provided between the discharge electrode set and the power supply unit.

The discharge electrode set includes at least one first discharge electrode and at least one second discharge electrode having a different polarity from the first discharge electrode and spaced apart in the y-axis direction, wherein each of the plurality of discharge electrode sets Plasma processing apparatus, characterized in that disposed in a form facing each other spaced apart in the x-axis direction, the discharge electrodes provided at positions facing each other have the same polarity.
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ballast module comprises a ballast unit.
The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the ballast unit comprises one of a resistor, a reactor, and an electronic resistor.
The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the ballast module further comprises a switch unit connecting the ballast unit and the power supply unit.
The ballast module of claim 2, further comprising a detector configured to measure an electrical characteristic value of electric power flowing in the ballast unit, and a controller configured to control an operation of the switch unit by comparing a value measured by the detector and a reference value. Plasma processing apparatus.
The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first discharge electrode and the second discharge electrode have a plate shape having a length, a width, and a thickness.
The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first discharge electrode and the second discharge electrode are provided with a plurality of holes.
The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein a space in which the object to be processed is disposed is provided between the plurality of discharge electrode sets.
The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power supply unit applies any one of a direct current power source, an alternating current power source, and a pulsed power source.
The method of claim 1, wherein the ballast module,

A ballast unit configured to adjust a current density flowing between the discharge electrode sets;

A switch unit connecting the ballast unit and the power supply unit;

A detector for measuring an electrical characteristic value of power flowing through the ballast unit; And

And a control unit for controlling the operation of the switch unit by comparing the value measured by the detection unit with a reference value.