COMMERCIAL-SCALE APPLICATION OF PLASMA PROCESSING FOR POLYMERIC SUBSTRATES - FROM LABORATORY TO PRODUCTION

Large-scale application of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and PECVD-like processes have been limited due to the inherent complexity and dependence of the reactor geometry and gas flow patterns on the process variables. Plasma diagnostics and robust experimental design have enabled large-area application of an organosilicon-based chemical plasma deposition process for application on rigid polymeric substrates (bottles, trays, etc.) and thinner (0.5 mil thick) polymeric films. The process was successfully transferred among four vacuum systems, each employing different electrodes, gas flow geometrics, and pumping configurations. Furthermore, desirable film properties were obtained at deposition rates in excess of 200 angstrom/s in the pilot scale roll-to-roll coater. In the pilot bottle coater, large loads of bottles ( 1 17, 32 oz containers) were uniformly coated on a routine basis. A historical account of the process development and technical hurdles, along with experimental data from the four reactors studied, will be presented.