AURORA-Plasma: Low-Pressure Plasma for Complex Components

Some components are difficult to treat selectively from the outside. Undercuts, pores, difficult-to-access areas or multiple parts within one cycle may require a controlled process environment that supports uniform, full-surface treatment. AURORA-Plasma is Plasmatreat’s low-pressure plasma technology. Components are treated in a vacuum chamber using a defined process gas. Depending on the application, the process can clean, activate, etch or reduce oxide layers in preparation for bonding, coating, printing, potting, overmolding, soldering or contacting.

AURORA-Plasma complements Openair-Plasma^®, Plasmatreat’s atmospheric-pressure plasma technology. The two technologies address different process requirements and application objectives. Plasmatreat supports both solution pathways, from feasibility testing and process development to validation and production integration.

When low-pressure plasma is the right tool

The choice between low-pressure and atmospheric-pressure plasma is not a question of which technology is better. It follows the component, the required surface result and the production environment.

Decision criterion	AURORA-Plasma	Openair-Plasma^®
Treatment	Typically full-surface treatment within a controlled process chamber	Local, selective or surface-wide treatment under atmospheric pressure
Geometry	Complex three-dimensional components, undercuts, pores and difficult-to-access areas	Defined treatment areas that can be reached by the selected plasma jet and motion concept
Process environment	Controlled vacuum environment with selectable process gases	Treatment under atmospheric pressure, with compressed air as the main process gas for many applications
Production concept	Chamber-based processing, from individual cycles to automated production concepts and continuous roll-to-roll processing	Continuous, indexed, automated, modular or stand-alone operation
Component handling	Individual parts, several components within one cycle, bulk material or continuous materials	Components or defined surface areas positioned relative to one or more plasma jets
Typical strength	Controlled treatment of complete components and complex geometries	Flexible positioning of local, selective or surface-wide treatment within production

Openair-Plasma^® and AURORA-Plasma can form complementary solution pathways within the same production environment. Which technology fits a component depends on the treatment objective, geometry, process sequence and integration requirements. If the appropriate pathway is not clear, testing with representative sample parts provides a reliable basis for the decision.

AURORA-Plasma is governed as a low-pressure technology operating under controlled vacuum conditions, while Openair-Plasma^® supports local, selective, full-surface, continuous, indexed, modular and stand-alone concepts.

How low-pressure plasma works

Components are loaded into a vacuum chamber and processed under controlled low pressure. A process gas is introduced in a defined way, typically oxygen, nitrogen, argon, or hydrogen-based mixtures. Because ambient air is largely excluded, process chemistry can be precisely matched to the material and the desired surface result.

Electrical excitation turns the gas into plasma: a partially ionized mix of electrons, ions, radicals, and excited molecules that interacts with the component surface. AURORA systems use a 2.45 GHz microwave source as the primary plasma generator. Depending on the system and application, 13.56 MHz and 40 kHz excitation can be added, used alone or in combination, chosen by material, geometry, and target result.

This controlled environment treats the entire component at once, including undercuts, pores, and hard-to-reach areas. How uniform the result is depends on geometry, loading, and process recipe, and should be validated per application.

Cleaning, activation, etching, oxide reduction and coating

AURORA-Plasma can support different surface objectives. The appropriate process depends on the initial surface condition, material, component geometry and required follow-up process.

Cleaning

Reactive plasma species remove organic residues and contamination from the component surface, preparing it for the next process step. How clean the result gets depends on the type and amount of contamination, the material, and the process recipe.

Activation

Plasma treatment increases a material's surface energy by making it more polar, improving wettability and adhesion for subsequent bonding, coating, printing, potting, or overmoulding processes. The achievable effect depends on the material, its initial surface chemistry, and the process recipe.

Etching

Low-pressure plasma can remove material from a surface in a controlled way, either chemically through reactive species or physically through ion bombardment, depending on the excitation and process gas. Surface material is converted into volatile reaction products and removed from the process chamber.

