Method and apparatus having RF biasing for sampling a plasma into a vacuum chamber
US4682026A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 10, 1986 |
| Grant date | Jul 21, 1987 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 10, 2006 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH05H1/46
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A plasma generated within an induction coil is sampled through a sampler orifice into a first vacuum chamber stage and then through a skimmer orifice into a second vacuum chamber stage for mass analysis of trace ions in the plasma. Arcing at the orifices is reduced or prevented by applying, to the plates containing the orifices, an RF bias voltage derived from the generator which powers the coil. Since optimum ion transmission is highly dependent on the phase and amplitude of the RF bias, phase and amplitude adjustment networks are provided to optimize the ion count. Alternatively, arcing at the sampler orifice can be eliminated by grounding the induction coil at or near its center and the RF bias can be applied only to the plate containing the skimmer orifice.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.