High-density plasma source
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A plasma source comprising:
- a) a cathode assembly comprising an inner cathode section and an outer cathode section;
b) a first anode that is positioned adjacent to the outer cathode section and forming a gap there between; and
c) a power supply that generates a first electric field across the gap between the first anode and the outer cathode section and that generates a second electric field between the inner cathode section and a second anode, the first electric field ionizing a volume of feed gas that is located in the gap, thereby generating an initial plasma, 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 present invention relates to a plasma source. 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.
40 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A plasma source comprising:
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a) a cathode assembly comprising an inner cathode section and an outer cathode section; b) a first anode that is positioned adjacent to the outer cathode section and forming a gap there between; and c) a power supply that generates a first electric field across the gap between the first anode and the outer cathode section and that generates a second electric field between the inner cathode section and a second anode, the first electric field ionizing a volume of feed gas that is located in the gap, thereby generating an initial plasma, 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)
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13. A plasma source comprising:
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a) a cathode assembly comprising an inner cathode section; b) an excited atom source that is positioned adjacent to the inner cathode section, the excited atom source generating an initial plasma comprising excited atoms from a volume of feed gas; and c) a power supply that generates an electric field between the inner cathode section and an anode, the electric field super-ionizing the initial plasma to generate a plasma comprising a higher density of ions than the initial plasma. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of generating a high-density plasma, the method comprising:
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a) generating a first electric field across a gap between a first 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; and b) generating a second electric field between a second anode and 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. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification