Magnetically confined plasma reactor for processing a semiconductor wafer
US6030486A · kind A · utility
31Cited by
11References
56Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 16, 1996 |
| Grant date | Feb 29, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 16, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J37/32834
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The invention confines the plasma within the chamber without relying entirely on the chamber walls by introducing a magnetic field across an area or plane through which plasma flow is to be stopped. For example, in order to prevent plasma from leaking or flowing through openings necessarily provided the chamber walls, a magnetic field is established at the entrance of the reactor chamber to such an opening, by placing a pair of opposing magnetic poles across the opening, for example. The magnetic field is sufficiently strong to prevent plasma leaking through the opening.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.