Plasma is used in providing a variety of solutions which include surface treatment, i.e. coating, activation, etching and cleaning. By definition plasma is a partially ionized gas and often called the fourth state of matter. Phenomena’s like lightning and Aurora Borealis (the Northern Lights) belong to natural plasmas.
The generation of plasma can be done by the application of electric fields, mostly within a vacuum.As an example, the exceptional inherent characteristics of plasmas can be used for the generation of highly excited particles, atoms, and radicals. These species can initiate chemical reactions not attainable under normal conditions. Thereby, the temperature of substrates can be kept at values not significantly higher than room temperature.In addition, one can use the radiation of the plasma. This attribute it is often called ‘burning plasma’.
The emission covers the range from vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) up to infrared (IR). A fluorescent lamp is an example for a plasma which has been optimized to gain maximum emission in the visible range.Lastly, accelerated fast ions in the plasma enable features like sputtering, ion implantation and heating. These properties make plasma processes an outstanding solution for solving problems in a variety of areas within science and manufacturing.
Here are uses of plasma technologies that may be of interest.
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