Patent Application
20080193330
This application claims benefit of priority under 85 USC 119 based on Japanese Patent Application No. P2007-31297 filed Feb. 9, 2007, and Japanese Patent Application No. P2007-68908 filed Mar. 16, 2007, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
1. Field of Invention
The present invention pertains to a surface treatment apparatus using non-thermal equilibrium low temperature plasma. Invention particularly relates to a surface treatment apparatus that facilitates miscellaneous inner wall processing of treatment objects, which may include a long (several meters long) and narrow (several millimeters of inside diameter) dielectric tube.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid in a narrow tube contact with inner wall of the narrow tube at a specific contact angle, the value of the contact angle depends upon surface property of inner wall such as hydrophobic or hydrophilic behavior and geometry of inner wall such as glassy shape or hollow shape. An upward force in a pipe of a capillary action depends on the product of surface tension, cosine of a contact angle, and circumferential length of a hole. A downward force depends on the product of pressure, gravity, specific gravity of the liquid and height of the liquid. Therefore, the height of the liquid in a narrow tube can be calculated by equating the upward force and the downward force. For example, a column of water rises about 0.75 m in an atmospheric pressure in a pipe element having an inside diameter of 20 micrometers. However, in the inner wall of a narrow tube, it is difficult that liquid is transported at high speed. Therefore, as against inside of a long-narrow tube, it is extremely difficult to execute pasteurization, sterilization or washing by wet processing. Because of these problems, dry-process is suitable for inner wall processing of a long-narrow tube by non-thermal equilibrium low temperature plasma, which is full of radicals, is expected to process inner wall of a narrow tube.
Ichiki et al. have proposed an employment of plasma jet generated by inductively-coupled-high-frequency plasma for the dry-process of inner wall of a narrow tube is tried (See T. Ichiki et al., “Localized and ultrahigh-rate etching of silicon wafers using atmospheric-pressure microplasma jet”, J. Appl. Phys., 95 (2004) pp. 35-39). Plasma length of Ichiki et al. is around several centimeters to the utmost.
Fujiyama proposed a configuration in which a metal electrode is interposed in a narrow tube so as to establish a pulsed discharge. However, it is extremely difficult to interpose the metal electrode in inside of a narrow tube having an inside diameter of less than several millimeters (See H. Fujiyama, “Inner coating of long-narrow tube by plasma sputtering”, Surface and Coating Technology, 131 (2000) pp. 278-283).
In particular, because medical instrument such as endoscope encompasses optical system and metallic parts having very minute geometry, the metallic part rises to a considerable high temperature, when the medical instrument are sterilized by plasma, even though low temperature plasma is employed. The rising to the high temperature generates a problem that warp or misalignment is produced m the optical system.
Because of these problems, under the present situations, in order to remove microbes adhered to an endoscope, a medical staff must dip the endoscope in antiseptic solution, and wash off microbes carefully from the endoscope with several stages in the antiseptic solution.
In view of these situations, Fukuda has proposed another sterilization method in a double tube structure, establishing washing in water and sterilization by plasma (See JP2006-21027 A). A long-narrow tube to be sterilized is dipped into water, which is filled in an inner tube made of glass, and the inner tube is installed man outer tube. The plasma generated in a space between the inner tube and the outer tube is irradiated to long-narrow tube through the inner tube. However, in the double tube method proposed by Fukuda, because a basis of sterilization is wet processing, there is a limit in the sterilization capability.
Therefore, no effective plasma generation method is proposed, which can be applied to in the inside of a long-narrow tube, having a length of several meters and an inside diameter of several millimeters, until now.
In particular, because dissociation energy of nitrogen molecules is so large compared with other gas molecules, as shown in table 1, as for the generation of nitrogen plasma, stable generation was very difficult until now.
In view of these situations, it is an object of the present invention to provide a surface treatment apparatus, which can treat surfaces of inner walls of various kinds of treatment objects, including a long-narrow tube having a length of several meters with an inside diameter of several millimeters. Hereinafter, the term “inner wall treatment” shall mean any surface treatment of a surface of inner wall of the subject treatment object. In addition, the term “surface treatment” shall mean any surface treatment of a surface of inner wall (inner surface) or the outer wall (outer surface) of the subject treatment object, which may include pasteurization, sterilization, and improvement of wettability. In a wide sense, the term “surface treatment” shall mean any removal of adhered materials, such as organic/inorganic materials, adhered to the surface of inner wall (inner surface) or the outer wall (outer surface) of the treatment object and any change of physical or chemical property of inner surface or the outer surface of the treatment object.
The term “change of physical or chemical property” shall include deposition or etching by plasma reaction. Therefore, a process to deposit a film made of material different from inner surface of the treatment object corresponds to the term “change of physical or chemical property”.
An aspect of the present invention inheres in a surface treatment apparatus encompassing a gas introducing system for introducing a process gas from one end of a tubular treatment object a vacuum evacuating system for evacuating the process gas from other end of the treatment object; an excited particle supplying system disposed at the gas supply upstream side to the treatment object, for supplying excited particles for inducing initial discharge in a main body of the treatment object and a first main electrode and a second main electrode disposed oppositely to each other, defining a treating region of the treatment object as a main plasma generating region disposed therebetween, wherein the excited particle supplying system is driven at least until generation of main plasma, and main pulse of duty ratio of 10−7 to 10−1 is applied between the first main electrode and second main electrode, to generate a non-thermal equilibrium plasma flow inside the treatment object, and thereby the inner surface of the treatment object is treated.
Another aspect of the present invention inheres in a surface treatment apparatus encompassing a vacuum evacuating system for evacuating a process gas introduced at a specific flow rate from an introducing piping provided at other end of a tubular treatment object having one end closed, from an exhaust piping provided at the other end, and maintaining the pressure of the process gas inside the treatment object at a process pressure; an excited particle supplying system disposed at the gas supply upstream side to the treatment object, for supplying excited particles for inducing initial discharge in a main body of the treatment object; and a first main electrode and a second main electrode disposed oppositely to each other, defining a treating region of the treatment object as a main plasma generating region disposed therebetween, wherein the excited particle supplying system is driven at least until generation of main plasma, and main pulse of duty ratio of 10−7 to 10−1 is applied between the first main electrode and second main electrode, to generate a non-thermal equilibrium plasma flow inside the treatment object, and thereby the inner surface of the treatment object is treated.
Still another aspect of the present invention inheres in a surface treatment apparatus encompassing a vacuum manifold unit connected to other end of a tubular treatment object having one end closed, for sealing process gas at specified pressure inside of the treatment object from the other end; an excited particle supplying system disposed at the other end side, for supplying excited particles for inducing initial discharge in a main body of the treatment object; and a first main electrode and a second main electrode disposed oppositely to each other, defining a treating region of the treatment object as a main plasma generating region disposed therebetween, wherein the excited particle supplying system is driven at least until generation of main plasma, and main pulse of duty ratio of 10−7 to 10−1 is applied between the first main electrode and second main electrode, to generate a non-thermal equilibrium plasma flow inside the treatment object, and thereby the inner surface of the treatment object is treated.
Further aspect of the present invention inheres in a surface treatment apparatus encompassing a vacuum evacuating system for generating a gas flow by evacuating a process gas introduced from one end of a tubular trunk pipe of a treatment object, the treatment object having the tubular trunk pipe and a branch pipe branched off from the trunk pipe, from the other end of the trunk pipe and an end portion of the branch pipe; an excited particle supplying system disposed at the gas supply upstream side to the treatment object, for supplying excited particles for inducing initial discharge in a main body of the treatment object; and a first main electrode and a second main electrode disposed oppositely to each other, defining a treating region of the treatment object as a main plasma generating region disposed therebetween, wherein the excited particle supplying system is driven at least until generation of main plasma, and main pulse of duty ratio of 10−7 to 10−1 is applied between the first main electrode and second main electrode, to generate a non-thermal equilibrium plasma flow inside the treatment object, and thereby the inner surface of the treatment object is treated.
Still further aspect of the present invention inheres in a surface treatment apparatus encompassing a vacuum evacuating system for generating a gas flow by evacuating a process gas introduced from one end of a tubular trunk pipe of a treatment object and end portion of a branch pipe of the treatment object, the treatment object having the tubular trunk pipe and the branch pipe branched off from the trunk pipe, from the other end of the trunk pipe; an excited particle supplying system disposed at the gas supply upstream side to the treatment object, for supplying excited particles for inducing initial discharge in a main body of the treatment object; and a first main electrode and a second main electrode disposed oppositely to each other, defining a treating region of the treatment object as a main plasma generating region disposed therebetween, wherein the excited particle supplying system is driven at least until generation of main plasma, and main pulse of duty ratio of 10−7 to 10−1 is applied between the first main electrode and second main electrode, to generate a non-thermal equilibrium plasma flow inside the treatment object, and thereby the inner surface of the treatment object is treated.
Still further aspect of the present invention inheres in a surface treatment apparatus encompassing an excited particle supplying system disposed at the gas supply upstream side of a tubular treatment object made of dielectric material, the treatment object having a length greater than the diameter, for supplying excited particles for inducing initial discharge in a main body of the treatment object; and a first main electrode and a second main electrode disposed oppositely to each other, defining a treating region of the treatment object as a main plasma generating region disposed therebetween, wherein a process gas is introduced from one end of the treatment object to form a gas flow inside of the treatment object, and the pressure of the gas flow is adjusted to a process pressure in a range of 20 kPa to 100 kPa, the excited particle supplying system is driven at least until generation of main plasma, and main pulse of duty ratio of 10−7 to 10−1 is applied between the first main electrode and second main electrode to generate a non-thermal equilibrium plasma flow inside the treatment object, and thereby the inner surface of the treatment object is treated.
Still further aspect of the present invention inheres in a surface treatment apparatus encompassing a dielectric housing configured to accommodate an treatment object; a gas introducing system configured to introduce a process gas from one end of the dielectric housing; a vacuum evacuating system configured to evacuate the process gas from other end of the dielectric housing; an excited particle supplying system disposed at the gas supply upstream side to the dielectric housing, configured to supply excited particles for inducing initial discharge in a main body of the dielectric housing; and a first main electrode and a second main electrode disposed oppositely to each other, defining a treating region of the treatment object as a main plasma generating region disposed therebetween, wherein the excited particle supplying system is driven at least until generation of main plasma, and main pulse of duty ratio of 10−7 to 10−1 is applied between the first main electrode and second main electrode, to generate a non-thermal equilibrium plasma flow inside the dielectric housing, and thereby a surface of the treatment object is treated.
Still further aspect of the present invention inheres in a surface treatment apparatus encompassing a dielectric housing configured to accommodate an treatment object; a vacuum evacuating system configured to evacuate a process gas introduced at a specific flow rate from an introducing piping provided at other end of the dielectric housing having one end closed, from an exhaust piping provided at the other end, and maintaining the pressure of the process gas inside the dielectric housing at a process pressure; an excited particle supplying system disposed at the gas supply upstream side to the dielectric housing, configured to supply excited particles for inducing initial discharge in a main body of the dielectric housing; and a first main electrode and a second main electrode disposed oppositely to each other, defining a treating region of the treatment object as a main plasma generating region disposed therebetween, wherein the excited particle supplying system is driven at least until generation of main plasma, and main pulse of duty ratio of 10−7 to 10−1 is applied between the first main electrode and second main electrode, to generate a non-thermal equilibrium plasma flow inside the dielectric housing, and thereby a surface of the treatment object is treated.
Other and further objects and features of the present invention will become obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiments about to be described in connection with the accompanying drawings or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employing of the present invention in practice.
Various embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is to be noted that the same or similar reference numerals are applied to the same or similar parts and elements throughout the drawings, and the description of the same or similar parts and elements will be omitted or simplified. Generally and as it is conventional in the representation of semiconductor devices, it will be appreciated that the various drawings are not drawn to scale from one figure to another nor inside a given figure, and in particular that the layer thicknesses are arbitrarily drawn for facilitating the reading of the drawings.
In the following description specific details are set forth, such as specific materials, processes and equipment in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other in stances, well-known manufacturing materials, processes and equipment are not bet forth in detail in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention. Prepositions, such as “on”, “over”, “under”, “beneath”, and “normal” are defined with respect to a planar surface of the object component, regardless of the orientation in which the object component is actually held. A layer is on another layer even if there are intervening layers.
As shown in
In
The technical feature such that, in a surface treatment apparatus related to the first embodiment, a long-narrow tube having an inside diameter of less than or equal to 7-5 millimeters and a length of more than 4-7 meters is supposed to be employed as the treatment object 21 having tubular geometry, but even if the length is equal to or less than 4 meters long or inside diameter is more 7 millimeters, the treatment object 21 can be processed, may be understood from the following discussion.
In particular, as for the technical advantage of the surface treatment apparatus related to the first embodiment, because, in Ichiki's methodology, the length of a microplasma is several centimeters at longest, a tube having a length of around 10 centimeters can achieve a significant effectiveness over Ichiki's methodology. In view of the technology taught by Ichiki's methodology, in a technical field of plasma, a tube having an inside diameter of equal to or less than 7-5 millimeters, a length of more than around 10 centimeters can be defined as “a long-narrow tube”. In addition, a cross-section of treatment object 21 is not limited to a circle, but polygons, including rectangle, can be employed. However, as for the long-narrow tubes adapted for industrial applications, there will be many cases that the long-narrow tubes have a circular cross-section. Although as representative long-narrow tube, medical instrument such as an endoscope (fiber scope) is well known, the technical concept of “a long-narrow tube” covers through various kinds of narrow tubes. For example, narrow tubes adapted for drinking water, which is used in vending machines can be included in the technical concept of “a long-narrow tube”.
When the treatment object 21 is a flexible long-narrow tube having an inside diameter equal to or less than around several millimeters, and a length of more than around several meters, and further the length is known beforehand, as shown in
Anyhow, the configuration with the treatment object guide groove 22 shown in
If the treatment object 21 is the flexible long-narrow tube, rather than the configuration shown in
The excited particle supplying system (16, 17 and 18) encompasses a first auxiliary electrode 17, a second auxiliary electrode 18 facing to the first auxiliary electrode 17 so as to sandwich the upper stream side of the treatment object 21, implementing a configuration of a parallel plate electrode, and an auxiliary pulse power supply 16 configured to supply electric pulses between the first auxiliary electrode 17 and the second auxiliary electrode 18. The excited particle supplying system (16, 17 and 18) is provided so as to the starting voltage of the discharges and to generate initial plasma so as to facilitate generation of the plasma in the treatment object 21.
In addition to the effect such that generated plasma or excited particle are transported by diffusion and flow of process gas to arrive in the inside of the treatment object 21, an effect of irradiation by the light emitted from the generated plasma in the excited particle supplying system (16, 17 and 18) can be expected so that light can ionize neutral particles in the treatment object 21. Once plasma is generated in the treatment object 21, and if density of charged particles is large enough, an discharge is realized in the treatment object 21 only by the electric field established between the first main electrode 11 and the second main electrode 12, and the generated plasma can be maintained in the treatment object 21. In this stage, the excited particle supplying system (16, 17 and 18) is not needed any more. Therefore, the excited particle supplying system (16, 17 and 18) is employed only at the initial stage of the plasma generation.
In addition, because it is enough that initial plasma can be injected in the flow of gas in the early stage, the excited particle supplying system may be implemented by any other configuration such as an inductive plasma source which can generate initial plasma, and the excited particle supplying system is not limited to the parallel plate electrode configuration shown in
After excitation of initial plasma, the surface treatment apparatus shown in
In the surface treatment apparatus related to the first embodiment, the process gas is supplied in the treatment object 21 as shown in
Intake adapter 24 shown in
A high voltage pulse at high repetition rate as shown in
In the surface treatment apparatus related to the first embodiment of the present invention, duty ratio of 10−7 to 10−1 is preferable for the voltage pulse. If the duty ratio is less than 10−7, the discharge becomes unstable, and if the duty ratio is more than 10−1, unfavorable effect of heat plasma becomes prominent. The duty ratio of around 0.003-0.01 is more preferable. In addition, even a barrier discharge by a low frequency alternating electric field can be used to generate low temperature plasma in the treatment object 21, but a large input power cannot be expected by the barrier discharge.
Even for finely machined optical system or medical instrument such as an endoscope, which includes metallic components, because the duty ratio can be set to be around 10−7 to 10−1 according to the surface treatment apparatus related to the first embodiment, metallic components will not rise to a considerable high temperature, and the optical system can overcome the problem that warp or misalignment is generated by thermal effect of the plasma.
When a treatment object 21 made of dielectric material is inserted between the first main electrode 11 arid the second main electrode 12, implementing a parallel plate electrode, and if dielectric constant ε2 of the dielectric material is larger than dielectric ε1 of gas (relative dielectric constant=1), the approximate electric field distribution can be represented as shown in
Because the dielectric breakdown field depends upon the size of space, or if the ambient pressure at inside and outside of the treatment object 21 is the same, the dielectric breakdown field becomes large in the inside of the treatment object 21. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the dielectric breakdown field in the treatment object 21, by an appropriate method, to generate discharge in the inside of the treatment object 21. One method is to reduce gas pressure in the inside of the treatment object 21, for discharge in the right side region of Paschen's curve.
As shown in
In the surface treatment apparatus related to the second embodiment, the treatment object 21 has a tubular geometry made of dielectric material as shown in
Because a periodic array of T-shaped protrusions, rather than flat slab configuration, is employed for the first main electrode 11b, we will call the electrode configuration shown in
In addition, as the allocations of the exhausting piping 63 to be connected to the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62), any site of the process chamber, rather than the down-stream side of the treatment object 21 shown in
The ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 65, 66b, 25b) is implemented by a plurality of taper-shaped gas supply holes 66b penetrating through the first electrode protection layer (first main electrode protection layer) 25b, as shown in
The process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62), so as to implement four planes of a rectangular parallelepiped, embraces the second electrode covering insulator (second main electrode covering insulator) 23, a chamber top lid 53, a chamber bottom lid 54 and an injection-adjusting chamber 62, and two side plates at a rearward portion of the paper (not illustrated) and at the near side (not illustrated) of the paper of
Furthermore, as shown in
In the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62), through the injecting piping 61, injecting valve 41 and the injection-adjusting chamber 62, process gas is supplied from gas source 33, and the flow of the process gas is shaped configuration of uniform shower by the ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 65, 66b, 25b). The process gas supplied to inside of the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62) from the ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 65, 66b, 25b) is exhausted by the exhausting piping 63 from the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62).
