Real time characterization of polymer surface modifications by an atmospheric-pressure plasma jet: Electrically coupled versus remote mode

Abstract

We characterize and distinguish two regimes of atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) polymer interactions depending on whether the electrical interaction of the plasma plume with the surface is significant (coupled) or not (remote). When the plasma is coupled to the surface, localized energy deposition by charged species in filaments dominates the interactions with the surface and produces contained damaged areas with high etch rates that decrease rapidly with plasma source-to-sample distance. For remote APP surface treatments, when only reactive neutral species interact with the surface, we established specific surface-chemical changes and very slow etching of polymer films. Remote treatments appear uniform with etch rates that are highly sensitive to feed gas chemistry and APP source temperature.

Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma VUV Interactions With Surfaces: Effect of Local Gas Environment and Source Design

“…In this work, we find that a kHz driven ring‐APPJ operated so that the plasma does not directly contact the surface primarily causes polymer thickness loss due to VUV emission. This explains behavior previously seen for this source where less thickness loss occurred for oxygen addition to the feed gas . While high energy photons are clearly the critical species inducing polymer modifications for remote treatment by a kHz driven ring‐APPJ source, it is unclear if results seen for other atmospheric pressure plasma sources were consistent with this finding.…”

“…This explains behavior previously seen for this source where less thickness loss occurred for oxygen addition to the feed gas. [24] While high energy photons are clearly the critical species inducing polymer modifications for remote treatment by a kHz driven ring-APPJ source, it is unclear if results seen for other atmospheric pressure plasma sources were consistent with this finding. The physical sources and selected operating conditions are shown in Figure 1.…”

Biodeactivation of Lipopolysaccharide Correlates with Surface‐Bound NO3 After Cold Atmospheric Plasma Treatment

“…The APPJ is similar to a previously reported design and will be overviewed here . Two electrodes (length = 2 cm) are wrapped around an alumina tube (ID = 4 mm, OD = 6.35 mm) and separated by a 1.6 cm Teflon block.…”

Distinct modes in the evolution of interaction between polymer film and atmospheric pressure plasma jet

“…Recently, there is an increasing interest in the applications of atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) for material processing, including film etching, surface modification, and plasma jet printing on flexible substrate . The plasma and surface interactions play important role in plasma characteristics and surface properties.…”

“…Different kinds of polymer films, such as photoresist, polyimide, parylene‐C, etc, are widely used in the field of micro‐electro mechanical systems (MEMS), and biomedicine . In the application and micromaching of these polymer materials, films are usually spin coated or deposited on different substrates, such as conductive, semiconductive or dielectric materials . As a result, the influence of polymer films with different substrates will also affect the plasma characteristics and the treated films.…”