Externally excited torroidal plasma source using a gas distribution plate
First Claim
1. A plasma chamber defining an evacuated interior environment for processing a substrate, said chamber comprising:
- a substrate support;
an apertured gas distribution plate in spaced facing relationship to the substrate support, and adapted to flow process gases into the chamber interior environment adjacent the substrate support, said gas distribution plate and substrate support defining a substrate processing region therebetween;
a hollow re-entrant conduit having respective ends opening into said substrate processing region on opposite sides of said gas distribution plate, with the interior of said conduit sharing the interior environment;
said conduit being adapted to accept irradiation of processing gases within the conduit by an RF field to sustain a plasma current in a closed recirculating path extending along a length of the conduit interior and across the substrate processing region within said chamber interior environment, said plasma current flowing principally in a single direction from one end of said conduit to an opposite end of said conduit and making a complete circuit by passing through said substrate processing region, said direction being periodically reversed at a frequency of said RF field.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A plasma chamber defining an evacuated interior environment for processing a substrate includes a substrate support, an apertured gas distribution plate in spaced facing relationship to the substrate support, and adapted to flow process gases into the chamber interior environment adjacent the substrate support, the gas distribution plate and substrate support defining a substrate processing region therebetween, a hollow reentrant conduit having respective ends opening into the substrate processing region on opposite sides of the gas distribution plate, with the interior of said conduit sharing the interior environment. The conduit is adapted to accept irradiation of processing gases within the conduit to sustain a plasma in a path extending around the conduit interior and across the substrate processing region within the chamber interior environment.
90 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A plasma chamber defining an evacuated interior environment for processing a substrate, said chamber comprising:
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a substrate support;
an apertured gas distribution plate in spaced facing relationship to the substrate support, and adapted to flow process gases into the chamber interior environment adjacent the substrate support, said gas distribution plate and substrate support defining a substrate processing region therebetween;
a hollow re-entrant conduit having respective ends opening into said substrate processing region on opposite sides of said gas distribution plate, with the interior of said conduit sharing the interior environment;
said conduit being adapted to accept irradiation of processing gases within the conduit by an RF field to sustain a plasma current in a closed recirculating path extending along a length of the conduit interior and across the substrate processing region within said chamber interior environment, said plasma current flowing principally in a single direction from one end of said conduit to an opposite end of said conduit and making a complete circuit by passing through said substrate processing region, said direction being periodically reversed at a frequency of said RF field. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification