Induction plasma reactor
First Claim
1. An apparatus for inductively generating a plasma from process gasses comprising:
- a. a chamber adapted for receiving said process gasses and for containing said plasma, b. a chamber wall having an inner surface defining said chamber, the shape of said inner surface of said chamber wall having a generally toroidal topology, said toroidal topology defining a torus with a hole, a cyclic toroidal direction encircling said hole, and a cyclic poloidal direction generally orthogonal to said toroidal direction, c. a plasma excitation means comprising an electrically conductive material adapted for carrying electrical current in a generally poloidal direction around said plasma, d. an AC power source operatively coupled to said plasma excitation means, whereby an applied AC electrical current is urged to flow through said plasma excitation means, whereby said applied AC electrical current, flowing generally parallel to said poloidal direction, generates an AC magnetic flux directed generally parallel to said toroidal direction within said plasma, said AC magnetic flux thereby further causing an induced electrical current to flow through said plasma in a generally poloidal direction, thereby ionizing said processing gasses and inductively heating and maintaining said plasma.
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Abstract
The invention is a plasma-generating device useful in a wide variety of industrial processes. The plasma is formed in a chamber having a toroidal topology, and is heated inductively. As with all inductive plasmas, a primary coil carries an applied AC current, which, in turn, generates a corresponding applied AC magnetic flux inside the plasma. This flux induces current to flow through the plasma in closed paths that encircle the flux, thereby heating and maintaining the plasma. In this invention, the applied AC current flows through the primary coil around substantially the short poloidal direction on the torus. Accordingly, the applied magnetic flux is caused to circulate through the plasma along the larger toroidal direction. Finally, the current induced within the plasma will flow in the poloidal direction, anti-parallel to the applied primary current. The plasma chamber wall is preferably made of metal such as aluminum and includes one or more electrical breaks that extend fully around the chamber wall in the toroidal direction. This prevents poloidal currents from being induced in the chamber wall, ensuring effective power transfer to the plasma. Elastomeric seals made from electrically insulating material seal the breaks.
224 Citations
26 Claims
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1. An apparatus for inductively generating a plasma from process gasses comprising:
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a. a chamber adapted for receiving said process gasses and for containing said plasma, b. a chamber wall having an inner surface defining said chamber, the shape of said inner surface of said chamber wall having a generally toroidal topology, said toroidal topology defining a torus with a hole, a cyclic toroidal direction encircling said hole, and a cyclic poloidal direction generally orthogonal to said toroidal direction, c. a plasma excitation means comprising an electrically conductive material adapted for carrying electrical current in a generally poloidal direction around said plasma, d. an AC power source operatively coupled to said plasma excitation means, whereby an applied AC electrical current is urged to flow through said plasma excitation means, whereby said applied AC electrical current, flowing generally parallel to said poloidal direction, generates an AC magnetic flux directed generally parallel to said toroidal direction within said plasma, said AC magnetic flux thereby further causing an induced electrical current to flow through said plasma in a generally poloidal direction, thereby ionizing said processing gasses and inductively heating and maintaining said plasma. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification