Method and structure for controlling plasma uniformity
US6110395A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 26, 1997 |
| Grant date | Aug 29, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 26, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH05H1/46
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present invention relates to a method and structure for controlling plasma uniformity in plasma processing applications. Electron thermal conductivity parallel and perpendicular to magnetic field lines differs by orders of magnitude for low magnetic fields (on the order of 10 gauss). This property allows the directing of heat flux by controlling the magnetic field configuration independent of ions since the effect of modest magnetic fields upon the transport of ions themselves is minimal. Heat is preferentially conducted along magnetic field lines with electron temperatures on the order of 0.1 to 1 eV/cm being sufficient to drive kilowatt-level heat fluxes across areas typical of plasma processing source dimensions.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.