Methods and apparatus for generating plasma, and semiconductor processing methods using mode restricted microwaves
US5433789A · kind A · utility
13Cited by
7References
27Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 28, 1993 |
| Grant date | Jul 18, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 28, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J37/32284
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A plasma processing apparatus has a waveguide along which microwaves are propagated from a microwave generator to a plasma-forming region in a low-pressure processing chamber. The waveguide has a large cross-sectional area, to enable a large region of plasma to be achieved. Uniformity and stability of the plasma are improved by a mode restrictor which inhibits mixing of propagation modes which is otherwise liable to occur in a wide waveguide. The mode restrictor consists of electrically-conductive dividers which divide the waveguide cross-section into an array of sub-guides before the plasma-forming region.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.