Therefore, as shown in
In
Similar to the first embodiment, a narrow tube having an inside diameter of less than or equal to 7-5 millimeters and a length of more than 4-7 meters may serve as the tubular treatment object 21 in the surface treatment apparatus related to the second embodiment. However, if the length is equal to or less than 4 meters, and inside diameter is more than 7 millimeters, the tube can be similarly processed. In addition, a cross-section of the treatment object 21 is not limited to a circular geometry, as already explained in the first embodiment.
Although the illustration is omitted, if the treatment object 21 is a flexible long-narrow tube, by providing first and second reels which roll up the treatment object 21, one end of the treatment object 21 may be rewound from the first reel so that another end of the treatment object 21 can be rolled up by the second reel, and surface treatment of the outside of the treatment object 21 may be executed partially and sequentially.
In the surface treatment apparatus related to the second embodiment, a high purity nitrogen gas could be supplied as the process gas through the ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 65, 66b, 25b) in a shape of a shower, however the “process gas” is not always limited to nitrogen gas. For example, for pasteurize or sterilize the outer surface of the treatment object 21, mixed gas of nitrogen gas with various kinds of active gas, which may include halogen based compound gas, can be adopted.
A high voltage pulses with high repetition rate as shown in
Because a period is 500 microseconds, as shown in
To generate discharge in the sealed up space surrounding the outside of the treatment object 21, the injecting valve 41 and the exhausting valve 42 are adjusted so that internal gas pressure P2 of the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62) is equal to the atmospheric pressure P3=101 kPa, or around 80-90 kPa, which is slightly lower than the atmospheric pressure P3. Under the condition such that, in the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62), through the injecting piping 61 and the injecting valve 41, the process gas is supplied from the gas source 33, if high voltage pulses with high repetition rate as shown in
As shown in
An array of first main electrodes 11c implement a periodic ladder structure, which arranges an array of bar (linear) electrodes, as shown in
The second main electrode 12 serves as the cathode, and the surface treatment apparatus related to the first mortification of the second embodiment supplies the process gas as a shower from the first main electrode 11c serving as an anode, the structure of the ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 27, 66c) to exhaust the process gas from the exhausting piping 63 is different from the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62) shown in
The ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 27, 66c) embraces a process chamber side wall 27, to which a plurality of gas supply holes 66c are provided, and an injection-adjusting chamber 62, the process gas is injected from the injection-adjusting chamber 62 as shown in
The plurality of gas simply holes 66c are arranged in two-dimensional matrix with uniform pitch, the gas supply holes 66c penetrate through the process chamber aide wall 27, as shown in
Furthermore, the surface treatment apparatus related to the first modification of the second embodiment embraces a gas source 33 such as gas cylinders configured to store process gas, an injecting piping 61 connected to the gas source 33, an injecting valve 41 connected to the injecting piping 61 as shown in
In the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62), through the injecting piping 61 and the injecting valve 41, process gas is supplied from the gas source 33, and the flow of the process gas is shaped into the configuration of uniform shower by the ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 27, 66c). The process gas supplied by the ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 27, 66c) is exhausted by the exhausting piping 63 from the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62). Then, as shown in
The vacuum pump 31, through the exhausting piping 63 and the exhausting valve 42, is connected to the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62). It is preferable for the exhausting valve 42 to use the variable conductance valve through which the exhaust conductance can be adjusted. To establish the sealed up space, the top treatment object holder 52 holds one end (upper-stream side) of the tubular treatment object 21 is connected to the chamber bottom lid 54, the bottom treatment object holder 51 holds another end (down-stream side) of the treatment object 21, which is connected to the chamber bottom lid 54. Depending on materials, geometry and size of the treatment object 21, by applying required changes and modifications appropriately, the structure of the top treatment object holder 52 and the bottom treatment object holder 51 can be designed and manufactured with well-known gas joint or vacuum components, easily.
In
Similar to the first embodiment, a narrow tube having an inside diameter of less than or equal to 7-5 millimeters and a length of more than 4-7 meters may serve as the tubular treatment object 21 in the surface treatment apparatus related to the first modification of the second embodiment. However, even if the length is less than 4 meters, and inside diameter is more than 7 millimeters inside diameter, the treatment object 21 can be processed. In addition, a cross-section of the treatment object 21 is not limited to a circular geometry, as already explained in the first embodiment.
Although the illustration is omitted, if the treatment object 21 is a flexible long-narrow tube, by providing first and second reels which roll up the treatment object 21, the treatment object 21 may be rewound from the first reel so that the treatment object 21 can be rolled up by the second reel, and surface treatment of the outside of the treatment object 21 may be executed partially and sequentially.
In the surface treatment apparatus related to the first modification of the second embodiment, a high purity nitrogen gas can be supplied as the process gas through the ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 27, 66c), however the “process gas” is not always limited to nitrogen gas. For example, for pasteurization or sterilization, mixed gas of nitrogen gas with various kinds of active gas such as halogen based compound gas can be adopted.
A high voltage pulses with high repetition rate as shown in
Because a period is 500 microseconds, as shown in
To generate discharge in the sealed up space surrounding the outside of the treatment object 21, the injecting valve 41 and the exhausting valve 42 are adjusted so that internal gas pressure P2 of the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62) is equal to the atmospheric pressure P3=101 kPa, or around 80-90 kPa, which is slightly lower than the atmospheric pressure P3. Under the condition such that, in the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62), through the injecting piping 61 and the injecting valve 41, the process gas is supplied from the gas source 33, if high voltage pulses with high repetition rate as shown in
As shown in
A plurality of T-shaped protrusions rather than flat slab configuration the first main electrode 11d is arranged as shown in
In the first modification shown in
Since other functions, configurations, and way of operation are substantially similar to the functions, configurations, and way of operation already explained in the second embodiment with
A plurality of T-shaped protrusions, rather than flat slab configuration, are arranged so as to implement the “quasi-parallel plate electrode” as shown in
The surface treatment apparatus related to the third embodiment goes to the second main electrode 12 side as the cathode in the process gas from the first main electrode 11b side as an anode Similar to the surface treatment apparatus related to the second embodiment, and it supplies in the shape of a shower, further encompasses the ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 65, 66b, 25b) to exhaust the process gas from the second exhausting piping 63 from the process chamber (23, 63, 54, 62), it is different from the surface treatment apparatus related to the first embodiment.
The process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62), so as to implement four planes of a rectangular parallelepiped, embraces a second electrode covering insulator (second main electrode covering insulator) 23, a chamber top lid 53, a chamber bottom lid 54 and an injection-adjusting chamber 62, two side plates at a rearward portion of the paper (not illustrated) and at the near side (not illustrated) of the paper of
There is no by the rectangular parallelepiped which is flatness, and the injection-adjusting chamber 62 embraces metallic five plane out of six planes of a rectangular parallelepiped, the gas supply layer 65 substitutes one plane (a cross-sectional view shown in
Furthermore, the surface treatment apparatus related to the third embodiment embraces a gas source 33 such as gas cylinders configured to store process gas, a first injecting piping 67 connected to the gas source 33, a second injecting piping 61 connected to the gas source 33, a first injecting valve 43 connected to second injecting piping 67, and a second the injecting valve 41 connected to the second injecting piping 61 as shown in
The first injecting piping 67 and the first injecting valve 43, process gas is supplied from the gas source 33 in the inside of the tubular treatment object 21, and the process gas is supplied by the upper stream side, by vacuum pump (second pump) 31 that comprised downstream, the process gas drifts to the treatment object 21, the treatment object 21 is near in an the atmospheric pressure of around 20-30 kPa, the pressure is kept at a processing pressure of less than or equal to an the atmospheric pressure. On the other hand, in the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62), the second injecting piping 61 and the second injecting valve 41, process gas is supplied from the gas source 33, and the flow of the process gas is shaped into the configuration of uniform shower by the ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 65, 66b, 25b).
The process gas supplied by the ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 65, 66b, 25b) is exhausted by the second exhausting piping 63 from the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62). Then, as shown in
To establish, the sealed up space, the top treatment object holder 52 holds one end (upper-stream side) of the tubular treatment object 21 is connected to the chamber bottom lid 54, the bottom treatment object holder 51 holds another end (down-stream side) of the treatment object 21, which is connected to the chamber bottom lid 54. Depending on materials, geometry and size of the treatment object 21, by allying required changes and modifications appropriately, the structure of the top treatment object holder 52 and the bottom treatment object holder 51 can be designed and manufactured with well-known gas joint or vacuum components, easily.
In
Similar to the first embodiment, a narrow tube having an inside diameter of less than or equal to 7-5 millimeters and a length of more than 4-7 meters may serve as the tubular treatment object 21 in the surface treatment apparatus related to the third embodiment as well, even if the length is equal to or less than 4 meters, and inside diameter is more than 7 millimeters, the tube can be similarly processed. In addition, a cross-section of the treatment object 21 is not limited to a circular geometry, as already explained in the first embodiment.
