Plasma Cleaning

Plasma cleaning, also know as plasma etching, is the process of cleaning surfaces by means of fast (thermally hot) ions, usually the ions of a noble gas like argon, as it is chemically inert and will not change the chemical composition of the target. The ions are accelerated (heated) by means of a high-density plasma discharge, in order to give the ions a sufficient free travelling length the process needs to take place in a medium or high vacuum environment, depending on the actual distance between the plasma source and the target. The cleaning process is greatly enhanced by the generation of vacuum ultraviolet light, also known as VUV light, which is capable of breaking the bonds of organic surface contaminations like carbon-hydrogens due to its short wavelength. The stripped and vaporised contaminants are then removed from the process chamber by means of the vacuum system. Typical applications for plasma etching include:

• Cleaning and de-smearing of PCBs (PrintedCircuitBoards) prior to HASL and through hole plating
• Cleaning and surface activation of lead frames, wire bonding areas and BGAs during the manufacturing of integrated circuits
• Cleaning and surface activation of metal surfaces / BGAs for flux-free soldering
• Cleaning of connector parts before plating and encapsulation to improve bonding
• Cleaning of contacts for electrical switches and other electrical assemblies
• Cleaning of parts from silicon contaminations (LABS free)
• Cleaning of plastic parts before metallisation
• Surface activation of polymers like silicon and PTFE (Teflon) prior to bonding
• Surface activation of rubber parts prior to bonding
• Surface modification of plastic parts to make them hydrophilic or hydrophobic
• Artificial ageing of electronic components

Should you be interested in the usage of plasma cleaning for one of the above or any other application please contact us.