# US 12,004,285 B2 · Activated gas generation apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,004,285 B2 - Document ID: US12004285B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/281,263 - Filed: 2019-08-22 - Published: 2022-01-06 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2019-08-22 - Assignees: Toshiba Mitsubishi-Electric Industrial Systems Corporation - Applicants: Toshiba Mitsubishi-Electric Industrial Systems Corporation - Inventors: Kensuke Watanabe; Ren Arita - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12004285B2 ## CPC - H05H 1/2406: {using dielectric barrier discharges, i.e. with a dielectric interposed between the electrodes} - H05H 1/2418: {the electrodes being embedded in the dielectric} - C23C 16/452: by activating reactive gas streams before {their} introduction into the reaction chamber, e.g. by {ionisation} or addition of reactive species - H05H: PLASMA TECHNIQUE (apparatus or processes specially adapted for producing X-rays H05G2/00); PRODUCTION OF ACCELERATED ELECTRICALLY-CHARGED PARTICLES OR OF NEUTRONS; PRODUCTION OR ACCELERATION OF NEUTRAL MOLECULAR OR ATOMIC BEAMS - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) ## Abstract In the present invention, a high-voltage side electrode constituent part includes a dielectric electrode and metal electrodes formed on the upper surface of the dielectric electrode. The dielectric electrode has a structure in which a film thickness is continuously changed along an X direction. That is, the film thickness of the right end of the dielectric electrode is set to a thickness dA1; and the film thickness of the left end is set to a thickness dB1 (>dA1), and is continuously increased from the right end to the left end along the X direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An activated gas generation apparatus comprising: a first electrode constituent part; a second electrode constituent part provided below said first electrode constituent part; and an alternating current (AC) power supply part applying an AC voltage to said first and second electrode constituent parts, said AC power supply part applying said AC voltage to form a discharge space between said first and second electrode constituent parts, and to generate an activated gas obtained by activating a source gas supplied to said discharge space, wherein: said first electrode constituent part includes a first dielectric electrode and a first metal electrode selectively formed on an upper surface of said first dielectric electrode; said second electrode constituent part includes a second dielectric electrode and a second metal electrode selectively formed on a bottom surface of said second dielectric electrode; where said first and second dielectric electrodes face each other in a dielectric space, and where said first and second metal electrodes overlap each other in plan view is defined as said discharge space in a region; said first and second metal electrodes are formed so as to extend in an electrode formation direction, a gas supply direction of said source gas crosses to said electrode formation direction: said second dielectric electrode includes a plurality of gas spray holes for spraying said activated gas to an outside; said activated gas contains a plurality of partial activated gases sprayed from said plurality of gas spray holes; said plurality of gas spray holes are formed along said electrode formation direction; said discharge space is classified into a plurality of partial discharge spaces corresponding to positions of said plurality of gas spray holes in said electrode formation direction; and one dielectric electrode being one of said first and second dielectric electrodes has a parameter changing structure in which a discharge voltage contribution parameter is changed along said electrode formation direction so that a plurality of partial discharge voltages generated in said plurality of partial discharge spaces have values different from each other when said AC voltage is applied. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The activated gas generation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: said discharge voltage contribution parameter includes a film thickness of said one dielectric electrode; and said parameter changing structure includes a film thickness changing structure in which the film thickness of said one dielectric electrode is changed along said electrode formation direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The activated gas generation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said film thickness changing structure is a structure in which the film thickness of said one dielectric electrode is continuously changed along said electrode formation direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The activated gas generation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: said one dielectric electrode is classified into a plurality of dielectric partial regions based on positions where said plurality of gas spray holes are provided in said electrode formation direction; and said film thickness changing structure is a structure in which the film thickness is changed between said plurality of dielectric partial regions. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The activated gas generation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: said one dielectric electrode includes a first lamination partial dielectric electrode and a second lamination partial dielectric electrode; said first and second lamination partial dielectric electrodes are laminated; said first lamination partial dielectric electrode has a uniform film thickness; and said second lamination partial dielectric electrode has said film thickness changing structure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The activated gas generation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: said discharge voltage contribution parameter includes a dielectric constant of said one dielectric electrode; and said parameter changing structure includes a dielectric constant changing structure in which the dielectric constant of said one dielectric electrode is changed along said electrode formation direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The activated gas generation apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: said one dielectric electrode includes a first lamination partial dielectric electrode and a second lamination partial dielectric electrode; said first and second lamination partial dielectric electrodes are laminated; said first lamination partial dielectric electrode has a uniform dielectric constant; and said second lamination partial dielectric electrode has said dielectric constant changing structure. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The activated gas generation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: said second metal electrode includes a pair of second partial metal electrodes formed so as to face each other with a central region of said second dielectric electrode interposed therebetween in plan view; said pair of second partial metal electrodes are formed along said electrode formation direction, and have a direction intersecting with said electrode formation direction as an electrode facing direction in which said pair of second partial metal electrodes face each other: said first metal electrode includes a pair of first partial metal electrodes including a region overlapping with said pair of second partial metal electrodes in plan view; and said plurality of gas spray holes are formed in said central region. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The activated gas generation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: said one dielectric electrode includes a first lamination partial dielectric electrode and a second lamination partial dielectric electrode; said first and second lamination partial dielectric electrodes are laminated; said first lamination partial dielectric electrode has a uniform dielectric constant; and said second lamination partial dielectric electrode has parameter changing structure in which a dielectric constant of said second lamination partial dielectric electrode is changed along said electrode formation direction, as said parameter changing structure. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The activated gas generation apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said second lamination partial dielectric electrode includes plurality of partial dielectric regions being composed of constituent materials having different dielectric constants from each other, and said plurality of partial dielectric regions being placed in line along said electrode formation direction, in which said dielectric constants of said plurality of partial dielectric regions increasing in said electrode formation direction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The activated gas generation apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said first lamination partial dielectric electrode and said second lamination partial dielectric electrode has a uniform film thickness.