1 Plasma - A versatile tool
Plasma-assisted processes enjoy an increasing application potential in industry. They are vital for microelectronics and tool fabrication, functional coatings on glass and plastic foil, the cleaning and activation of plastic components prior to painting and for decorative coatings for instance, and offer interesting advantages in other industrial areas. The main reason for the increasing interest on the part of the industry lies in the fact that industrially well-established surface-finishing processes such as electrodeposition and painting suffer considerably from increased environmental and societal demands. Plasma processes offer advantages compared with these by avoiding air and water pollution as well as solid waste.