High-density plasma source
DC CAFCFirst Claim
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1. A plasma source comprising:
- a cathode assembly comprising an inner cathode section and an outer cathode section;
an anode that is positioned adjacent to the outer cathode section and forming a gap there between;
a first power supply that generates a first electric field across the gap, the first electric field ionizing a volume of feed gas that is located in the gap, thereby generating an initial plasma; and
a second power supply that generates a second electric field proximate to the inner cathode section, the second electric field super-ionizing the initial plasma to generate a plasma comprising a higher density of ions than the initial plasma.
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Abstract
The plasma source includes a cathode assembly having an inner cathode section and an outer cathode section. An anode is positioned adjacent to the outer cathode section so as to form a gap there between. A first power supply generates a first electric field across the gap between the anode and the outer cathode section. The first electric field ionizes a volume of feed gas that is located in the gap, thereby generating an initial plasma. A second power supply generates a second electric field proximate to the inner cathode section. The second electric field super-ionizes the initial plasma to generate a plasma comprising a higher density of ions than the initial plasma.
102 Citations
46 Claims
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1. A plasma source comprising:
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a cathode assembly comprising an inner cathode section and an outer cathode section;
an anode that is positioned adjacent to the outer cathode section and forming a gap there between;
a first power supply that generates a first electric field across the gap, the first electric field ionizing a volume of feed gas that is located in the gap, thereby generating an initial plasma; and
a second power supply that generates a second electric field proximate to the inner cathode section, the second electric field super-ionizing the initial plasma to generate a plasma comprising a higher density of ions than the initial plasma. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of generating a high-density plasma, the method comprising:
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generating a first electric field across a gap between an anode and an outer cathode section, the first electric field ionizing a volume of feed gas that is located in the gap, thereby generating an initial plasma in the gap;
exchanging the initial plasma with a second volume of feed gas while applying the first electric field across the gap, thereby generating an additional plasma in the gap; and
generating a second electric field proximate to the inner cathode section, the second electric field super-ionizing the initial plasma, thereby generating a plasma comprising a higher density of ions than the initial plasma. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A segmented cathode assembly for generating a high-density plasma, the segmented cathode assembly comprising:
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an inner cathode section;
an outer cathode section that surrounds the inner cathode section; and
a first anode that is positioned adjacent to the outer cathode section and forming a gap there between. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method of generating a high-density plasma, the method comprising:
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ionizing a volume of feed gas that is located in a gap between an anode and an outer cathode section to generate an initial plasma;
transporting the initial plasma proximate to an inner cathode section; and
super-ionizing the initial plasma that is located proximate to the inner cathode section, thereby generating a plasma comprising a higher density of ions than the initial plasma. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A plasma source comprising:
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means for generating a first electric field across a gap between an anode and an outer cathode section, the first electric field ionizing a volume of feed gas that is located in the gap, thereby generating an initial plasma in the gap;
means for exchanging the initial plasma with a second volume of feed gas while applying the first electric field across the gap, thereby generating an additional plasma in the gap; and
means for generating a second electric field proximate to an inner cathode section, the second electric field super-ionizing the initial plasma, thereby generating a plasma comprising a higher density of ions than the initial plasma.
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46. A plasma source comprising:
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means for ionizing a volume of feed gas that is located in a gap between an anode and an outer cathode section to generate an initial plasma;
means for transporting the initial plasma proximate to an inner cathode section; and
means for super-ionizing the initial plasma that is located proximate to the inner cathode section, thereby generating a plasma comprising a higher density of ions than the initial plasma.
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Specification