DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MICROSTRUCTURED PLASMA TREATMENT

• US 20110259730A1
• Filed: 06/09/2009
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forsching E.V.
• Original Assignee: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forsching E.V.
• Inventors: Zanker, Antje, Thomas, Michael, Klages, Claus-Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,758,697 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/164
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2059/023 Microembossing
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/14 by plasma treatment plasma tubes per se H01J
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/2406 using dielectric barrier discharges, i.e. with a dielectric interposed between the electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/2431 using cylindrical electrodes, e.g. rotary drums

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for the microstructured plasma treatment of a film substrate, especially of a plastic film Said device comprises a rotatably received cylindrical electrode the surface of which contains or consists of metal, especially chromium, the surface having microstructured depressions, a planar high-voltage electrode the surface of which has a shape complementary to that of the cylindrical electrode and can be arranged on a section of the surface of the cylindrical electrode in a substantially form-fit manner, a transport device for transporting the film substrate to be treated between the surface of the cylindrical electrode and the high-voltage electrode, and a device for feeding a process gas to the surface of the cylindrical electrode and to the interspace between the cylindrical electrode and the high-voltage electrode.

Claims

1. Device for the microstructured plasma treatment of a foil substrate comprising:

a rotatably mounted cylindrical electrode having a surface of which comprises metal, wherein the metal is chromium, the surface having microstructured recesses;

a planar high-voltage electrode having a surface of which has a shape complementary to the surface of the rotatably mounted cylindrical electrode and disposed on a portion of the surface of the rotatably mounted cylindrical electrode extensively in a form fit;

a transport device for transporting the foil substrate to be treated between the surface of the rotatably mounted cylindrical electrode and the planar high-voltage electrodes; and

a device for supplying process gas to the surface of the rotatably mounted cylindrical electrode and into an intermediate space between the rotatably mounted cylindrical electrode and the planar high-voltage electrode.

2. Device according to claim 1 further comprising:

a device for rotational, transport of a further foil positioned between a surface of the foil substrate to be treated and one of the rotatably mounted cylindrical electrode and the planar high-voltage electrode.

3. Device according to claim 2, wherein the transport device for transporting the foil substrate to be treated and the device for rotational transport of the further foil are configured such that the foil substrate to be treated and the further foil are moved at an equal speed over the surface of the rotatably mounted cylindrical electrode.

4. Device according to claim 1, wherein the rotatably mounted cylindrical electrode has at least one of:

a width between 10 cm and 5 m, a diameter between 10 cm and 60 cm, microstructured recesses with a depth between 1 μ

m and 1 mm, and microstructured recesses with a structure width per recess between 1 μ

m and 10 mm.

5. Method for the microstructured plasma treatment of a foil substrate comprising:

guiding the foil substrate between a surface of a rotatably mounted cylindrical electrode, the surface comprising chromium metal, and a surface of a planar high-voltage electrode, wherein the surface of the rotatably mounted cylindrical electrode has microstructured recesses and the surface of the planar high-voltage electrode has a shape complementary to the surface of the rotatably mounted cylindrical electrode and is disposed on a portion of the surface of the rotatably mounted cylindrical electrode extensively in a form fit;

introducing a process gas between the surface of the rotatably mounted cylindrical electrode and a surface of the foil substrate;

applying the foil substrate onto the surface of the rotatably mounted cylindrical electrode immediately after introducing the process gas such that the process gas enclosed in the microstructured recesses by the foil substrate; and

applying a high voltage between the rotatably mounted cylindrical electrode and the planar high-voltage electrode such that a cold transient plasma gas discharge is produced in the enclosed process gas.

6. Method according to claim 5 further comprising:

guiding a further foil rotationally between the foil substrate and the planar high-voltage electrode.

7. Method according to claim 6, wherein the foil substrate to be treated and the further foil are guided through at an equal speed between the surfaces of the rotatably mounted cylindrical electrode and the planar high-voltage electrode.

8. Method according to claim 5, wherein the rotatably mounted cylindrical electrode has at least one of:

a width between 10 cm and 5 m, a diameter between 10 cm and 60 cm, microstructured recesses with a depth between 1 μ

m and 1 mm, and microstructured recesses with a structure width per recess between 1 μ

m and 10 mm.

9. Method according to claim 5, wherein the process gas in the microstructured recesses has a pressure between 0.1 bar and 10 bar.

10. Use of the method according to claim 5 for one or more of:

microstructured functionalizing of a surface, changing wettability of the surface with water, activating the surface, and coating the surface of a substrate to be treated with metal.

11. Use according to claim 10, wherein the method produces one or more of flexible strip conductors, radio frequency identification switching circuits, biosensors and smart tags.

12. Method according to claim 8, wherein the microstructured recesses have the structure width per recess between between 20 μ

m and 5 mm.

13. Method according to claim 9, wherein the process gas in the microstructured recesses has a pressure between 0.5 bar and 1.5 bar.