Method for removing protective film on article

A method for removing a protective film from a surface of an article, the protective film comprising an adhesive metal layer, a metal nitride layer, a metal carbide layer and a diamond-like carbon layer formed on the surface of the article in series, the adhesive metal layer being directly bonded to the surface of the article, said method comprising:

• disposing the article having the protective film thereon in a reaction chamber;
• bombarding the protective film with oxidative plasma beams, the oxidative plasma beams being directed upon an edge portion of the protective film until the adhesive metal layer in particular is exposed;
• and
• bombarding the adhesive metal layer, thereby facilitating the detachment thereof and, thus, the other layers of the protective film from the substrate.

A method for removing a protective film from a surface of an article, the protective film comprising a main protective layer and a transition layer, the transition layer facilitating an attachment between the main protective layer and the surface of the article and being more susceptible to be damaged by oxidative plasma bombardment than the main protective layer, said method comprising:

• disposing the article having the protective film thereon in a reaction chamber;
• directing oxidative plasma beams of an oxidative plasma source to a lateral side thin edge portion of the main protective layer to expose a lateral side thin edge portion of the transition layer;
• bombarding the lateral side thin edge portion of the transition layer with oxidative plasma beams of the oxidative plasma source to damage a configuration of the lateral side thin edge portion of the transition layer;
• and
• removing the transition layer together with the main protective layer, thereby removing the entire protective film.