The Marketing Minute: Marketing With Layers
The Right Approach: Electro-Tek—A Williams Family Legacy, Part 1
It’s Only Common Sense: If You’re Not Differentiated, You’re Dead
Plasma Applications in the PCB Industry
June 3, 2020 | Nikolaus SchubkegelEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Plasma, which consists of ionized gas atoms, is the fourth state of matter. On Earth, plasma does not occur naturally, but it is sometimes visible at high altitudes as auroras. But off-planet, elsewhere in the universe, almost all visible matter is plasma. Plasma is a mixture of positively charged atomic hulls, free electrons, free radicals, and neutral particles; the total electrical charge is neutral, conductive, and highly reactive. Due to permanent recombination, plasma lights can come in different colors. The colors depend on the nature of the gas.
The plasma particles have great speed, and thus, high energy content. Irving Langmuir was the first who called ionized gas “plasma.” Although there are several methods known to produce plasma, only one method is widely used in manufacturing PCBs: RF discharge at 40 kHz or 13.56 MHz or microwave discharge at 2.45 GHz at low pressure 0.1–1.0 mbar. This method produces what is commonly known as “cold plasma.” There is also plasma at atmospheric pressure, with technical applications. This article deals only with low-pressure plasma.
Equipment Available to Produce Plasma
Most plasma equipment is comprised of discontinuous (batch) systems, although there are also continuous systems available. The batch systems have some volume of l.0 to 10 m³ and more. The common units in the PCB industry have volumes of approximately 0.2 to 3 m³. Continuous systems are available for flexible circuits, reel to reel, and rigid products as well.
To read this entire article, which appeared in the May 2020 issue of PCB007 Magazine, click here.
Share on:
Testimonial
"Advertising in PCB007 Magazine has been a great way to showcase our bare board testers to the right audience. The I-Connect007 team makes the process smooth and professional. We’re proud to be featured in such a trusted publication."
Klaus Koziol - atgSuggested Items
Light-curable Solutions for Reliable Electronics in Space Applications
10/15/2025 | Virginia Hogan, DymaxDesigning electronics for space environments, particularly those in low Earth orbit (LEO), requires careful consideration of materials that can withstand extreme conditions while supporting long-term reliability. Engineers designing satellite systems, aerospace instrumentation, and high-altitude platforms face a familiar set of challenges: contamination control, mechanical stress, thermal cycling, and manufacturability.
Elementary, Mr. Watson: High Power: When Physics Becomes Real
10/15/2025 | John Watson -- Column: Elementary, Mr. WatsonHave you ever noticed how high-speed design and signal integrity classes are always packed to standing room only, but just down the hall, the session on power electronics has plenty of empty chairs? It's not just a coincidence; it's a trend I've observed over the years as both an attendee and instructor.
Beyond Thermal Conductivity: Exploring Polymer-based TIM Strategies for High-power-density Electronics
10/13/2025 | Padmanabha Shakthivelu and Nico Bruijnis, MacDermid Alpha Electronics SolutionsAs power density and thermal loads continue to increase, effective thermal management becomes increasingly important. Rapid and efficient heat transfer from power semiconductor chip packages is essential for achieving optimal performance and ensuring long-term reliability of temperature-sensitive components. This is particularly crucial in power systems that support advanced applications such as green energy generation, electric vehicles, aerospace, and defense, along with high-speed computing for data centers and artificial intelligence (AI).
Bluepath Robotics Optimizes AMR Fleets with Inductive Charging Solution from Wiferion
10/09/2025 | WiferionIn a dynamic and highly competitive industry such as logistics, efficient and uninterrupted material flows are of crucial importance. To ensure maximum uptime for its robots, Bluepath Robotics, which specializes in autonomous mobile robots (AMR), needed a reliable and powerful power supply.
‘Create your Connections’ – Rehm at productronica 2025 in Munich
10/08/2025 | Rehm Thermal SystemsThe electronics industry is undergoing dynamic transformation: smart production lines, sustainability, artificial intelligence, and sensor technologies dominate current discussions.