Verfahren und Einrichtung zur plasmagestuetzten Oberflaechenbehandlung

Plasma-aided surface treatment, e.g. for plasma sterilisation, plastics surface modification etc., is carried out at atmospheric pressure by a method in which the material (1) being treated is exposed to a reactive gas or gaseous monomer before entry to a treatment chamber (5), the gas being ionised in the entry zone by electrons in the energy range up to 100 keV (9) passing through a permeable window (10) and thus being transformed into the plasma state. The plasma stream is padded parallel to the material from the inlet zone to the outlet zone. Some of the electrons pass through the gas to activate the surface of the material. Also claimed in equipment for carrying out the process with at least one electron beam generator (8) and window separating it from a treatment chamber at approximately atmospheric pressure, a conveying arrangement (2,34) for the material being treated, preferably 10-100 mm from the window, and nozzles (12, 13) for introducing and exhausting the gaseous medium. Avoids disadvantages of corona treatment