Although the illustration is omitted, if the treatment object 21 is a flexible long-narrow tube, by providing first and second reels which roll up the treatment object 21, the treatment object 21 may be rewound from the first reel so that the treatment object 21 can be rolled up by the second reel, and internal surface treatment of the treatment object 21 may be executed partially and sequentially.
In
If initial plasma can be supplied after the flow of gas in the early stage an excited particle supplying system discharges electricity, and to start, the what may activate initial plasma by inductive plasma source rather than a thing limited to the parallel plate electrode configuration that seems to have always illustrated in
In the surface treatment apparatus related to the third embodiment, a high purity nitrogen gas can be supplied as the process gas in the treatment object 21 from the upper-stream side, the “the process gas” is not always limited to nitrogen gas. For example, for inside of the treatment object 21 and objects such as pasteurization or sterilization, mixed gas of nitrogen gas with various kinds of active gas such as halogen based compound gas can be adopted.
A high voltage pulses with high repetition rate as shown in
Because a period is 500 microseconds, as shown in
In the surface treatment apparatus related to the third embodiment, there are three operation modes. That is to say, a first mode configured to ignite an discharge only in the inside of the treatment object 21, a second mode configured to ignite an discharge only at the outside of the treatment object 21, and a third mode configured to ignite an discharge both inside and outside of the treatment object 21 having tubular geometry.
When it was parallel, and, as described in the surface treatment apparatus related to the first embodiment, the treatment object 21 made of dielectric material was put in an electrode side in the first main electrode 11b and the second main electrode 12 implementing a parallel plate electrode, the if dielectric constant ε2 of a dielectric is larger than dielectric constant ε1 of gas, the, as for the electric field distribution of an approximately, an dielectric breakdown field becomes large in the treatment object 21 like
Therefore, The internal gas pressure P1 in the treatment object 21 is made around 10-40 kPa in the inside of the treatment object 21 made of dielectric material in order to be caused, and it is desirable to lower than outside gas pressure P2 of the treatment object 21.
And it is more extremely than the atmospheric pressure P3 slightly desirable for around 80-90 kPa to lower whether outside gas pressure P2 of the treatment object 21 is equal with the atmospheric pressure P3=101 kPa. If the first injecting valve 43, the second injecting valve 41, the first exhausting valve 44 and the second exhausting valve 42 are that is to say adjusted for the purpose of becoming:
P1<P2≦P3 (1).
Or gas pressure P1 of the treatment object 21 inside is turned into around 10-40 kPa and, the outside gas pressure P2 of the treatment object 21, the as pressure of less than or equal to 10−3 Pa to 10−5 Pa: The first injecting valve 43, the second injecting valve 41, the first exhausting valve 44 and the second exhausting valve 42 may be adjusted for the purpose of becoming:
P2<<P1<P3 (2).
Because of this, for example, the first pressure gauge is provided to exhausting piping 68 and the second exhausting piping 63, the first injecting valve 43, the second injecting valve 41, the first exhausting valve 44 and the second exhausting valve 42 may be adjusted by return control. Or the first injecting piping 67 and a mass-flow controller controlling flow rate in the second injecting piping 61 may be arranged. The first pressure gauge may be provided to injecting valve 43 and each down stream side of the second injecting valve 41. After having set a pressure condition as shown in an in an Eq. (1) or (2), the second injecting valve 41 and the second exhausting valve 42 are closed, the outside gas-flow of the treatment object 21 is left, the gas-flow is formed only in the inside of the treatment object 21.
And an excited particle supplying system (17,18) is started, and initial plasma is supplied after the flow of gas, the if high voltage pulses with high repetition rate as shown in
Gas pressure P1 of the treatment object 21 inside is set in a value of extra cost of comparison of around 70-90 kPa only at the outside of the treatment object 21 in order to be caused, the few is more extremely than outside gas pressure P2 of the treatment object 21 low or, it will be done in approximately the same degree. And if outside gas pressure P2 of the treatment object 21 is more extremely than the atmospheric pressure P3 slightly lowered to around 80-90 kPa with the atmospheric pressure PS=101 kPa whether it is equal. If the first injecting valve 43, the second injecting valve 41, the first exhausting valve 44 and the second exhausting valve 42 are that is to say adjusted for the purpose of becoming:
P1≦P2≦P3 (3).
But it is not necessary to be low, and gas pressure P1 of the treatment object 21 inside always does gas pressure P1 of the treatment object 21 inside larger than the atmospheric pressure P3 with the atmospheric pressure P3=101 kPa than outside gas pressure P2 of the treatment object 21 whether you are approximately equal, the outside gas pressure P2 of the treatment object 21 is equal with the atmospheric pressure P3, too as well or, the few seems to be more extremely than the atmospheric pressure P3 lowered to around 80-90 kPa: It is preferable as,
P2≦P1→P3 (4)
P2≦P3<P1 (5).
Or gas pressure P1 of the treatment object 21 inside is turned into pressure of less than or equal to 10−3 Pa to 10−5 Pa and is equal with the atmospheric pressure P3=101 kPa in outside gas pressure P2 of the treatment object 21 or, the as pressure of around 80-90 kPa: The first injecting valve 43, the second injecting valve 41, the first exhausting valve 44 and the second exhausting valve 42 may be adjusted for the purpose of becoming:
P1<<P2≦P3 (6).
After having set pressure conditions as shown by Eqs. (3)-(6), the first injecting valve 43 and the first exhausting valve 44 are closed, internal gas-flow of the treatment object 21 is left. And if, in the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62), the second injecting piping 61 and the second injecting valve 41, process gas is supplied from the gas source 33, and the process gas applies high voltage pulses with high repetition rate as shown in
The treatment object 21 internal gas pressure P1 is made around 10-40 kPa in order to make an discharge cause in the inside and outside both the treatment object 21, audit is desirable to lower than outside gas pressure P2 of the treatment object 21. And outside gas pressure P2 of the treatment object 21 is more extremely than the atmospheric pressure P3 slightly lowered to around 80-90 kPa with the atmospheric pressure P3=101 kPa whether it is equal, and it seems to be in a pressure condition as shown by Eq. (1), the first injecting valve 43, the second injecting valve 41, the first exhausting valve 44 and the second exhausting valve 42 are adjusted.
After having set in a pressure condition as shown by Eq. (1), the excited particle supplying system (17,18) is started, and initial plasma is supplied after the flow of gas, the if high voltage pulses with high repetition rate as shown in
A surface treatment apparatus related to a fourth embodiment of the present invention prepares for accommodation tube 71 to receive the treatment object 21 of the tubular geometry that is a long-narrow tube as shown in
The surface treatment apparatus related to other embodiment that is to say embraces a second the injecting valve 41 that the first injecting valve 43 and the second injecting piping that the first injecting piping is provided, and is connected to gas source 33 and a gas source 33 such as gas cylinders configured to store process gas, process gas is supplied, and is connected as shown in
On the other hand, in the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62) encompasses accommodation tube 71 the second injecting valve 41 is provided from the gas source 33, and the process gas is supplied by the upper-stream side, by vacuum pump (second pump) 31 that comprised downstream, the process gas drifts to accommodation tube 71, the accommodation tube 71 is near in an the atmospheric pressure of around 80-90 kPa, the pressure is kept at a processing pressure of less then or equal to an the atmospheric pressure.
An accommodation tube top cap 73 and a accommodation tube bottom cap 72 are connected to the upper end and a bottom end of each accommodation tube 71 so that a vacuum exhausts sealing up air space between the outside of accommodation tube 71 and the tubular treatment object 21, the sealed up space of double pipe structure is composed.
Furthermore, it is confronted each other to put in accommodation tube 71 that received the tubular treatment object 21, and is disposed, the first auxiliary electrode 17 the first main electrode 11b composing a parallel plate electrode and the upper-stream side of the second main electrode 12 and accommodation tube 71 are caught, and implementing a parallel plate electrode and the second auxiliary electrode 18 are comprised.
The internal gas pressure P1 in the treatment object 21 is made around 10-40 kPa in the inside of the treatment object 21 and outside both tubular geometry in order to be caused, and it is desirable to lower than gas pressure P2 between the accommodation tube 71 and the treatment object 21. And gas pressure P2 between the accommodation tube 71 and the treatment object 21 seems to be more extremely than the atmospheric pressure P3 slightly lowered to around 80-90 kPa with the atmospheric pressure P3=101 kPa whether it is equal, the if the first injecting valve 43, the second injecting valve 41, the first exhausting valve 44 and the second exhausting valve 42 are adjusted.
After having set in a predetermined pressure condition, the excited particle supplying system (17,18) is started, and, after the flow of gas of neither sealed up space between the outside of in the treatment object 21 and accommodation tube 71 and the treatment object 21, each initial plasma is supplied, the if high voltage pulses with high repetition rate as shown in
As shown in
The process gas is introduced in the inside of the pot-shaped treatment object 21 by the feed piping 60, the process gas is exhausted from the exhausting piping 68. The first main electrode 11 and the second main electrode 12, implementing a parallel plate electrode, facing each other so as to sandwich the treatment object 21.
