Abstract: A process for treating perfluorinated and/or hydrofluorocarbon gases, comprising the steps ofcreating an atmospheric-pressure gas plasma in at least one hollow dielectric tube;making the gases to be treated flow through the at least one dielectric tube in contact with the plasma for the purpose of dissociating molecules of the gases into reactive compounds; andreacting the reactive compounds with a corresponding reactive element for the purpose of destroying them.

Abstract: A product substrate coated with a uniform deposit of silicon oxide created by subjecting the substrate to an electrical discharge with a dielectric barrier in the presence of a controlled atmosphere containing a silane and an oxidizing gas, the atmosphere being at a pressure higher than 10,000 Pa, and wherein the atmosphere is maintained in the immediate vicinity of an electrode in the region where the electrical discharge is produced and further wherein any entrainment of oxygen other than that forming part of the atmosphere in the region is prevented.

Abstract: A method of forming a gaseous treatment atmosphere capable of depositing a silicon-containing film on a nonmetallic substrate comprising the steps of:converting an initial treatment gas mixture into a primary treatment gas mixture in an apparatus for forming excited or unstable gas species, the primary treatment gas mixture comprising excited or unstable gaseous species substantially devoid of electrically charged species,combining the primary treatment gas mixture with an adjacent treatment gas mixture which comprises at least one gaseous silicon precursor which has not passed through the apparatus, to form the gaseous treatment atmosphere.

Abstract: A device for creating a deposit of silicon oxide on a traveling solid substrate, wherein the substrate is subjected to an electrical discharge with a dielectric barrier in the presence of a controlled atmosphere containing a silane and an oxidizing gas, the atmosphere being at a pressure higher than 10,000 Pa, and wherein the atmosphere is maintained in the immediate vicinity of an electrode in the region where the electrical discharge is produced and further wherein any entrainment of oxygen other than that forming part of the atmosphere in the region is prevented.

Abstract: According to the process the substrate (2) is subjected to an electrical discharge with a dielectric barrier, for example a discharge in the presence of an atmosphere containing a silane, an oxidizing gas, NO, N.sub.2 O, CO.sub.2 or O.sub.2, in particular, and a neutral carrier gas such as nitrogen or argon. A controlled atmosphere containing the silane and the oxidizing gas is maintained in the immediate vicinity of the electrode, around the electrode (6) employed for the electrical discharge, while avoiding the process being perturbed by atmospheric air entrained, for example, by the substrate (2) as it travels (3).