RF plasma reactor

• US 20030070761A1
• Filed: 11/21/2002
• Published: 04/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TEL Solar AG (OC Oerlikon Corporation AG)
• Original Assignee: Unaxis Balzers AG (Oerlikon USA, Inc. (Florida))
• Inventors: Turlot, Emmanuel, Schmitt, Jacques, Chevrier, Jean-Baptiste, Barreiro, Jean
• Granted Patent: US 7,306,829 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/345.47
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/455 characterised by the method used for introducing gases into reaction chamber or for modifying gas flows in reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45561 Gas plumbing upstream of the reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45565 Shower nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/507 using external electrodes, e.g. in tunnel type reactors
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/509 using internal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/5096 Flat-bed apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32082 Radio frequency generated discharge H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394 and H01J37/32403 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3244 Gas supply means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32623 Mechanical discharge control means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32697 Electrostatic control

Abstract

A plasma reactor has a reactor vessel and a pair of electrodes in the form of spaced apart and oppositely disposed metallic surfaces defining therebetween a plasma discharge space. At least one of the metallic surfaces is the surface of a metallic plate having a plurality of gas feed openings extending through the metallic surface towards said discharge space and from a distribution chamber extending along the plate opposite the discharge space. The distribution chamber has a wall opposite and distant from the plate and includes a gas inlet arrangement with a plurality of gas inlet openings distributed along the wall and connected to one or more gas feed lines to the reactor. A gas flow resistant coefficient between the one or more gas feed lines and at least a predominant portion of the connected inlet openings are at least substantially equal.

Claims

1. A plasma reactor comprising a reactor vessel and therein a pair of electrodes consisting of spaced apart and oppositely disposed metallic surfaces defining therebetween a plasma discharge space, at least one of said metallic surfaces being the surface of a metallic plate having a multitude of gas feed openings therethrough and through said metallic surface towards said discharge space and from a distribution chamber extending along said plate opposite said discharge space;

said distribution chamber having a wall opposite and distant from said plate and comprising a gas inlet arrangement with a multitude of gas inlet openings distributed along said wall and connected to at least one gas feed line to the reactor.

2. A plasma reactor according to claim 1, wherein said gas inlet arrangement comprises a multitude of gas inlet openings distributed along said wall and directed towards said plate, at least a number of said gas inlet openings being connected to a common gas feed line, the gas flow resistant coefficient between said gas feed line and at least a predominant part of said inlet openings connected thereto being at least substantially equal.

3. The reactor of one of claims 1 or 2, wherein at least some of said gas feed openings in said plate and arranged closer to the periphery of said plate have smaller diameters than said gas feed openings located at said plate more distant from the periphery of said plate.

4. The reactor of one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least a part of said gas feed openings through said plate co-operate with removable flow-resistance-coefficient-increasing inserts.