In one part of the feed piping 60, an excited particle supplying system (16, 17 and 18) configured to supply initial plasma in the flow of gas for stating the discharge is provided. The excited particle supplying system (16, 17 and 18) embraces a first auxiliary electrode 17 and a second auxiliary electrode 18, implementing a parallel plate electrode, an auxiliary pulse power supply 16 configured to apply an electric pulse (a supporting pulse) across the first auxiliary electrode 17 and the second auxiliary electrode 18 so as to generate an initial plasma. On the other hand, the pulse power supply 14 applies an electric pulse (main pulse) across the first main electrode 11 and the second main electrode 12 to maintain the plasma in the inside of the treatment object 21, which is initiated by the initial plasma.
As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B., a high voltage pulses with high repetition rate is applied.
Furthermore, in the surface treatment apparatus related to the fifth embodiment, an injecting valve 43 is connected to the feed piping 60, an injecting piping 67 is connected to the injecting valve 43, a gas source 33 such as gas cylinders configured to store process gas is connected to the injecting piping 67. It is preferable to adopt a needle valve configured to adjust the flow rate for injecting valve 43. On the other hand, the process gas introduced by the feed piping 60 is exhausted vacuum pump 32. Therefore, an exhausting valve 44 is provided an exhausting piping 68, which is connected to the vacuum pump 32, so that the exhausting valve 44 can control the pressure at an appropriate processing pressure, when the flow of internal gas is introduced in the treatment object 21. It is preferable for the exhausting valve 44 to use the variable conductance valve through which the exhaust conductance can be adjusted.
The process gas is supplied from the gas source 33 in the inside of the pot-shaped treatment object 21 through the feed piping 60, which is inserted in the neck, such that the pressure is controlled at near the atmospheric pressure of around 20-30 kPa, or the pressure is controlled at a processing pressure of less than or equal to an the atmospheric pressure, in the treatment object 21, exhausting the process gas by vacuum pump 32 through the exhausting piping 68 that is inserted in the neck,
When, in the surface treatment apparatus related to the fifth embodiment, if a distance between the first main electrode 11 and the second main electrodes 12 implementing a parallel plate electrode, is 15 millimeters, for the high voltage pulse with a repetition frequency of 2 kHz, a voltage value of around 24 kV is preferred.
Because a period is 500 microseconds, as shown in
In the surface treatment apparatus related to the fifth embodiment, a high purity nitrogen gas can be supplied as the process gas in the treatment object 21 from the neck, the “the process gas” is not always limited to nitrogen gas. For example, for pasteurize or sterilize inside of the treatment object 21, mixed gas of nitrogen gas with various kinds of active gas, which may include halogen based compound gas, can be adopted.
In addition, a cross-section of the treatment object 21 is just what it described in the first embodiment that even rectangles rather than a thing limited to a circle are preferable.
In addition, in a general idea of “the pot-shaped treatment object” in the fifth embodiment, it is included one end of a long-narrow tube in closed structure in addition to bottle shape as shown in
In
A surface treatment apparatus related to a sixth embodiment of the present invention embraces a vacuum manifold unit (43,44,45,60,64,69,70) to seal the process gas in by appointed processing pressure inside of the treatment object 21 from a dielectric as shown in
The vacuum manifold unit (43,44,45,60,64,69,70) embraces an exhausting piping 69 connected to an injecting piping 70 and a first exhausting valve 44 connected to a first injecting valve 43 connected to a T-shaped piping 64 and the T-shaped piping 64 connected to a manifold valve 45 connected to the feed piping 60 connected with in another end of the treatment object 21 and the feed piping 60 and manifold valve 45 and the first exhausting valve 44 and the first injecting valve 43. The feed piping 60 is a piping made of dielectric material. Gas source 33 is connected to injecting piping 70, the vacuum pump 30 is connected to exhausting piping 69. Gas source 33 is a gas cylinder storing process gas. The first injecting valve 43 can adopt a needle valve that flow rate adjustment of gas is easy.
The process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62) is connected to the second injecting valve 41, and is connected with injecting piping 70, the process gas can seem to be supplied from the gas source 33 in the inside of the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62), and it is provided. The process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62), so as to implement four planes of a rectangular parallelepiped, embraces a second electrode covering insulator (second main electrode covering insulator) 23 and the process chamber bottom lid 53, the chamber bottom lid 54 and the injection-adjusting chamber 62 Similar to the third embodiment, two side plates at a rearward portion of the paper (not illustrated) and at the near side (not illustrated) of the paper of
The second the exhausting piping 63 is connected to the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62), the second exhausting valve 42 is connected to the second exhausting piping 63, the vacuum pump 30 is connected to the second exhausting valve 42 over exhausting piping 69. It is preferable for the first exhausting valve 44 and the second exhausting valve 42 to use the variable conductance valve through which the exhaust conductance can be adjusted.
At first, in the state that closed the first injecting valve 43, open manifold valve 45 arid the first exhausting valve 44, and a vacuum exhausts inside of the treatment object 21 in arrival pressure of about 10−1 Pa to 10−6 Pa (background pressure) by vacuum pump 30.
The first the exhausting valve 44 is closed after arrival to the ultimate pressure, in the inside of the tubular treatment object 21, the first injecting valve 43, the T-shaped piping 64, the manifold valve 45 and the feed piping 60, process gas is supplied from the gas source 33 by opening the first injecting valve 43, and the process gas is supplied by another end side.
The treatment object 21 is near to an the atmospheric pressure of around 20-30 kPa, at the stage that arrived at processing pressure of less than or equal to an the atmospheric pressure, manifold valve 45 is closed, inside of the treatment object 21 is maintained in processing pressure.
On the other hand, injecting piping 70 and the second injecting valve 41, process gas is supplied, and, in the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62), the process gas is supplied by constant flow rate in the ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 65, 66b, 26b) by gas source 33.
Similar to the third embodiment, the ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 65, 66b, 25b) embraces a the injection-adjusting chamber 62, gas supply layer 65 made of porous ceramics making the process gas from the injection-adjusting chamber 62 is distributed uniformly, a gas supply layer 65 as shown in
The ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 65, 66b, 25b) is implemented by a plurality of taper-shaped gas supply holes 66b penetrating through the first electrode protection layer (first main electrode protection layer) 25b, as shown in
Because of this it is supplied in the space that the process gas is made in the configuration of uniform shower by the ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 65, 66b, 25b), and surround the outside of internal the treatment object 21 of the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62). The process gas supplied by the ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 65, 66b, 25b) is exhausted over the second exhausting piping 63 by the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62).
Furthermore, the surface treatment apparatus related to the sixth embodiment is disposed by another end side of the treatment object 21, the active particle is poured into the process gas sealed in the discharge start early stage, the treatment object 21 excited particle supplying system to activate plasma (16,17,18) seems to be caught, and it is confronted each other, and is disposed, the first main electrode 11b composing a quasi-parallel plate electrode and initial plasma activated than the second main electrode 12 and injection of an activity particle are held, the pulse power supply 14 to apply an electric pulse (main pulse) to cause a plasma state inside of the treatment object 21 to between the first main electrode 11 and the second main electrode 12 is provided.
A plurality of T-shaped protrusions rather than flat slab configuration so as to implement the “quasi-parallel plate electrode” here same as embodiment of the second and the third the first main electrode 11b is arranged such that each of discharge points originates at each tips of the T-shaped protrusions. In this case, as for the first main electrode 11b, the periodical ladder-shaped electrode which is implemented by a plurality of bar (linear) electrodes to be being equal in price in parallel as had explained in the second embodiment, as a whole, the structure implemented by the first main electrode 11b and the second main electrode 12 is approximately “parallel plate electrode”.
In the chamber bottom lid 54, the top treatment object holder 52 holds one end (
If depending on materials of the treatment object 21, geometry and size, an appropriate change is added, and the structure that bottom treatment object holder 51 can be designed and manufactured with well-known gas joint or vacuum components is designed, it is preferable.
In
The first auxiliary electrode 17 and an auxiliary pulse power supply to apply to the second auxiliary electrode 18 (although the illustration is omitted) are comprised in an electric pulse (a supporting pulse) to activate the first auxiliary electrode 17 the feed piping 60 of the treatment object 21 is caught similarly when the cross-section of the treatment object 21 described in the first embodiment in
If an active particle can be poured into the process gas that an excited particle supplying system is sealed in the discharge start early stage, the what may activate an activity particle by inductive plasma source rather than a thing limited to the parallel plate electrode configuration that seems to have always illustrated in
In the surface treatment apparatus related to the sixth embodiment, a high purity nitrogen gas can be supplied as the process gas, the “the process gas” is not always limited to nitrogen gas.
For example, for inside of the treatment object 21 and objects such as pasteurization or sterilization, mixed gas of nitrogen gas with various kinds of active gas such as halogen based compound gas can be adopted.
A high voltage pulse of the high repetition rate that seems to have been explained in the first embodiment is applied across the first main electrode 11 and the second main electrode 12 (See
Because a period is 500 microseconds, as shown in
In the surface treatment apparatus related to the sixth embodiment, there are three operation modes explained in the third embodiment. That is to say a mode configured to ignite an discharge in mode making an discharge cause only in the inside of the treatment object 21, mode configured to ignite an discharge only at the outside of the treatment object 21, inside of the treatment object 21 and outside both tubular geometry that sealed one end, Similar to the third embodiment, those modes can be controlled by a pressure condition as shown by Eqs. (1)-(6).
