Toroidal plasma source for plasma processing
US6418874B1 · kind B1 · utility
203Cited by
45References
19Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 25, 2000 |
| Grant date | Jul 16, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 25, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J37/321
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A toroidal plasma source (28) within a substrate processing chamber (10). The toroidal plasma source forms a poloidal plasma with theta symmetry. The poloidal plasma current is essentially parallel to a surface of the plasma generating structure, thus reducing sputtering erosion of the inner walls. The plasma current is similarly essentially parallel to a process surface (32) of a substrate (34) within the chamber. In a further embodiment, a shaped member (66) between the substrate and the plasma source controls the plasma density in a selected fashion to enhance plasma processing uniformity.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.