Patent · US Expired

Semiconductor wafer processor, plasma generating apparatus, magnetic field generator, and method of generating a magnetic field

US6382129B1 · kind B1 · utility

12Cited by
5References
59Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateOct 3, 2000
Grant dateMay 7, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 11, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J37/3266
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A semiconductor wafer processor includes a chamber having a wafer support. A magnetic field generator is configured to generate a magnetic field within the chamber at a location proximate a surface of a wafer received by the wafer support. The magnetic field generator comprises a plurality of conductors within the chamber proximate the support which radiate outwardly from a substantially common origin to a periphery. The origin and periphery can be in the same or multiple planes. In one embodiment, the magnetic field generator includes a first plurality of conductors radiating outwardly from a first origin to a first periphery, and a second plurality of conductors annularly radiating outwardly from an annular second origin to an annular second periphery. The first periphery is received at least partially within the second annular periphery. The generator can be utilized apart from a semiconductor wafer processor, such as for example in an electric motor or plasma generating apparatus.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.