The contents omit redundant explanation in what is similar to explanation in the third embodiment substantially.
The second surface treatment apparatus related to the seventh embodiment goes to the second main electrode 12 side as the cathode in the process gas from the first main electrode 11b side as an anode. Similar to the third embodiment, the surface treatment apparatus related to the sixth embodiment, and it supplies in the shape of a shower, it further embraces a ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 65, 66b, 25b) to exhaust the process gas from the second exhausting piping 63 from the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62).
The process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62), so as to implement four planes of a rectangular parallelepiped, embraces a second electrode covering insulator (second main electrode covering insulator) 23, a chamber top lid 53, the chamber bottom lid 54 and the injection-adjusting chamber 62, two side plates at a rearward portion of the paper (not illustrated) and at the near side (not illustrated) of the paper of
There is no by the rectangular parallelepiped which is flatness, and the injection-adjusting chamber 62 embraces metallic five plane out of six planes of a rectangular parallelepiped, the gas supply layer 65 substitutes a single plane (a cross-sectional view shown in
To establish the sealed up space, the top treatment object holder 52 holds one end (upper-stream side) of the tubular treatment object 21 having the branched portion is provided to the chamber bottom lid 54. On the other hand, in the chamber top lid 53, tool for the branched portion pipe end maintenance 82 to hold an end of the branched portion pipe 21b branched off in the branched portion region 10 of bottom treatment object holder 81 to hold another end (down-stream side) of the treatment object 21 in a sealing up state as shown in
Depending on materials, geometry and size of the treatment object 21, by applying required changes and modifications appropriately, the top treatment object holder 52, the bottom treatment object bolder 81 and the structure that the branched portion pipe end maintenance ingredient 82 can be designed and manufactured with well-known gas joint or vacuum components, easily.
The first exhausting piping 68 is connected to bottom treatment object holder 81, the branched portion exhaust piping 68b branched off the first exhausting piping 68 is connected to the branched portion pipe end maintenance ingredient 82.
And the first vacuum pump (first pump) 32 is connected to down-stream side of the first exhausting piping 68 over the first exhausting valve 44. By such a constitution, the first vacuum pump (first pump) 32 is connected to exhausting piping 68, the branched portion exhaust piping 68b and the first exhausting valve 44, and a vacuum can exhaust inside of the treatment object 21.
As shown in
On the other hand, on the second electrode (second main electrode) 12, the second electrode covering insulator (second main electrode raw ring insulator) 23 of high purity quartz glasses is disposed. Furthermore, the surface treatment apparatus related to the seventh embodiment embraces a second the injecting valve 41 connected to the first injecting valve 43 and the second injecting piping 61 connected to the first injecting piping 67 connected to gas source 33 and a gas source 33 such as gas cylinders configured to store process gas and the second injecting piping 61 and the first injecting piping 67 as shown in
The first injecting piping 67 and the first injecting valve 43, process gas is supplied from the gas source 33 in the inside of the tubular treatment object 21 having the branched portion, and the process gas is supplied by the upper-stream side, by vacuum pump (second pump) 31 that comprised downstream, the process gas drifts to the treatment object 21, the treatment object 21 is near in an the atmospheric pressure around 20-30 kPa, the pressure is kept at a processing pressure of less than or equal to an the atmospheric pressure.
On the other hand, in the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62), the second injecting piping 61 and the second injecting valve 41, process gas is supplied from the gas source 33, and the flow of the process gas is shaped into the configuration of uniform shower by the ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 65, 66b, 25b). The process gas supplied by the ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 65, 66b, 25b) is exhausted by the second exhausting pining 63 from the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62).
Then, as shown in
The second vacuum pump (second pump) 31 is connected to the second exhausting piping 63 and the second exhausting connected to the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62). It is preferable for the first exhausting valve 44 and the second exhausting valve 42 to use the variable conductance valve through which the exhaust conductance can be adjusted.
In
Similar to the first embodiment, a narrow tube having an inside diameter of less than or equal to 7-5 millimeters can process the length of a long-narrow tube that length of a tubular geometry part aside from the branched portion (trunk portion) is more than 4-7 meters may serve as the tubular treatment object 21 having the branched portion in the surface treatment apparatus related to the seventh embodiment as well, even if length of the trunk portion is less than 4 meters, more than 7 millimeters inside diameter, the treatment object 21 can be processed. In addition, a cross-section of the treatment object 21 is just what it described in the first embodiment not to be a branched pipe and the thing, which it is circular, and is, limited both of the trunk portion.
The first auxiliary electrode 17 and an auxiliary pulse power supply to apply to the second auxiliary electrode 18 (although the illustration is omitted) are comprised in an electric pulse to cause
The feed piping 60 is a piping made of dielectric material. If initial plasma can be supplied after the flow of gas in the early stage an excited particle supplying system discharges electricity, and to start, the what may activate initial plasma by inductive plasma source rather than a thing limited to the parallel plate electrode configuration that seems to have always illustrated in
After excitation of initial plasma,
A high voltage pulse of the high repetition rate that seems to have been explained in the first embodiment is applied across the first main electrode 11 and the second main electrode 12 (See
When, in the surface treatment apparatus related to the seventh embodiment, if a distance between the first main electrode 11b and the second main electrodes, implementing a quasi-parallel plate electrode, is 15 millimeters, for the high voltage pulse with a repetition frequency of 2 kHz, a voltage value of around 24 kV is preferred. A period is 500 microseconds, and, in the case of repetition frequency 2 kHz of the high voltage pulse, the duty ratio becomes 0.3/500=0.006 repeatedly.
Because of this it is generated the efficiency stability non-thermal equilibrium low temperature plasma, without generating heat plasma ascribable to the high frequency discharge. In the surface treatment apparatus related to the seventh embodiment, there are three operation modes explained in the third embodiment. That is to say a first mode configured to ignite an discharge in the inside of the treatment object 21, a second mode configured to ignite an discharge only at the outside of the treatment object 21, a third mode configured to ignite an discharge both inside and outside of the treatment object 21 with tubular geometry. Therefore, similar to the third embodiment, those modes can be controlled by pressure conditions as shown by Eqs. (1)-(6).
The contents omit redundant explanation in what is similar to explanation in the third embodiment substantially.
A plurality of T-shaped protrusions rather than flat slab configuration so as to implement the “quasi-parallel plate electrode”. Similar to the second, third, sixth, and seventh embodiments the first main electrode 11b is arranged periodically, it is as an each of discharge points originates at each tips of the T-shaped protrusions, the structure as a whole is an approximately “parallel plate electrode”.
The first reflecting mirror 92 that comprised, for example, in excited particle generation chamber 85 and this excited particle generation chamber 85 as shown in
As ultraviolet rays irradiation mechanism 91, semiconductor emission of light elements such as a GaN based compound semiconductor, a ZnSe based compound semiconductor, a ZnO based compound semiconductor, a semiconductor laser with the use of a wideband gap semiconductor of SiC based compound semiconductors or light emitting diode are desirable for miniaturization.
However, even another solid laser is how preferable even a gas laser emitting light by ultraviolet rays of excimer laser. When large-scale ultraviolet rays irradiation mechanism 91 of gas lasers of excimer laser is used, the of particle generation room 85 to activate ultraviolet rays irradiation mechanism 91, it disposes outside, the window materials transmitting by ultraviolet rays of sapphire, process gas is supplied and, the of excited particle generation chamber 85, the if ultraviolet rays are introduced inside.
In this way the first ultraviolet rays from ultraviolet rays irradiation mechanism 91 disposed outside of exerted particle generation chamber 85 are introduced between the first reflecting mirror 92 and the second reflecting mirror 93 from a through-hole of reflecting mirror 92, interlocking is reflected back between the first reflecting mirror 92 and the second reflecting mirror 93, and the process gas can be activated.
The second surface treatment apparatus related to the eighth embodiment goes to the second main electrode 12 side as the cathode in the process gas from the first main electrode 11b side as an anode. Similar to the third, the sixth, the surface treatment apparatus related to the seventh embodiment, and it supplies in the shape of a shower, it further embraces a ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 65, 66b, 25b) to exhaust the process gas from the second exhausting piping 63 from the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62). The process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62), so as to implement four planes of a rectangular parallelepiped, embraces a second electrode covering insulator (second main electrode covering insulator) 23, a chamber top lid 53, the chamber bottom lid 54 and the injection-adjusting chamber 62, two side plates at a rearward portion of the paper (not illustrated) and at the near side (not illustrated) of the paper of
There is no by the rectangular parallelepiped which is flatness, and the injection-adjusting chamber 62 embraces metallic five plane out of six planes of a rectangular parallelepiped, the gas supply layer 65 substitutes a single plane (a cross-sectional view shown in
As shown in
Depending on materials, geometry and size of the treatment object 21, by applying required changes and modifications appropriately, and top treatment object holder 83, the branched portion pipe end maintenance ingredient 84 and the structure that bottom treatment object holder 51 can be designed and manufactured with well-known gas joint or vacuum components, easily.
The first exhausting piping 68 is connected to bottom treatment object holder 51. And the first vacuum pump (first pump) 32 is connected to down-stream side of the first exhausting piping 68 over the first exhausting valve 44. By such a constitution, the first vacuum pump (first pump) 32 is connected to exhausting piping 68 and the first exhausting valve 44, and a vacuum can exhaust inside of the treatment object 21.
The ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 65, 66b, 25b) embraces a the injection-adjusting chamber 62, gas supply layer 65 made of porous ceramics making the process gas from the injection-adjusting chamber 62 is distributed uniformly, a gas supply layer 65 as shown in
Furthermore, the surface treatment apparatus related to the eighth embodiment embraces a second the injecting valve 41 connected to the first injecting valve 43 and the second injecting piping 61 connected to the first injecting piping 67 connected to gas source 33 and a gas source 33 such as gas cylinders configured to store process gas and the second injecting piping 61 and the first injecting paring 67 as shown in
In the inside of excited particle generation chamber 85, the first injecting piping 67, the first injecting valve 43 and the feed piping 60, process gas is supplied from the gas source 33, and the process gas is supplied by the upper-stream side.
The process gas supplied inside of excited particle generation chamber 85 goes through an aperture of top treatment object holder 83 and tool for the branched portion pipe end maintenance 84 that is inserted in a bottom of excited particle generation chamber 85, and it is supplied in the trunk portion of each the treatment object 21 and the branched portion pipe 21b.
At this chance, in the inside of excited particle generation chamber 85, excited particles are generated, the a generated excitation particle goes through top treatment object holder 83 and tool for the branched portion pipe end maintenance 84 of a bottom of excited particle generation chamber 85 along with the process gas, and is poured into the trunk portion of each the treatment object 21 and the branched portion pipe 21b, initial plasma is generated in the inside of the trunk portion of the treatment object 21 and inside of the branched portion pipe 21b.
The process gas supplied in the trunk portion of the treatment object 21 and the branched portion pipe 21b is exhausted after junction in branching site 9 by vacuum pump (second pump) 31 that comprised downstream of the treatment object 21, the treatment object 21 is near in an the atmospheric pressure of around 20-30 kPa, the pressure is kept at a processing pressure of less than or equal to an the atmospheric pressure.
On the other hand, in the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62), the second injecting piping 61 and the second injecting valve 41, process gas is supplied from the gas source 33, and the flow of the process gas is shaped into the configuration of uniform shower by the ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 65, 66b, 25b). The process gas supplied by the ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 65, 66b, 25b) is exhausted by the second exhausting piping 63 from the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62).
Then, as shown in
In
Similar to the first embodiment, a narrow tube having an inside diameter of less than or equal to 7-5 millimeters can process the length of a long-narrow tube that length of a tubular geometry part aside from the branched portion (trunk portion) is more than 4-7 meters may serve as the tubular treatment object 21 having the branched portion in the surface treatment apparatus related to the eighth embodiment as well, even if length of the trunk portion is less than 4 meters, more than 7 millimeters inside diameter, the treatment object 21 can he processed.
In addition, a cross-section of the treatment object 21 is just what it described in the first embodiment not to be a branched pipe and the thing, which it is circular, and is, limited both of the trunk portion.
After excitation of initial plasma, as for
In the surface treatment apparatus related to the eighth embodiment, a high purity nitrogen gas can be supplied as the process gas in the inside of the treatment object 21 and the outside, the “the process gas” is not always limited to nitrogen gas.
For example, for inside of the treatment object 21 and objects such as pasteurization or sterilization, mixed gas of nitrogen gas with various kinds of active gas such as halogen based compound gas can be adopted.
A high voltage pulse of the high repetition rate that seems to have been explained in the first embodiment is applied across the first main electrode 11 and the second main electrode 12 (See
When, in the surface treatment apparatus related to the eighth embodiment, if a distance between the first main electrode 11b and the second main electrodes, implementing a quasi-parallel plate electrode, is 15 millimeters, for the high voltage pulse with a repetition frequency of 2 kHz, a voltage value of around 24 kV is preferred. A period is 500 microseconds, and, in the case of repetition frequency 2 kHz of the high voltage pulse, the duty ratio becomes 0.3/500=0.006 repeatedly. Because of this it is generated the efficiency stability non-thermal equilibrium low temperature plasma, without generating heat plasma ascribable to the high frequency discharge.
In the surface treatment apparatus related to the eighth embodiment, there are three operation modes explained in the third embodiment. That is to say a first mode configured to ignite an discharge only in the inside of the treatment object 21, a second mode configured to ignite an discharge only at the outside of the treatment object 21, a third mode configured to ignite both inside and outside of the treatment object 21 having tubular geometry with a branch. Similar to the third embodiment, those modes can be controlled by a pressure condition, as shown by Eqs. (1)-(6). The contents omit redundant explanation in what is similar to explanation in the third embodiment substantially.
In the third, sixth to eighth embodiments, examples to control three operation modes by a pressure condition in the surface treatment apparatus is explained by Eqs. (1)-(6). A first mode configured to ignite an discharge only in the inside of the treatment object 21, a second mode configured to ignite an discharge only at the outside of the treatment object 21, a third mode configured to ignite both inside and outside of the treatment object 21 are controlled by choosing a pressure condition as shown in an Eqs. (1)-(6). That is to say, even if control of three operation modes uses a parameter aside from pressure of the process gas, it can control. It is temperature of the process gas which one example of other parameters explains in the surface treatment apparatus related to the ninth embodiment of the present invention.
In addition, even a point to comprise the second injecting valve 41 connected to the first injecting valve 43 and the second injecting piping 61 connected to the first injecting piping 67 connected to gas source 33 and a gas source 33 such as gas cylinders configured to stare process gas and the second injecting piping 61 and the first injecting piping 67 is similar to the surface treatment apparatus related to the third embodiment.
However, the first surface treatment apparatus related to the ninth embodiment of the present invention is different from the surface treatment apparatus related to the third embodiment in the feed pining 86 connected with in injecting valve 43 at a point comprising pre-beater 87 as shown in
The feed piping 86 does not have to be always piping made of dielectric material, a disposed point excited particle supplying system (17,18) consists of a dielectric. The first injecting piping 67 and the first injecting valve 43, process gas is supplied from the gas source 33 in the inside of the tubular treatment object 21, and the process gas is supplied by the upper stream side, by vacuum pump (second pump) 31 that comprised downstream, the process gas drifts to the treatment object 21, the treatment object 21 is kept by appointed pressure, the when a mode configured to ignite an discharge among three operation modes only in the inside of the treatment object 21 is chosen, because the ambient gas adjustment, mechanism (62, 65, 66b, 25b) is provided, and 30-50 degrees Celsius lift temperature of the process gas drifting to inside of the treatment object 21 by what is energized in pre-heater 87 than temperature of the process gas drifting outside of the treatment object 21, an discharge is easy to be generated only in the inside of the treatment object 21, and it can be done.
Of course gas pressure P1 of the treatment object 21 inside is made around 10-40 kPa in the inside of the treatment object 21 in order to be caused, and it is desirable to lower than outside gas pressure P2 of the treatment object 21.
In addition, it is desirable to more extremely than, the atmospheric pressure P3 only lower outside gas pressure P2 of the treatment object 21 to around 80-90 kPa with the atmospheric pressure P3=101 kPa so that Eq. (1) shows whether it is equal, the a mode configured to ignite an discharge surely more stably only in the inside of the treatment object 21 as well because 30-50 degrees Celsius lift temperature of the process gas drifting to inside of the treatment object 21 than temperature of the process gas drifting outside of the treatment object 21 can be chosen.
In addition, when outside gas pressure P2 of the treatment object 21 is near to gas pressure P1 of the treatment object 21 inside, even if it is put, the a mode configured to ignite an discharge only in the inside of the treatment object 21 can be chosen.
The process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62) and structure of the ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 65, 66b, 25b) omit redundant explanation in what is similar to the surface treatment apparatus related to the third embodiment. In addition, though the Although the illustration is omitted, the a buried heater is established in the inside of the ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 65, 66b, 26b), and temperature of the process gas flowing outside of the treatment object 21 is raised than temperature of the process gas drifting to inside of the treatment object 21, and a mode configured to ignite an discharge only at the outside of the treatment object 21 can be chosen.
In addition, a Peltier cooling unit is provided to inside of the ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 65, 66b, 25b), and, by electronic cooling (Peltier effect), temperature of the process gas drifting outside of the treatment object 21 is done lower than temperature of the process gas drifting to inside of the treatment object 21, and an discharge is controlled only at the outside of the treatment object 21, the discharge is waked up in the inside of the treatment object 21.
Instead of a Peltier cooling unit, piping of refrigerant gas is provided to inside of the ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 65, 66b, 25b), and temperature of the process gas flowing outside of the treatment object 21 is done lower than temperature of the process gas drifting to inside of the treatment object 21, and an discharge can be controlled only at the outside of the treatment object 21.
Others omit redundant explanation in what is similar to the surface treatment apparatus related to the third embodiment substantially.
