Method and device for generating a plasma excited by a microwave energy in the electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) domain, in order to carry out a surface treatment or produce a coating around a filiform element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10283322-B2
Application number	US-201515301001-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2015
Priority date	Apr 4, 2014
Publication date	May 7, 2019
Grant date	May 7, 2019

Abstract

According to the process, the filiform component is continuously linearly moved through magnetic dipoles arranged opposite each other and around a tube constituting a treatment chamber, and the microwave energy is introduced between at least two magnetic dipoles.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A process to generate a plasma excited by microwave energy in a field of electron cyclotron resonance (ECR), to execute a surface treatment or coating around a filiform component, comprising:
arranging at least two annular magnets constituting magnetic dipoles at atmospheric pressure opposite each other and mounted concentrically around a tube constituting a treatment chamber, to produce axisymmetric magnetic field lines parallel to the filiform component,
continuously linearly moving the filiform component through the at least two annular magnets and the tube constituting a treatment chamber,
introducing the microwave energy to the tube, between the at least two annular magnets via a microwave applicator mounted between the at least two annular magnets, and
thereby generating a linear axisymmetrical plasma confined around the filiform component in the treatment chamber.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the surface treatment comprises a cleaning, a pickling, a functionalisation, or a grafting.

3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the coating is obtained by PECVD (plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition).

4. A device to generate a microwave excited plasma by electron cyclotron resonance (ECR), around a continuously linearly driven filiform component, comprising:
at least one module composed of two annular magnets constituting magnetic dipoles arranged at atmospheric pressure opposite each other and mounted concentrically around a tube constituting a treatment chamber, and producing axisymmetric magnetic field lines parallel to the filiform component wherein
the filiform component to be treated is linearly moved through the two annular magnets and through the tube constituting the treatment chamber, and
wherein the device further includes a microwave applicator connected to the tube, between the two annular magnets to introduce microwave energy between the two annular magnets,
thus generating a linear axisymmetrical plasma confined around the filiform component in the treatment chamber.

5. The device according to claim 4 , wherein the annular magnets comprise permanent magnets.

6. The device according to claim 4 , wherein the annular magnets comprise electromagnet coils.

7. The device according to claim 4 , wherein the microwave applicator is arranged perpendicularly to a central axis of the tube.

8. The device according to claim 4 , wherein the tube constitutes a Tee having a median branch and two other branches on either side of said median branch, the median branch receives the microwave applicator and the other two branches receive the annular magnets.

9. The device according to claim 4 , wherein the device comprises several modules mounted in series and in linear alignment and connected together by a sealing ring.

10. The device according to claim 9 , wherein each sealing ring acts as a pumping zone being connected to a gas pumping collector.

11. The device according to claim 9 , wherein the sealing ring acts alternatively as a gas pumping zone and as a gas injection zone.

12. The device according to claim 4 , wherein the filiform component is electrically polarised to allow an ion bombardment of the plasma.

Assignees

• Hydromecanique & Frottement
• Luxembourg Inst Science & Tech List

Inventors

• Choquet Patrick
• Duday David
• Blandenet Olivier
• Lagarde Thierry Leon

Classifications

• H01J37/32678 Primary

  Electron cyclotron resonance · CPC title

• H01J37/32192 Primary

  Microwave generated discharge (H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394, H01J37/32403 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01J37/32403

  Treating multiple sides of workpieces, e.g. 3D workpieces · CPC title

• H01J37/32733

  Means for moving the material to be treated · CPC title

• H01J37/32513

  Sealing means, e.g. sealing between different parts of the vessel · CPC title