Progress Report on the Application of a One Atmosphere Uniform Glow Discharge Plasma (OAUGDP??) to Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition (PCVD)

Summary form only given. A new plasma PCVD system has been developed to provide controlled and consistent processing of textiles and films with the OAUGDPreg. Important features of this roll-to-roll, atmospheric pressure reactor are a precision-engineered and position-controllable cylindrical electrode configuration; an impedance-matching system that will compensate for the varying capacitance of the reactor due to the dielectric and exposed web between the electrodes; and precision control of web rotation speed, tension, and temperature. A main goal of this research is to relate independently variable plasma parameters to deposition results. Real-time measurement techniques may allow automation through feedback leading to better deposition properties with shorter exposure times. Emphasis will be placed on SiO_x coatings on polymer substrates for an oxygen barrier, as well as other deposition applications of industrial interest