As explained in the ninth embodiment, the control of three operation modes can be controlled by mechanism of a parameter aside from pressure of the process gas. One example of other parameters is temperature of the process gas to explain in the surface treatment apparatus related to the ninth embodiment of the present invention, by a method to introduce trigger gas doing an discharge easily into only an discharge point desired in the discharge early stage, three operation modes can be controlled.
However, as for the first surface treatment apparatus related to the tenth embodiment of the present invention, the first T-shaped piping 67t to introduce trigger gas into injecting valve 43c are connected to, at the point where the second T-shaped piping 61t to introduce trigger gas into the second injecting valve 41c are connected to, it is different from the surface treatment apparatus related to the third embodiment.
Furthermore, the first branching site of the first T-shaped piping 67t is connected to trigger gas introduction valve 43b and the first trigger gas introduction piping 67b, is connected to the first trigger gas source 88a. In addition, the second branching site of the second T-shaped piping 61t is connected to trigger gas introduction valve 41b and the second trigger gas introduction piping 61b, is connected to the second trigger gas source 88b.
The first trigger gas source 88a and the second trigger gas source 88b illustrates in
The first trigger gas introduction valve 43b and the valve that response time such as an electromagnetic valve or an air pressure valve (a response) is fast as for the second trigger gas introduction valve 41b are preferable. Furthermore, the first down stream side of the first T-shaped piping 67t is connected to the feed piping 60 over manifold valve 43a. The feed piping 60 is a piping made of dielectric material. On the other hand, the second down stream side of the second T-shaped piping 61t is connected to the ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 65, 66b, 25b) over manifold valve 41a.
The first injecting piping 67c, the first injecting valve 43c, the first T-shaped piping 67t, the first manifold valve 43a and the feed piping 60, process gas is supplied from the gas source 33 in the inside of the tubular treatment object 21, the process gas is supplied by the upper-stream side, by vacuum pump (second pump) 31 that comprised downstream, the process gas drifts to the treatment object 21, the treatment object 21 is kept by appointed pressure. At this chance it is put at the beginning of an discharge, and a short time, the first trigger gas introduction valve 43b are thrown open when a mode making raise an discharge only in the inside of the treatment object 21 is chosen among three operation modes, the trigger gas flows from the first trigger gas source 88a, the T-shaped piping 67t, the first manifold valve 43a and the feed piping 60, process gas is supplied, and, by what is introduced in the inside of the treatment object 21, an discharge is easy to be generated only in the inside of the treatment object 21, and this the first trigger gas can be done.
Of course gas pressure P1 of the treatment object 21 inside is made around 10-40 kPa in the inside of the treatment object 21 in order to be caused, and it is desirable to lower than outside gas pressure P2 of the treatment object 21. In addition, it is equal with the atmospheric pressure P3=101 kPa in outside gas pressure P2 of the treatment object 21 so that an Eq. (1) shows or, the more extremely than the atmospheric pressure P3 preferred will lower around 80-90 kPa, the a second, a mode making it is pulse-like, and ignite an discharge by what it is introduced into surely more stably only in the inside of the treatment object 21 as well can be chosen in trigger gas. In addition, when outside gas pressure P2 of the treatment object 21 is near to gas pressure P1 of the treatment object 21 inside, even if it is put, the a mode configured to ignite an discharge only in the inside of the treatment object 21 by introducing trigger gas can be chosen.
On the other hand, the second injecting piping 61c, the second injecting valve 41c, the second T-shaped piping 61t, the second manifold valve 41a, process gas is supplied from the gas source 33 in the ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 65, 66b, 25b), and the process gas is supplied by the upper-stream side, by vacuum pump (second pump) 31 that comprised downstream, the process gas drifts to a the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62), the a the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62) is kept by appointed pressure.
At this chance it is put at the beginning of an discharge, and a short time, the second trigger gas introduction valve 41b are thrown open when a mode making raise an discharge only at the outside of the treatment object 21 is chosen among three operation modes, the trigger gas flows from the second trigger gas source 88b, the T-shaped piping 61t, the second manifold valve 41a, process gas is supplied, and, by what is introduced in the inside of the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62), an discharge is easy to be generated only at the outside of the treatment object 21, and this the second trigger gas can be done.
Of course in order to make an discharge cause only at the outside of the treatment object 21, the preferred will set in a pressure condition as shown by Eq. (3), (4), (5) or (6), the a second, a mode making it is pulse-like, and ignite an discharge by what it is introduced into surely more stably only in the inside of the treatment object 21 as well can be chosen in trigger gas. In addition, when outside gas pressure P2 of the treatment object 21 is near to gas pressure P1 of the treatment object 21 inside, even if it is put, the a mode configured to ignite an discharge only at the outside of the treatment object 21 by introducing trigger gas can be chosen.
About a mode making an discharge cause in the inside and outside both the treatment object 21, trigger gas flows into both, the trigger gas flows. In addition, it is made the condition that is hard to discharge one, and it may make trigger gas flow in there. For example, other constitution, the process chamber (23, 53, 54, 62) and structure of the ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 65, 66b, 25b) omit redundant explanation in what is similar to the surface treatment apparatus related to the third embodiment.
As shown in
The dielectric housing (74, 75 and 76) is implemented by a dielectric tube 74 and a dielectric flange plate 75. The dielectric tube 74 and the dielectric flange plate 75 is sealed by o-ring 76 so as to establish a vacuum tight structure. On the second main electrode 12, a second main electrode covering insulating film 77 is disposed so as to cover the surface of the second main electrode 12, and the dielectric housing (74, 75 and 76) is fixed on the second main electrode covering insulating film 77.
In
Furthermore, the first auxiliary electrode 17 and the second auxiliary electrode 18 may be disposed at a position sandwiching the neck adapter 19 as shown in
Although, in
As shown in
Although, in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The relaxation housing 3b is a housing made of thin dielectric thin film. One plane of the relaxation housing 3b is made open such that ambient gas and plasma species can communicate between inside and outside of the relaxation housing 3b.
A pulse power supply 14 applies electric pulses (main pulses) across the array of first main electrodes 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d and 11e and the second main electrode 12, which implement a quasi-parallel plate electrode, so that the electric pulse can cause the fine-streamer discharge in the sealed up space, which surrounds the outside of the relaxation housing 3b. In the ambient gas adjustment mechanism 79 a plurality of gas supply holes are provided in a form of two-dimensional matrix with a predetermined pitch. The main pulse of duty ratio of 10−7 to 10−1 is applied between the array of first main electrodes 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d and 11e and second main electrode 12, and the surface of the treatment object 5 is treated in non-thermal equilibrium plasma in the relaxation housing 3b.
If we assume the distance between the tip of the array of first main electrodes 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d and 11e and the top of the relaxation housing 3b is d, the film thickness of the relaxation housing 3b is t, and the inner height of the relaxation housing 3b is g, with ε1 for the dielectric constant of process ε2 for the dielectric constant of relaxation housing 3b, the total capacitance Ctotal of the parallel plate capacitance with area S, which is defined against the plasma space is given by:
C
total
=S/(d/ε0ε1+2t/ε0ε2+g/ε0ε1) (7).
From Eq.(7), we understand that we can make electric field in the inside of the relaxation housing 3b larger than in the outside of the relaxation housing 3b, so that we can generate plasma only in the inside of the relaxation housing 3b. Namely, as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Although
Various modifications will become possible for those skilled in the art after receiving the teaching of the present disclosure without departing from the scope thereof.
For example, each technical idea explained in first to thirteenth embodiments can be put together each other. For example, structure of the first main electrode 11c which the first modification of the second embodiment explained and the third structure of the ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 27, 66c) may be applied to sixth to tenth embodiments, the structure of the first main electrode 11d which described in the second modification of the second embodiment and the third structure of the ambient gas adjustment mechanism (62, 25d, 66d) may be applied to sixth to tenth embodiments. In addition, the excitation by ultraviolet rays is disclosed in the eighth embodiment, and the excitation by a plasma discharge through a parallel plate electrode is disclosed in the first to seventh and ninth to thirteenth embodiments, as an excited particle supplying system, they are disclosed as mere illustrations, and there are many other excitation mechanism of various kinds for generating initial plasma. For example, it makes go around the outside of belt-shaped (the ring which is flatness-shaped) the feed piping 60 in one electrode (the first auxiliary electrode) 17b as shown in
Or it makes go around the outside of belt-shaped (the ring which is flatness-shaped) the feed piping 60 in one electrode (the first auxiliary electrode) 17a as shown in
In
In addition, an excitation particle may be generated by mechanism of radioactive rays aside from ultraviolet rays, radioactive rays by synchrotron radiation, for example.
In addition, treatment object illustrated one case in first to thirteenth embodiments, if it is confronted each other, and the first main electrode 11b and the second main electrode 12 are disposed to catch all several treatment object, the treatment object of a plural number can be processed simultaneously.
In this case if inside of plural treatment object is processed, it being necessary valves accompanying injecting piping of the process gas as opposed to each treatment object (introduction piping) and exhausting piping, of course.
Thus, the present invention of course includes various embodiments and modifications and the like which are not detailed above. Therefore, the scope of the present invention will be defined in the following claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-031297 | Feb 2007 | JP | national |
| 2007-068908 | Mar 2007 | JP | national |
