Arcuate Electrode Arrangement for Uniform Plasma Surface Treatment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrode arrangements and plasma treatment devices are not suitable for rapid large-area surface treatment and are complex to produce, often leaving substantial parts of the surface untreated due to concentrated electrical discharges and dielectric barriers.
Innovation Solution
An electrode arrangement with linear electrode bodies that change direction by at least 90°, forming arcuate areas, which are connected to a common high-voltage source and encased with a dielectric, allowing for a distributed gas discharge along the arcuate areas to treat surfaces effectively over a large area without free ends, thus avoiding selective discharge concentration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a flat electrode with dielectric barriers is used for plasma treatment, then the device structure is simplified, but electrical discharges are concentrated at specific points (distal ends) leaving substantial parts of the surface untreated
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode is segmented into multiple independent linear electrode bodies arranged in parallel rows. Each electrode body is individually capacitively coupled to the high voltage source, creating multiple distributed discharge points along the entire electrode structure rather than concentrated at distal ends. This segmentation enables comprehensive surface coverage while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrode arrangement transitions from a two-dimensional flat electrode to a three-dimensional configuration with multiple parallel rows of linear electrode bodies. This dimensional expansion distributes the discharge gaps throughout the treatment space, ensuring that surfaces at various positions and orientations can be effectively treated without concentrating discharges at specific points.
2Device complexity
If electrode bodies are arranged in parallel rows with distal ends on a line, then the device complexity is reduced, but the discharge gaps are concentrated rather than distributed for rapid large-area treatment
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode system is divided into multiple linear electrode bodies arranged in parallel rows, with each body contributing to the overall discharge pattern. This segmentation distributes the discharge gaps along the entire length and width of the treatment area, enabling rapid large-area surface treatment while keeping each individual electrode body simple in structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple linear electrode bodies are combined into a coordinated array where all bodies are capacitively coupled to the same high voltage source. This merging creates a unified discharge field that distributes electrical discharges uniformly across the entire treatment space, achieving both structural simplicity and effective discharge distribution.
3Reliability
If a dielectric barrier is placed in front of the electrode, then the gas discharge is impeded to limit current, but substantial parts of the surface remain untreated due to contact areas of the dielectric
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a continuous dielectric barrier that contacts the surface and leaves untreated areas, the system uses multiple segmented linear electrode bodies with individual capacitive coupling. This segmentation eliminates the need for physical dielectric contact barriers while maintaining current control through the capacitive coupling of each electrode body to the high voltage source, ensuring complete surface coverage.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables rapid and complete surface treatment with a physical plasma over a large area, ensuring even distribution of discharge gaps and efficient treatment of surfaces, including irregularly shaped ones, with reduced manufacturing complexity.
Implementation Method 1
In order to generate a cold plasma by means of a gas discharge, the gas discharge must be impeded dielectrically
Implementation Method 2
A dielectric barrier to dielectrically impede the gas discharge can be arranged either in front of an electrode adjoining the discharge gap
Implementation Method 3
the largest electric fields that occur in the area of the smallest radii of surface curvature of the electrode bodies are distributed over the arcuate areas
Implementation Method 4
gas discharges form between the arc-shaped areas of the linear electrode bodies and the body to be treated
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
An electrode arrangement (18) for surface-treating a body (11) with a physical plasma has a high-voltage connection (19) for connection to an output (6) of an alternating high-voltage source which generates an alternating high voltage, a plurality of linear electrode bodies (2) and a treatment area (9) which adjoins the electrode bodies (2). The electrode bodies (2) are connected jointly to the high-voltage connection (19) in such a way that the same alternating high voltage is applied to all of the electrode bodies (2). The electrode bodies (2) each comprise an arcuate region (10) in which the respective linear electrode body (2) changes its direction by at least 90°; and the electrode bodies (2) are sheathed by a dielectric (4) and/or are individually coupled to the high-voltage connection (19) in a capacitive manner. The treatment area (9) into which the body (11) for surface-treatment with the physical plasma is to be introduced is located at least partially between the arcuate regions (10) of the electrode bodies (2).