Varying multipole plasma source
First Claim
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1. A low pressure plasma source, comprising:
- a process chamber for enclosing process gases at reduced pressures and including means for controlling gas pressure and flow, anda workpiece mounted on a workpiece electrode inside said process chamber, anda metal voltage reference plate forming a surface of said chamber, said metal voltage reference plate having two or more rounded oblong holes, andtwo or more rounded oblong dielectric windows mounted in said rounded oblong holes in said metal voltage reference plate with means for providing gas tight seals between said rounded oblong dielectric windows and said metal voltage reference plate, andtwo or more pairs of opposite polarity varying magnetic poles, with each pair of said opposite polarity varying magnetic poles mounted in proximity to one of said rounded oblong dielectric windows, such that varying magnetic fields between said opposite polarity magnetic poles couple through said rounded oblong dielectric windows and generate a plasma inside said process chamber.
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Abstract
Gas diffuser bolt (35) is used to improve process gas flow from near the center of process chamber (40) across workpiece (58) to exhaust ports near the periphery of process chamber (40), process nonuniformity is improved by adjusting the vertical position of each varying magnetic pole (10) relative to two-pole rounded oblong dielectric window (22), differential driving of metal voltage reference plate (18) and workpiece electrode (60) reduce the voltage between the plasma and process chamber (40), reducing particulates and improving efficiency, and temperature control of metal voltage reference plate (18) improves process chamber (40) cleaning.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A low pressure plasma source, comprising:
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a process chamber for enclosing process gases at reduced pressures and including means for controlling gas pressure and flow, and a workpiece mounted on a workpiece electrode inside said process chamber, and a metal voltage reference plate forming a surface of said chamber, said metal voltage reference plate having two or more rounded oblong holes, and two or more rounded oblong dielectric windows mounted in said rounded oblong holes in said metal voltage reference plate with means for providing gas tight seals between said rounded oblong dielectric windows and said metal voltage reference plate, and two or more pairs of opposite polarity varying magnetic poles, with each pair of said opposite polarity varying magnetic poles mounted in proximity to one of said rounded oblong dielectric windows, such that varying magnetic fields between said opposite polarity magnetic poles couple through said rounded oblong dielectric windows and generate a plasma inside said process chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification