Capacitive feed for plasma reactor

• US 5,006,760 A
• Filed: 01/09/1987
• Issued: 04/09/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Drake, Herbert G. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Razavi, Michael
• Application Number:
  US07/001,773
• Time in Patent Office: 1,551 Days
• Field of Search: 315/111.21, 315/111.31, 315/111.71, 315/111.91, 156/345, 250/423 R
• US Class Current: 315/111.21
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32091 the radio frequency energy being capacitively coupled to the plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32568 Relative arrangement or disposition of electrodes; moving means

Abstract

A capacitive feed is disclosed for the lower electrode in a parallel plate plasma reactor. One plate of the capacitor comprises the lower electrode or a contact to the lower electrode. The other plate of the capacitor comprises an annular member insulated from the lower electrode, or the contact. There are no RF connections directly to the lower electrode.

Claims

1. In a plasma reactor having an enclosed volume in which a plasma is generated between a grounded electrode and a moveable, powered electrode separated by an insulator, the improvement comprising means for capacitively coupling RF power to said enclosed volume wherein said means comprises a conductive ring for overlapping a portion of said moveable electrode and a second insulator for separating said conductive ring from said moveable electrode to form a capacitor with said moveable electrode.

2. The reactor as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second insulator comprises a coating on said conductive ring.

3. The reactor as set forth in claim 2 and further comprising an electromagnetic shield connected to said lower electrode.

4. The reactor as set forth in claim 3 and further comprising a ground ring for engaging said electromagnetic shield when said lower electrode closes said reactor.

5. A method for coupling RF power to a plasma glow discharge formed between two electrodes comprising the step of:

capacitively coupling RF power to said discharge through a series capacitor wherein one plate of said series capacitor is one of said electrodes.