Atmospheric Argon Plasma Systems for High-Volume Manufacturing

In-line, damage-free surface cleaning for improved bonding and adhesion

Argon plasma cleaning enhances bonding and ultimately elevates the durability and quality of products. Surfx Technologies offers unique automated plasma systems that produce atmospheric argon plasma to clean and activate surfaces.

Here’s what our customers say:

“With your system we are now the heroes in contrast to our customers who don’t yet know anything about atmospheric plasma.

We’re doing a much better job of cleaning without breaking anything on the VCSEL. On the contrary, our customers have problems with vacuum plasma.”

Argon Plasma From Surfx Technologies

Surfx Technologies offers atmospheric argon plasma for faster, safer and more cost-effective plasma surface treatment. Our plasma: 

Effectively removes microscale contamination without damaging surfaces

Activates surfaces for wetting and adhesion

Eliminates voids and bubbles

Improves bonding

Enhances sealing

Potting and bonding

With our plasma’s aid, engineers assemble products that are less likely to corrode, delaminate or come unglued during their lifetime.

Groundbreaking Plasma 

Surfx Technologies allows businesses to lower operational costs, as our plasma systems reduce downtime and minimize the risk of damaged parts. 

Plasma From Surfx Technologies Speeds up Production 

Our plasma systems produce atmospheric argon plasma — which is not made in a vacuum. There’s no need to laboriously add substrates in batches to a low-pressure chamber. Businesses can integrate plasma processes into manufacturing procedures with the help of Surfx Technologies. This ability allows for cleaning and activating surfaces in-line. 

Combine atmospheric plasma with dispensing or coating tools for “just-in-time” cleaning. Without the need to treat surfaces in a vacuum, plant managers and engineers can accelerate production. 

conformal coating
SPS M

Plasma From Surfx Technologies Safeguards Sensitive Parts

Vacuum plasma relies on ion bombardment to clean and activate surfaces. However, this process can lead to plasma-induced damage by harming or breaking off particles from sensitive parts. Surfx Technologies produces argon plasma that works with hydrogen or oxygen, producing plasma that is weakly ionized. 

Atmospheric plasma treatment does not change the bulk properties of a material. It only enhances surface properties — making this plasma ideal for treating sensitive parts like semiconductors.

Everything you once did in vacuum you can now do out in the open and ten times faster.

Plasma cleaning removes microscale contamination from surfaces, activates surfaces for wetting and adhesion, eliminates voids and bubbles, and improves bonding, sealing and encapsulation. Surfaces treated with our atmospheric argon plasma technology create assembled products that are less likely to corrode, delaminate, or come unglued during their lifetime.

In semiconductor packaging, hydrogen plasma cleaning of micro-bump arrays removes oxidation from copper, tin-silver alloy, and indium, enabling flux-free flip chips.

It’s easy to integrate Atomflo™ plasma into your semiconductor process equipment, click here to find out more.

Plasma Processing Equipment

Surfx Technologies offers U.S.-patented automated plasma systems. Our STA-10iL system effectively cleans and activates substrates in high-volume applications, while our STW-10 plasma system activates surfaces before hybrid wafer bonding. We’ve engineered this system specifically for front-end semiconductor processing. 

We also ensure plasma treatment processes seamlessly integrate with other manufacturing tools through our Atomflo™-INT plasma system. This system allows for outstanding data logging and process control. 

We offer two atmospheric plasma sources that improve adhesion by cleaning and activating substrates. Our SPS-100 is suitable for semiconductor processing, while the SPS-M treats a circular area and is suited for selective processing of printed circuit boards and semiconductor packages.

Our sales engineers are readily available to help businesses find suitable equipment for their applications. We offer plasma solutions for electronics assembly, semiconductor packaging, medical devices and diagnostics, and aerospace and automotive applications. 

STA-10iL

Semiconductor Solutions

Particle-free silicon dioxide activation for hybrid bonding
Metal oxide removal for flux-free micro-bump bonding
Fluorine contamination removal after plasma dicing on tape
Surface activation for inkjet printing
Choose INT for integrating plasma into your process equipment

STW-10 Cleaned Product Image
STW-10

300 mm wafers and dies on tape frames

STA-10iL Rendering
STA-10

All Other Packages

Atomflo-INT Rendering
INT

For integration into your equipment

No more worries about cross contamination or damage to semiconductor dies and packages.

Surfx argon plasmas will not damage electrically sensitive integrated circuits or thermally sensitive polymers. The highly uniform beam of reactive gas flowing out of the plasma head is 100% electrically neutral with no streamers, no sparks, no electrostatic discharge (ESD), and no particles, and it emits very little UV light.

Printed Circuit
Board Assembly

High-volume surface preparation for:

Thermal interface materials (TIMs)

Conformal coating

Potting and bonding

Combine atmospheric plasma with dispensing or coating tools for “just-in-time” cleaning.

Automotive Sensors and Electronics

Integrate the Atomflo™ plasma system into the assembly line prior to potting, sealing, or gluing together plastic components.

Minibeam Product Image
Atomflo-INT Rendering

Aerospace

Simple and safe surface preparation of bonded structures and fasteners.

Did you know Surfx handheld plasmas are used to assemble electric air taxis?

Medical Devices

Activate catheters and stents for improved wetting and adhesion of coatings.

Medical Diagnostics

Precision surface modification is key to controlling the adsorption of proteins and other biological agents.

Schedule a Free On-Site Demo Today

If you want to see how our plasma cleaning machines work, schedule a free demonstration by filling out an online form. One of our sales engineers will contact you to discuss your unique adhesion needs. Alternatively, contact our team online to find out more about our novel process.