Innovative Uses for Plasma Surface Conditioning in the Assembly of Electronic Devices

Abstract

Plasma surface conditioning is now a commonly accepted practice in many applications. Three types of plasma systems are commonly commercially used: low pressure (LP), atmospheric plasma (AP) and corona (CP). This paper compares the attributes of each of these available types. We suggest there are many applications well suited to the use of atmospheric plasma jet in electronic manufacturing. This paper provides examples of the benefits of using atmospheric plasma for applications including: improving adhesion by plasma surface modification, reduction of metal oxide surfaces and deposition of protective barrier layers for LEDs. These examples demonstrate the unique potential of atmospheric plasma jets to provide advantages in applications important in electronic assembly and manufacturing including initial characterization data, references to final applications and next steps.