IP Library › Granted Patent US 12678879
Granted Patent B2
US 12678879 · App. 18/890,961 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Surface treatment method

Inventors: Wentan Wu (Shanghai, CN); Yunhong Yu (Shanghai, CN); Zhijun Huang (Shanghai, CN)
Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
B23K1/206B23K1/0016
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12678879
App. No.
18/890,961
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A surface treatment method. Atmospheric plasma is provided, and an object to be treated is placed in an atmospheric plasma atmosphere, wherein a residual oxygen level in the atmospheric plasma atmosphere is lower than a pre-set value. A soldering process is integrated into an atmospheric plasma treatment system without any flux protection, and it is ensured that the oxygen level in the atmosphere is reduced to an extremely low level, which can meet the high requirements for surface soldering performance.

Claims (15)

1 . A surface treatment method using an atmospheric plasma treatment system comprising carrying platforms for placing and fixing an object to be treated, transition chambers, an atmospheric plasma treatment chamber, and a reflow solder chamber, the method comprising:

providing atmospheric plasma, and

placing an object to be treated in an atmospheric plasma atmosphere,

wherein the transition chambers and the atmospheric plasma chamber use an inert gas to replace the air and to maintain a required residual oxygen level

wherein the residual oxygen level in the atmospheric plasma atmosphere is lower than a pre-set value of 50 ppm, and

wherein the atmospheric plasma sweeps the object to be treated at a speed of 10 mm/s to 300 mm/s.

2 . The surface treatment method according to claim 1 , wherein the atmospheric plasma is generated by supplying argon, helium, hydrogen, nitrogen, or a combination thereof.

3 . The surface treatment method according to claim 2 , wherein the atmospheric plasma is generated by supplying argon and hydrogen, or nitrogen and hydrogen.

4 . The surface treatment method according to claim 3 , wherein the hydrogen accounts for 1% to 10% of the volume of the atmospheric plasma.

5 . The surface treatment method according to claim 1 , wherein the pre-set value is 10 ppm.

6 . The surface treatment method according to claim 1 , wherein a surface of the object to be treated is not coated with an organic solderability preservative.

7 . The surface treatment method according to claim 1 , further comprising a step of: after atmospheric plasma treatment, the object to be treated entering a soldering system, wherein no flux is used in the soldering system.

8 . The surface treatment method according to claim 1 , wherein a void ratio of a surface of the object to be treated is less than 1%.

9 . The surface treatment method according to claim 1 , wherein the atmospheric plasma is emitted vertically or obliquely to a surface of the object to be treated.

10 . The surface treatment according to claim 5 , wherein the pre-set value is 5 ppm.