Patent · US Expired

Magnetically enhanced inductively coupled plasma reactor with magnetically confined plasma

US6471822B1 · kind B1 · utility

67Cited by
14References
50Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 5, 1999
Grant dateOct 29, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 5, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J37/32669
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The present invention provides a plasma reactor having a plasma source chamber capable of generating a high density plasma typically utilizing a helicon wave. The plasma is delivered to a process chamber having a workpiece. The present invention may provide a plurality of magnets, each being located longitudinally around an axis perpendicular to the plane of the workpiece to form a magnetic bucket that extends the length of the side wall of the processing chamber and across a workpiece insertion opening and a vacuum pump opening. The magnetic bucket of the present invention may be formed so that the pedestal need not be raised to be within the bucket, or may be formed by permanent magnets oriented with one pole of each magnet facing the interior of the processing chamber, or with opposite poles of adjacent magnets facing each other, thereby forming cusps around the axis perpendicular to the plane of the workpiece. Current carrying conductors may generate all or part of the magnetic bucket. The present invention may provide an inner wall member secured within the processing chamber. All or a portion of the inner wall may be grounded to provide a well defined anode for bias power tha…

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