Patent ID: 7220462
Filing Date: 2007-05-22
Classification: H05H

Abstract:
1. A method of treating a substrate with a non-equilibrium plasma comprising: passing the substrate within an electrode assembly for generating the non-equilibrium plasma such that the substrate moves from an inlet region of the electrode assembly to an outlet region of the electrode assembly and thereby tends to entrain air into the electrode assembly from the inlet region thereof by virtue of motion of the substrate; the electrode assembly having at least two spaced barrier electrodes and a ground electrode spaced apart from the two spaced barrier electrodes for passage of the substrate therebetween, each of the at least two barrier electrodes having an elongated configuration, a transverse orientation with respect to a direction of motion of the substrate, a central section containing a high voltage conductor and two leg sections angled away from the central section and being formed of a dielectric material; introducing plasma medium into a chamber located between and connected to the at least two barrier electrodes toward the substrate so that the plasma medium flows toward the substrate and spreads out along the substrate towards the inlet region and the outlet region of the electrode assembly; and biasing flow of the plasma medium toward the inlet region of the electrode assembly to inhibit Ingress of the air into the electrode assembly; passing a cooling fluid into cooling fluid passages located within said central and leg sections of said barrier electrodes by introducing said cooling fluid into one of said leg sections and discharging said cooling fluid from the other of the leg sections; and the central section having a transverse cross-sectional area less than that of the leg sections so that the cooling fluid has a higher velocity in the central section than said leg sections.