Inductive plasma loop enhancing magnetron sputtering
US6679981B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 11, 2000 |
| Grant date | Jan 20, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 11, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J37/3408
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A plasma reaction chamber, particularly a DC magnetron sputter reactor, in which the plasma density and the ionization fraction of the plasma is increased by a plasma inductive loop passing through the processing space. A tube has its two ends connected to the vacuum chamber on confronting sides of the processing space. An RF coil powered by an RF power supply is positioned adjacent to the tube outside of the chamber and aligned to produce an RF magnetic field around the toroidal circumference of the tube such that an electric field is induced along the tube axis. Thereby, a plasma is generated in the tube in a loop circling through the processing space.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.