Integrated plasma chamber and inductively-coupled toroidal plasma source
First Claim
1. A material processing apparatus comprising:
- a. a process chamber having a sample holder positioned inside the process chamber that supports material to be processed;
b. a plasma chamber comprising a portion of an outer surface of the process chamber, the plasma chamber containing a gas;
c. a transformer having a magnetic core surrounding a portion of the plasma chamber and a primary winding; and
d. 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 an AC current in the primary winding, the current inducing an AC potential inside the plasma chamber that directly forms a toroidal plasma that completes a secondary circuit of the transformer and dissociates the gas, the dissociated gas flowing into the process chamber.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A material processing apparatus having an integrated toroidal plasma source is described. The material processing apparatus includes a plasma chamber that comprises a portion of an outer surface of a process chamber. A transformer having a magnetic core surrounds a portion of the plasma chamber. The transformer has a primary winding. A solid state AC switching power supply comprising one or more switching semiconductor devices is coupled to a voltage supply and has an output that is coupled to the primary winding. The solid state AC switching power supply drives an AC current in the primary winding that induces an AC potential inside the chamber that directly forms a toroidal plasma that completes a secondary circuit of the transformer and dissociates the gas.
159 Citations
51 Claims
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1. A material processing apparatus comprising:
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a. a process chamber having a sample holder positioned inside the process chamber that supports material to be processed;
b. a plasma chamber comprising a portion of an outer surface of the process chamber, the plasma chamber containing a gas;
c. a transformer having a magnetic core surrounding a portion of the plasma chamber and a primary winding; and
d. 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 an AC current in the primary winding, the current inducing an AC potential inside the plasma chamber that directly forms a toroidal plasma that completes a secondary circuit of the transformer and dissociates the gas, the dissociated gas flowing into the process chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A material processing apparatus comprising:
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a. a process chamber;
b. a plasma chamber comprising a portion of an outer surface of the process chamber, the plasma chamber containing a gas;
c. a transformer having a magnetic core surrounding a portion of the plasma chamber and a primary winding; and
d. 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 an AC current in the primary winding, the current inducing an AC potential inside the plasma chamber that directly forms a toroidal plasma that completes a secondary circuit of the transformer and dissociates the gas, the dissociated gas flowing into the process chamber, thereby cleaning the process chamber. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for delivering reactive species to a process chamber, the method comprising:
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a. confining a gas in a plasma chamber comprising a portion of the outer surface of the process chamber;
b. generating a current with a solid state AC switching power supply;
c. inducing an AC potential inside the plasma chamber by passing the current though a primary winding of a transformer having a magnetic core surrounding a portion of the chamber, the induced AC potential directly forming a toroidal plasma that completes a secondary circuit of the transformer and dissociates the gas; and
d. directing the dissociated gas into the process chamber. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A method for cleaning a process chamber, the method comprising:
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a. confining a gas in a plasma chamber comprising a portion of the outer surface of the process chamber;
b. generating a current with a solid state AC switching power supply;
c. inducing an AC potential inside the plasma chamber by passing the current though a primary winding of a transformer having a magnetic core surrounding a portion of the chamber, the induced AC potential directly forming a toroidal plasma that completes a secondary circuit of the transformer and dissociates the gas; and
d. directing the dissociated gas into the process chamber, thereby cleaning the process chamber. - View Dependent Claims (43)
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44. An apparatus for dissociating gases, the apparatus comprising:
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a. a process chamber;
b. a plasma chamber comprising a portion of an outer surface of the process chamber, the plasma chamber comprising an electrically conductive material and at least one dielectric region that forms an electrical discontinuity in the plasma chamber;
the plasma chamber containing a gas;
c. a transformer having a magnetic core surrounding a portion of the plasma chamber and a primary winding; and
d. 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 an AC current in the primary winding, the current inducing an AC potential inside the chamber that directly forms a toroidal plasma that completes a secondary circuit of the transformer and dissociates the gas, the dissociated gas flowing into the process chamber. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47)
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48. A method for delivering reactive species to a process chamber, the method comprising:
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a. forming a plasma chamber comprising a portion of an outer surface of a process chamber;
b. confining a gas in the plasma chamber;
c. generating a current with a solid state AC switching power supply;
d. inducing an AC potential inside the plasma chamber by passing the current though a primary winding of a transformer having a magnetic core surrounding a portion of the chamber, the induced AC potential directly forming a toroidal plasma that completes a secondary circuit of the transformer and dissociates the gas; and
e. directing the dissociated gas into the process chamber.
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49. A method for processing substrates, the method comprising:
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a. forming a plasma chamber comprising a portion of an outer surface of a process chamber;
b. confining a gas in the plasma chamber;
c. generating a current with a solid state AC switching power supply;
d. inducing an AC potential inside the plasma chamber by passing the current though a primary winding of a transformer having a magnetic core surrounding a portion of the chamber, the induced AC potential directly forming a toroidal plasma that completes a secondary circuit of the transformer and dissociates the gas; and
e. directing the dissociated gas onto substrates positioned in the process chamber, thereby processing the substrates. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51)
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Specification