PD Plasma Deposition Series
Nordson MARCH’s PD Series uses plasma polymerization to deposit materials during precision manufacturing processes
The PD Series for plasma deposition uses a gas vapor, or heated liquid monomer vapor delivery system to deposit coatings that can reduce and in certain cases eliminate tackiness, provide a tie layer, act as a drug enhancement or inhibition agent in life sciences applications and change desired surfaces from hydrophobic to hydrophilic, or vice versa. Plasma polymer deposition can reduce waste when compared to wet chemical dispensing.
The heated liquid monomer vapor delivery system consists of a heated vessel containing the liquid precursor which is temperature controlled to increase the vapor pressure of the precursor. The monomer vapor flow is delivered to the process chamber via a heated vapor flow controller specifically configured for the monomer type. The vapor manifold in the plasma chamber is uniquely designed for the specific application to enable uniform film deposition within the chamber.
The polymer deposition is initiated via optimum RF plasma energy exposure resulting in high quality films. Pulsed plasma RF generation is also available to enhance the properties of the deposited polymer films. The PD Series allows selection from a range of process gases such as Argon, Hydrogen and Helium. Additionally, various liquid agents can be vaporized and deposited.
The PD Series systems incorporate the best of Nordson MARCH’s market-leading plasma technology, combined with application-specific developments that are backed by over 30 years of experience. Each system utilizes the proven benefits of Nordson MARCH’s unique and patented designs that optimize the use of the reactive ions found in RF plasma, which increases treatment uniformity while decreasing process time.
Models and Configurations
PD-1000 Plasma Treatment System: The PD-1000 system uses pulsed RF to enhance the properties of plasma polymerized films and is ideal for either prototype, pilot, or production processing of substrates. The PD-1000 combines the reliability and process quality of the AP-1000 system with the proven benefits of Nordson MARCH’s unique shelf design and optimized use of the reactive ions found in RF plasma, increasing treatment uniformity while decreasing process time. The PD-1000 is a cost- and space-efficient vacuum plasma treatment machine for treating all types of parts and components. The plasma chamber is constructed of 11-gauge stainless steel with aluminum fixtures for superior durability. The chamber has multiple removable and adjustable shelves to accommodate a range of parts and accommodates up to 14 electrode positions. The PD-1000 comes standard equipped with two mass flow controllers for optimal gas control.
PD-1500 Plasma Treatment System: The PD-1500 system is an effective plasma treatment system with an extra-large chamber for batch processing. It uses a pulsed 40 KHz RF generator to enhance the properties of plasma polymerized films. The PD-1500 is a cost- and space-efficient vacuum plasma treatment machine for treating all types of parts and components. The pump, chamber, control electronics, and RF generator are all contained within its enclosure. The PD-1500 system offers slide-out horizontal shelves for ease of loading and unloading. Its compact and service-friendly design features a small footprint, and is designed for maintenance access from only the front and rear of the system. Therefore, multiple vacuum plasma treatment systems can be placed side-by-side to maximize floor space utilization. The pump is positioned on rollers for easy removal. The control system can be password-protected at multiple levels to prevent unauthorized recipe modification. This ensures consistent performance of the system from the first batch to the last. The PD-1500 Plasma Treatment System combines the reliability and process quality of the AP-1500 system. The plasma chamber accommodates up to 14 electrode work shelves, and enables additional volume and larger substrate processing than the PD-1000. The PD-1500 is equipped with four mass flow controllers for optimal gas control.
PD-Pro Plasma Treatment System: The PD-Pro system offers a large plasma processing cavity to treat big substrates or many smaller substrates. Like the award-winning ProVIA™ Plasma Treatment System, the PD-Pro delivers industry-leading plasma uniformity using a single-step process. The PD-Pro is a self-contained system featuring a space-saving, compact chassis with an easy-access, front-load door, and housing the vacuum system, plasma chamber, control electronics, and 13.56MHz power supply. The fast vacuum pump down and greatly enhanced process cycle times further add to the throughput and productivity of the system. The PD-Pro system comes standard equipped with four mass flow controllers for optimal gas control and up to 13 vertical substrate processing cells.
Through extensive research and development, the PD-Pro system presents unique vacuum and gas flow technology, new electrode designs, and superior temperature management. The careful balance of these critical design elements and process recipe parameters delivers a system that creates the most uniform treatment for key applications.
