Remote exposure of workpieces using a recirculated plasma
First Claim
1. A method for treating a workpiece with one or more active species, comprising the steps of:
- (a) applying power to generate an electric field within a plasma-generation region to generate a one-atmosphere glow discharge plasma in a working gas;
(b) convecting the working gas with the one or more active species away from the plasma-generation region to a remote-exposure region containing the workpiece;
(c) subjecting the workpiece in the remote-exposure region to the one or more active species, wherein the workpiece is located outside of the plasma-generation region; and
(d) recirculating the working gas with at least one of the active species present from the remote-exposure region back to the plasma-generation region to increase concentration of the at least one of the active species in the remote-exposure region.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An OAUGD plasma is generated using, for example, paraelectric or peristaltic electrohydrodynamic (EHD) techniques, in the plasma generator of a remote-exposure reactor, wherein one or more active species, especially oxidizing species in the plasma are convected away from the plasma-generation region and directed towards a workpiece that is located outside of the plasma-generation region (e.g., within an optional remote-exposure chamber configured to the plasma generator). In this way, the workpiece can be subjected to the one or more active species without directly being subjected to either the plasma or to the electric fields used to generate the plasma. The plasma generator may have a set of flat panels arranged within an air baffle to convect the active species in a serpentine manner through the plasma generator. The remote-exposure reactor can also be configured as a portable backpack unit with tubing that is used to direct the active species onto the workpiece, rather than placing the workpiece within a remote-exposure chamber of the reactor.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for treating a workpiece with one or more active species, comprising the steps of:
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(a) applying power to generate an electric field within a plasma-generation region to generate a one-atmosphere glow discharge plasma in a working gas;
(b) convecting the working gas with the one or more active species away from the plasma-generation region to a remote-exposure region containing the workpiece;
(c) subjecting the workpiece in the remote-exposure region to the one or more active species, wherein the workpiece is located outside of the plasma-generation region; and
(d) recirculating the working gas with at least one of the active species present from the remote-exposure region back to the plasma-generation region to increase concentration of the at least one of the active species in the remote-exposure region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification