High voltage isolation and cooling for an inductively coupled plasma ion source
First Claim
1. A plasma source comprising:
- a reactor chamber within which a plasma is generated to produce at least one plasma product for processing or imaging the substrate, as an ion source for proton therapy, as ion thrusters, or in high energy particle accelerators, the reactor chamber including outer walls that are all actively biased to a high voltage;
a gas source coupled to the reactor chamber to provide gas into the reaction chamber;
an exit aperture coupled to the reactor chamber to allow extraction of ions from the reactor chamber;
a first source of radio frequency power;
a plurality of induction coils adjacent to the reactor chamber and coupled to said first source of radio frequency power to inductively couple power into the plasma from said first source of radio frequency power;
a coolant fluid circuit defined within the plasma source in contact with the induction coils and reactor chamber; and
a source of dielectric fluid in fluid communication with the coolant circuit wherein both the reactor chamber and induction coils are electrically isolated from each other and from ground and cooled by the dielectric fluid.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A plasma source for processing or imaging a substrate, for ion source for proton therapy, for ion thrusters, or for high energy particle accelerators includes a coolant circuit passing adjacent to a plasma ion reactor chamber and RF antenna coils. In a method for operating the plasma ion source having an induction coil adjacent to a reaction chamber for inductively coupling power into the plasma from a radio frequency power source, the method comprises pumping a dielectric fluid into contact with induction coils of the plasma ion source along the coolant circuit. Use of the dielectric fluid both electrically insulates the plasma chamber, so that it can be biased to 30 kV and up, and efficiently transfers heat away from the plasma chamber.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A plasma source comprising:
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a reactor chamber within which a plasma is generated to produce at least one plasma product for processing or imaging the substrate, as an ion source for proton therapy, as ion thrusters, or in high energy particle accelerators, the reactor chamber including outer walls that are all actively biased to a high voltage; a gas source coupled to the reactor chamber to provide gas into the reaction chamber; an exit aperture coupled to the reactor chamber to allow extraction of ions from the reactor chamber; a first source of radio frequency power; a plurality of induction coils adjacent to the reactor chamber and coupled to said first source of radio frequency power to inductively couple power into the plasma from said first source of radio frequency power; a coolant fluid circuit defined within the plasma source in contact with the induction coils and reactor chamber; and a source of dielectric fluid in fluid communication with the coolant circuit wherein both the reactor chamber and induction coils are electrically isolated from each other and from ground and cooled by the dielectric fluid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for operating a plasma ion source having induction coils adjacent to outer walls of a reactor chamber, the method comprising:
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actively biasing the reactor chamber including all outer walls to a high voltage; electrically isolating the reactor chamber and induction coils from each other and from ground; providing gas into the reaction chamber; allowing extraction of ions from the reactor chamber; inductively coupling power into the plasma from a radio frequency power source; and pumping a dielectric fluid into contact with the induction coils and a substantial portion of the outer walls of the reactor chamber wherein both the reactor chamber and induction coils are electrically isolated and cooled by the dielectric fluid. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification