Verwendung und Verfahren zur Behandlung von Oberflaechen mittels einer dielektrisch behinderten Entladungsvorrichtung, die Plasmateilchen und/oder UV-Strahlung erzeugt

The invention relates to the use of a dielectrically impeded discharge device (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d)(barrier discharge device) to clean surfaces (5a, 5b) to be coated by vacuum-aided processes. The barrier discharge device (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) arranged in a vacuum chamber (1) mainly consists of at least two opposing electrode bodies (20, 22) and a dielectric (22) positioned in the direct vicinity of an electrode (20) and a power source (26) electrically connected to the electrodes (20, 22). The plasma paticles released during the electric discharge between the electrode bodies (20, 22) and UV radiation exits from the discharge chamber through the electrode (22) which is transparent to UV radiation and/or plasma particles and impinges on the surfaces to be cleaned (5a, 5b). A photochemical cleaning process is triggered by the UV radiation and/or a plasmachemical cleaning process is triggered by the impinging plasma particles on the surface (5a, 5b). The cleaning process according to the invention can be mainly applied independent of pressure at pressures of less than 10 bar, whereby the cleaning process can be mainly applied during the evacuation phase of the vacuum chamber (1).