Electrically enhancing the confinement of plasma
US7632375B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 30, 2004 |
| Grant date | Dec 15, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 8, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S156/915
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A vacuum plasma processor includes a chamber having a grounded wall and an outlet port. Plasma is excited at a first RF frequency in a chamber region spaced from the wall and outlet port. A structure confines the plasma to the region while enabling gas to flow from the region to the outlet port. RF electric power at a second frequency connected to the confining structure causes the confining structure to be at a potential different from ground to increase the size of a sheath between the plasma and confining structure and increase the confining structure effectiveness. The region includes an electrode connected to ground by a circuit that is series resonant to the first frequency and includes capacitance of the sheath.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.