Oxide reduction

Hydrogen-based process gases reduce oxide layers on metallic surfaces within the chamber, preparing them for soldering, bonding or contacting. Suitability depends on the metal, alloy, oxide composition, geometry and follow-up process.

Plasma coating

PlasmaPlus^® adds defined surface functions through plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD): a precursor gas is introduced into the plasma and deposited onto the surface as a thin, nanoscale functional layer. This layer can give the surface new properties, for example improved adhesion, corrosion protection, or barrier effect.

Find the AURORA system for your application

AURORA-Plasma defines the underlying low-pressure plasma technology. The individual AURORA systems provide different ways to implement it according to component dimensions, handling, automation and production requirements. The plasma configuration and process recipe are selected around the application.

AURORA Semi, AURORA Science and AURORA R2R are system solutions or integration concepts within AURORA product platform. System selection should follow application, geometry, throughput, automation, validation and integration requirements.

AURORA 250 / 450 / 1000

Configurable low-pressure plasma systems for small and medium-sized components

AURORA 250, 450 and 1000 combine a controlled process chamber with configurable gas supply, workpiece handling and plasma excitation. Rotary table and rotary drum options support the treatment of individual components, several parts within one cycle or bulk material. The systems can operate manually or automatically and can be integrated into production through different door and handling concepts.

AURORA Large Chamber

Low-pressure plasma treatment for large components and substrates

AURORA Large Chamber extends the available process space for applications involving large components, substrates or several larger parts within one cycle. Chamber format, door arrangement, loading and component handling are configured according to the application and production layout.

AURORA Semi

Low-pressure plasma processing for semiconductor manufacturing requirements

AURORA Semi provides a system and integration concept for wafer and semiconductor production environments. Component handling, plasma configuration, automation and production interfaces are defined around the relevant process step. Application-specific process development determines the required surface effect and recipe.

AURORA Science

Compact low-pressure plasma processing for research and process development

AURORA Science provides a compact system concept for material screening, feasibility work, recipe development and small sample series. It creates an accessible entry point for establishing and evaluating low-pressure plasma processes before transfer to a production-oriented system concept.

AURORA R2R

Continuous low-pressure plasma treatment for roll-to-roll materials

AURORA R2R brings controlled low-pressure plasma processing to continuous materials. The system concept supports the treatment of rolled materials such as films, textiles, membranes and other webs within a controlled process environment. Roll handling, treatment width, process configuration and production interfaces are defined according to the material and required surface objective.

When standard configurations do not fit

Some applications require a different chamber format, component-handling concept or production interface. In these cases, Plasmatreat evaluates the process and integration requirements and determines whether an application-specific AURORA-Plasma configuration is appropriate.

Electronics and semiconductor

Cleaning and activation can prepare lead frames, substrates, housings, wafers and process-related components for subsequent bonding, contacting, coating or packaging steps. AURORA Semi provides a dedicated system and integration concept for semiconductor production requirements.

Medical device components

Low-pressure plasma can support controlled surface preparation of polymeric and porous components for subsequent bonding, coating, printing or potting processes. Potential applications include filtration media, microfluidic components, catheters, syringe components and packaging. Suitability and the required surface effect must be validated for the specific device, material and subsequent process.

Textiles, membranes and nonwovens

Plasma treatment can modify wetting behaviour and prepare fibre surfaces for subsequent coating, dyeing or finishing processes. For continuous materials, AURORA R2R provides a dedicated roll-to-roll system concept.

Aerospace and automotive

Applications include surface preparation of plastics, composites and fibre-reinforced materials before structural bonding, painting or coating. The treatment concept is selected according to component size, geometry, material and production requirements.

Research and process development

AURORA-Plasma supports material screening, feasibility testing, recipe development and process validation. Process knowledge developed during testing can form the basis for transfer to a production-oriented AURORA system.

