Plasma enhanced vacuum sterilization method, plasma enhanced vacuum exhaust method, and plasma enhanced vacuum drying method

摘要

The method is advantageously applied in plasma sterilization processes in particular. Articles to be sterilized are placed in a sealed chamber (11) and the chamber is evacuated. A plasma of residual gas species is generated in the chamber during an initial evacuation step (44). This promotes drying of the articles and advantageously allows a desired pressure to be attained more quickly than without the plasma. Sterilizing gas is injected into the chamber (11), and a second plasma is generated to activate the sterilizing gas plasma, thereby sterilizing the articles in the chamber. IMAGE