Toroidal low-field reactive gas source
DCFirst Claim
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1. An apparatus for dissociating gases comprising:
- a) a plasma chamber;
b) a transformer having a magnetic core surrounding a portion of the plasma chamber and a primary winding;
c) a solid state AC switching power supply comprising one or more switching semiconductor devices coupled to a voltage supply and having an output coupled to the primary winding,the AC switching power supply driving current in the primary winding, the current inducing an AC potential inside the chamber that directly forms a toroidal plasma which completes a secondary circuit of the transformer.
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Abstract
An apparatus for dissociating gases includes a plasma chamber that may be formed from a metallic material and a transformer having a magnetic core surrounding a portion of the plasma chamber and having a primarily winding. The apparatus also includes one or more switching semiconductor devices that are directly coupled to a voltage supply and that have an output coupled to the primary winding of the transformer. The one or more switching semiconductor devices drive current in the primary winding that induces a potential inside the chamber that forms a plasma which completes a secondary circuit of the transformer.
429 Citations
44 Claims
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1. An apparatus for dissociating gases comprising:
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a) a plasma chamber; b) a transformer having a magnetic core surrounding a portion of the plasma chamber and a primary winding; c) a solid state AC switching power supply comprising one or more switching semiconductor devices coupled to a voltage supply and having an output coupled to the primary winding, the AC switching power supply driving current in the primary winding, the current inducing an AC potential inside the chamber that directly forms a toroidal plasma which completes a secondary circuit of the transformer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus for generating ions comprising:
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a) a plasma chamber; b) a transformer having a magnetic core surrounding a portion of the plasma chamber and a primary winding; c) a solid state AC switching power supply comprising one or more switching semiconductor devices coupled to a voltage supply and having an output coupled to the primary winding, the solid state AC switching power supply driving current in the primary winding, the current inducing an AC potential inside the chamber that directly forms a toroidal plasma which completes a secondary circuit of the transformer, and d) an orifice positioned in the chamber for directing ions generated by the plasma. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An apparatus for dissociating gases comprising:
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a) a plasma chamber comprising an electrically conductive material and at least one dielectric region that forms an electrical discontinuity in the chamber; b) a transformer having a magnetic core surrounding a portion of the plasma chamber and a primary winding; c) an AC power supply having an output electrically connected to the primary winding, the power supply driving current in the primary winding, the current inducing an AC potential inside the chamber that directly forms a toroidal plasma which completes a secondary circuit of the transformer. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for dissociating gases comprising:
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a) providing a chamber for containing a gas at a pressure; b) providing a transformer having a magnetic core surrounding a portion of the chamber and a primary winding; c) driving the primary winding of the transformer with a current generated by a solid state AC switching power supply comprising one or more switching semiconductor devices; and d) inducing an AC potential inside the chamber with the current in the primary winding, the AC potential directly forming a toroidal plasma which completes a secondary circuit of the transformer. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A method for cleaning a process chamber comprising:
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a) providing a plasma chamber for containing a reactive gas at a pressure, the plasma chamber being coupled to the process chamber; b) providing a transformer having a magnetic core surrounding a portion of the plasma chamber and a primary winding; c) driving the primary winding of the transformer with a current generated by a solid state AC switching power supply comprising one or more switching semiconductor devices; d) inducing an AC potential inside the plasma chamber with the current in the primary winding, the AC potential directly forming a plasma which completes a secondary circuit of the transformer; and e) directing chemically active species generated in the plasma from the plasma chamber into the process chamber thereby cleaning the process chamber. - View Dependent Claims (43)
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44. A method for generating reactive gases comprising:
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a) providing a plasma chamber for containing a reactive gas at a pressure; b) providing a transformer having a magnetic core surrounding a portion of the plasma chamber and a primary winding; c) driving the primary winding of the transformer with a current generated by a solid state AC switching power supply comprising one or more switching semiconductor devices; d) inducing an AC potential inside the chamber with the current in the primary winding, the AC potential directly forming a plasma which completes a secondary circuit of the transformer; and e) generating reactive gas in the plasma.
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Specification