Chamber-based processing, designed for production

Many low-pressure plasma systems process components in defined cycles. The chamber is loaded, evacuated, treated and vented. AURORA systems are designed so that this process step can be integrated into automated production rather than operating separately from it. In-line doors at the front or side, automatic operation, automatic door opening and automated loading by conveyor or robot can turn the chamber into a process station within a production line. Door configuration, component handling, production interfaces and recipe management are selected according to the required material flow and level of automation. For continuous materials, AURORA R2R provides a dedicated roll-to-roll concept within the AURORA-Plasma portfolio.

Plasmatreat develops the process and integration concept around the application, component handling and production requirements.

From feasibility to production

A surface process must be measurable, repeatable and suitable for the intended production environment. Plasmatreat therefore develops AURORA-Plasma processes around defined target criteria rather than starting with a predefined system configuration. Various entry points allow you to evaluate and validate the process before making a final system decision, including feasibility studies using representative sample parts, plasma treatment services and system rental for validation directly in a production environment. Throughout the entire process, Plasmatreat supports its customers as a partner in technology, process development, validation and integration.

Define the target criterion

What must the surface achieve after treatment? The objective may involve wettability, adhesion, cleanliness, oxide condition or a defined process window.

Check samples and process conditions

Material, component geometry, contamination, loading, cycle time, integration and quality requirements are evaluated together.

Develop and validate the recipe

The relevant plasma configuration and process parameters are selected. The surface result is measured, checked against the target criterion and stabilised within a defined process window.

Transfer the process to production

The validated process is implemented on the selected system concept. Production integration, documentation, recipe management and handover are adapted to the application.

Request a feasibility test

FAQ

What is the difference between low-pressure and atmospheric-pressure plasma?

Low-pressure plasma is generated in a controlled vacuum environment using selected process gases. It is often considered when complete components, complex geometries, difficult-to-access areas or several parts within one cycle need to be treated.

Atmospheric-pressure plasma operates without a vacuum chamber. Openair-Plasma^® can treat surfaces locally, selectively or over wider areas and can be integrated into continuous, indexed, automated, modular or stand-alone production concepts.

The appropriate technology depends on the component, surface objective, follow-up process and production environment.

Which materials can be treated?

AURORA-Plasma can be used to treat polymers, composites, metals, ceramics, glass, textiles and porous materials.

The achievable surface effect depends on the specific material, component geometry, initial surface condition, process gas and required follow-up process. Suitability and process parameters are therefore verified using representative sample parts.

Is low-pressure plasma suitable for temperature-sensitive components?

AURORA-Plasma supports process configurations with low thermal load and may therefore be suitable for sensitive components.

The actual component temperature depends on the material, excitation, treatment time, chamber loading and process recipe. The thermal effect should be validated for the specific application.

How long does low-pressure plasma treatment take?

Treatment time depends on the system, chamber load, material, contamination and target criterion.

The complete cycle also includes loading, evacuation and venting. Application-specific testing determines the treatment and overall cycle time required for a stable process.

Can low-pressure plasma be integrated into an automated production line?

Yes. AURORA system concepts can support automatic operation, in-line door configurations, automatic door opening and automated loading by conveyor or robot.

The required handling and interface concept depends on the selected system, component and production layout.

Can AURORA systems apply functional coatings?

Yes, when equipped for the required coating process. PlasmaPlus^® is Plasmatreat’s technology for adding specifically defined surface functions through plasma-based coating processes.

Depending on the application, an AURORA-Plasma system can provide the low-pressure process environment required for the coating.

How is the appropriate AURORA system selected?

Selection starts with the component and surface objective. Material, geometry, required process, loading concept, throughput, automation and integration requirements determine which system concept should be evaluated.

Testing with representative samples helps define and validate the process before the final system configuration is selected.

Define the right low-pressure plasma process for your application

The appropriate solution depends on your component, material, surface objective and production requirements. Plasmatreat helps you assess feasibility, develop the process, validate its performance and integrate it into production.

Klaus Kresser

Managing Director

+41 71 733 11 33

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