Inductively coupled ring-plasma source apparatus for processing gases and materials and method thereof
US6432260B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 7, 2000 |
| Grant date | Aug 13, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 7, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J37/321
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
There is provided by this invention a novel inductively coupled plasma source apparatus that utilizes a transformer to induce closed path secondary plasma currents in a hollow metal housing that is directly cooled by a fluid. This plasma source apparatus is particularly useful for generating a high charged particle density source of ions, electrons, and chemically active species to serve various plasma related processes that may require high power densities. A hollow metal vacuum chamber is coupled to and electrically insulated from a metal vacuum process chamber by means of dielectric gaps that are well shielded from direct exposure to the plasma body. Electrons, photons and excited gaseous species are generated within the metal hollow chamber and process chamber to serve a wide variety of material, surface and gas processing applications. There is also provided by this invention a means of ganging together several hollow metal vacuum chamber assemblies about a single vacuum process chamber.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.