Toroidal Low-Field Reactive Gas and Plasma Source Having a Dielectric Vacuum Vessel
First Claim
1. A plasma ignition apparatus for a toroidal, inductively coupled plasma processing system, the apparatus comprising:
- a vessel defining an enclosed channel; and
at least one capacitively coupled ignition electrode adjacent to the vessel and having a dimension aligned with an adjacent portion of the channel, a total length of the dimension of the at least one ignition electrode being greater than 10% of a length of the channel, wherein the at least one ignition electrode can apply an electric field to a gas in the channel to initiate plasma discharge of the gas.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Plasma ignition and cooling apparatus and methods for plasma systems are described. An apparatus can include a vessel and at least one ignition electrode adjacent to the vessel. A total length of a dimension of the at least one ignition electrode is greater than 10% of a length of the vessel'"'"'s channel. The apparatus can include a dielectric toroidal vessel, a heat sink having multiple segments urged toward the vessel by a spring-loaded mechanism, and a thermal interface between the vessel and the heat sink. A method can include providing a gas having a flow rate and a pressure and directing a portion of the flow rate of the gas into a vessel channel. The gas is ignited in the channel while the remaining portion of the flow rate is directed away from the channel.
191 Citations
78 Claims
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1. A plasma ignition apparatus for a toroidal, inductively coupled plasma processing system, the apparatus comprising:
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a vessel defining an enclosed channel; and
at least one capacitively coupled ignition electrode adjacent to the vessel and having a dimension aligned with an adjacent portion of the channel, a total length of the dimension of the at least one ignition electrode being greater than 10% of a length of the channel, wherein the at least one ignition electrode can apply an electric field to a gas in the channel to initiate plasma discharge of the gas. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78)
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21. A plasma ignition apparatus for a toroidal, inductively coupled plasma processing system, comprising:
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a vessel defining an enclosed channel; and
at least one capacitively coupled ignition electrode adjacent to the vessel for application of an electric field to a gas in the channel, the at least one ignition electrode having an area greater than 1% of a total external surface area of the vessel. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A plasma ignition apparatus for a toroidal, inductively coupled plasma processing system, the apparatus comprising:
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a vessel defining an enclosed channel; and
at least three capacitively coupled ignition electrodes adjacent to the vessel, wherein the plurality of ignition electrodes can apply an electric field to a gas in the channel to initiate the plasma. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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31. A plasma ignition apparatus for a toroidal, inductively coupled plasma processing system, comprising:
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a vessel having a gas input port and a gas output port and defining a channel for containing a gas; and
a capacitively coupled ignition electrode adjacent to the gas input port for application of an electric field to a flowing gas proximate to the input port of the vessel. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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34-51. -51. (canceled)
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52. An inductively coupled plasma processing apparatus, comprising:
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a dielectric toroidal vessel defining an enclosed channel;
at least one capacitively coupled ignition electrode adjacent to the vessel and having a dimension aligned with an adjacent portion of the channel, wherein a total length of the dimension of the at least one ignition electrode is greater than 10% of a length of the channel, whereby the at least one ignition electrode can apply an electric field to a gas in the channel to initiate a plasma discharge in the gas;
a transformer comprising a primary winding and a magnetic core that surrounds a portion of the vessel;
an AC power supply that supplies power to the primary winding to maintain a plasma in the toroidal vessel; and
a process vessel defining a process chamber that receives activated gas species from the vessel.
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53-62. -62. (canceled)
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63. A method for plasma processing in a toroidal inductively coupled plasma processing system, the method comprising:
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providing a toroidal vessel defining an enclosed channel;
providing at least one capacitively coupled ignition electrode adjacent to the vessel and having a dimension aligned with an adjacent portion of the channel, wherein a total length of the dimension of the at least one ignition electrode is greater than 10% of a length of the channel;
initiating a plasma discharge in a gas in the channel by applying a voltage to the at least one ignition electrode;
providing a transformer comprising a primary winding and a magnetic core that surrounds a portion of the vessel;
supplying power to the primary winding from an AC power supply to maintain the plasma in the toroidal vessel; and
directing activated gas species from the toroidal vessel to a process chamber defined by a process vessel. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65)
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66-68. -68. (canceled)
Specification