Process apparatus and method for improving plasma production of an inductively coupled plasma
First Claim
1. A processing system for processing a substrate with a plasma, comprising:
- a processing chamber defining a processing space for containing a substrate to be processed with a plasma formed within the processing chamber;
a planar dielectric window interfacing with the processing chamber proximate to the processing space;
a core element formed of a material having a high magnetic permeability in comparison with air, the core element positioned outside of the processing chamber and proximate to the dielectric window and having an axis aligned generally parallel to the dielectric window, and the core element including a first surface facing toward the processing space, a second surface facing away from the processing space, and a channel defined in at least the second surface; and
an antenna positioned outside of the processing chamber, the antenna including a plurality of coil turns wound circumferentially about the axis of the core element, at least one of said coil turns including a segment positioned in the channel and separated from the planar dielectric window by the core element, and the antenna, when electrical current is conducted thereby, operative to generate a magnetic flux directed by the core element into the processing space through the dielectric window for forming the plasma in the processing space.
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Abstract
A processing system for processing a substrate with a plasma comprises a processing chamber defining a processing space for containing a substrate to be processed with a plasma formed within the chamber. A dielectric window interfaces with the processing chamber proximate the processing space. A core element formed of a material having a high magnetic permeability is positioned outside of the chamber proximate the dielectric window, and an electrically conductive element surrounds a portion of the core element of high magnetic permeability. The conductive element, when electrical current is conducted thereby, is operable for coupling a magnetic flux into the chamber through the dielectric window for affecting a plasma in the processing space. The core element is configured for directing a portion of the magnetic flux in a direction toward the dielectric window to efficiently couple the channeled flux into the processing chamber through the dielectric window.
20 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A processing system for processing a substrate with a plasma, comprising:
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a processing chamber defining a processing space for containing a substrate to be processed with a plasma formed within the processing chamber; a planar dielectric window interfacing with the processing chamber proximate to the processing space; a core element formed of a material having a high magnetic permeability in comparison with air, the core element positioned outside of the processing chamber and proximate to the dielectric window and having an axis aligned generally parallel to the dielectric window, and the core element including a first surface facing toward the processing space, a second surface facing away from the processing space, and a channel defined in at least the second surface; and an antenna positioned outside of the processing chamber, the antenna including a plurality of coil turns wound circumferentially about the axis of the core element, at least one of said coil turns including a segment positioned in the channel and separated from the planar dielectric window by the core element, and the antenna, when electrical current is conducted thereby, operative to generate a magnetic flux directed by the core element into the processing space through the dielectric window for forming the plasma in the processing space. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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6. The processing chamber of system 5 wherein said metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of manganese oxide, zinc oxide, nickel oxide, and magnesium oxide.
Specification