Non-thermal plasma cleaning device and cleaning method

A non-thermal plasma cleaning device including:

• an enclosure for receiving at least one object to be cleaned, the enclosure including an input port for fluidly connecting the enclosure to a gas supply;
• a radio-wave source having an active state wherein the radio-wave source outputs an electromagnetic wave and an inactive state wherein the radio-wave source does not output the electromagnetic wave, the electromagnetic wave having a frequency in the radio wave range or the microwave range, the radio-wave source being coupled to the enclosure so that, in the active state, the electromagnetic wave propagates in the enclosure;
• a controller configured to successively perform, during a cleaning step, at least two non-thermal plasma generation cycles, each non-thermal plasma generation cycle comprising:
• controlling the radio-wave source to be in the active state during a first predetermined duration, thereby generating a non-thermal plasma in the enclosure;
• and
• following the first predetermined duration, controlling the radio-wave source to be in the inactive state during a second predetermined duration,
• the input port being in an open state at least during the second predetermined duration to allow a flow of gas into the enclosure,
• each of the first predetermined duration and the second predetermined duration being strictly greater than zero.