Real time characterization of polymer surface modifications by an atmospheric-pressure plasma jet: Electrically coupled versus remote mode

We characterize and distinguish two regimes of atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) polymer interactions depending on whether the electrical interaction of the plasma plume with the surface is significant (coupled) or not (remote). When the plasma is coupled to the surface, localized energy deposition by charged species in filaments dominates the interactions with the surface and produces contained damaged areas with high etch rates that decrease rapidly with plasma source-to-sample distance. For remote APP surface treatments, when only reactive neutral species interact with the surface, we established specific surface-chemical changes and very slow etching of polymer films. Remote treatments appear uniform with etch rates that are highly sensitive to feed gas chemistry and APP source temperature.