| 摘要 |
A plasma generator includes several plasma sources distributed in an array for plasma treatment of surfaces. Each plasma source includes first and second conductive electrodes. Each second electrode has a gas passage defined therein, and one of the first electrodes is situated within the gas passage in spaced relation from the second electrode, with each gas passage thereby constituting the free space for plasma generation between each pair of first and second electrodes. An insulating layer is interposed between the first and second electrodes to facilitate plasma formation via dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) in the gas passages between the first and second electrodes. The first electrodes may be provided in a monolithic structure wherein they all protrude from a common bed, and similarly the second electrodes may be monolithically formed by defining the gas passages within a common second electrode member. The first electrode bed may then be situated adjacent the second electrode member with its first electrodes extending into the gas passages. The space between the first electrode bed and the second electrode member defines a plenum space onto which the gas passages open. The plenum space, and thus the gas passages, may then be provided with process gas to generate plasma within the gas passages between the first and second electrodes. Plasma ejected from the gas passages will impinge upon and treat an adjacently-situated workpiece without the need to pass the workpiece through the gas passages, and thus the size of the workpiece to be treated is not limited by the size of the gas passages (i.e., the free space wherein plasma is generated). The ability to utilize monolithically-formed first electrodes and/or second electrodes allows for significantly denser placement of plasma sources in arrays, thereby leading to more complete plasma treatment of surfaces.
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