EP0280044A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Plasma apparatus
Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
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Filing: 1988-01-23
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-01-23
Abstract
Abstract The invention relates to a plasma apparatus where plasma is generated utilizing microwave discharge and laser excitation is performed and plasma processing is performed. More specifically, in a plasma apparatus where microwave from a microwave oscillator (1) is transmitted through a microwave transmission path (2) to a microwave circuit (6), and plasma is generated by microwave discharge within the microwave circuit, a plasma generating medium for generating the plasma is filled in a space formed between the conductor wall to constitute a part of the microwave circuit and dielectrics installed opposite to the conductor wall, and the microwave circuit forms microwave mode having the electric field component orthogonal to the boundary between the dielectrics and the plasma.
Inventors
- 👤 Junichi C/O Mitsubishi Denki K.K. Nishimae
- 👤 Kenji C/O Mitsubishi Denki K.K. Yoshizawa
- 👤 Masakazu C/O Mitsubishi Denki K.K. Taki
- 👤 Yoshihioro C/O Mitsubishi Denki K.K. Ueda
- 👤 Tadashi C/O Mitsubishi Denki K.K. Yanagi
- 👤 Akihiko C/O Mitsubishi Denki K.K. Iwata
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 22:35
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/10; H01S3/102; H01S3/104; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32009; H01J37/32192; H01J37/32321; H01J37/32339; H01S3/02; H01S3/03; H01S3/0315; H01S3/09; H01S3/097; H01S3/0975; H05; H05H; H05H1/00; H05H1/24; H05H1/46
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 50
Claim 1
Independent Claim
91 words
A plasma apparatus wherein microwave from a microwave oscillator is transmitted through a microwave transmission path to a microwave circuit, and plasma is generated by microwave discharge within the microwave circuit, characterized in that a plasma generating medium for generating the plasma is filled in a space formed between a conductor wall to constitute a part of the microwave circuit and dielectrics installed opposite to the conductor wall, and that the microwave circuit forms microwave mode having the electric field component orthogonal to the boundary between the dielectrics and the plasma.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
91 words
A plasma apparatus wherein microwave from a microwave oscillator is transmitted through a microwave transmission path to a microwave circuit, and plasma is generated by microwave discharge within the microwave circuit, characterized in that a plasma generating medium for generating the plasma is filled in a space formed between a conductor wall to constitute a part of the microwave circuit and dielectrics installed opposite to the conductor wall, and that the microwave circuit forms microwave mode having the electric field component orthogonal to the boundary between the dielectrics and the plasma.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the microwave circuit comprises a microwave cavity or a waveguide.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the microwave circuit comprises a coaxial line or a strip line.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the microwave circuit comprises a surface wave circuit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a projection is provided on a part of the microwave circuit, and the plasma generating medium is filled in string electromagnetic field portion produced by the projection.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least a part of the microwave transmission path comprises a horn waveguide.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plasma generating medium is CO₂ laser gas.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plasma generating medium is eximer laser gas.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
53 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a groove is formed on the conductor to constitute a part of the microwave circuit, and the plasma generating medium is filled in a space formed by covering an opening portion of the groove using the dielectrics as an incident window of microwave.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein the dielectrics and the conductor are contacted in plane.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein the microwave circuit has a ridge, and the groove is formed on the ridge.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein the microwave circuit is a rectangular cavity.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plasma apparatus is an apparatus to excite pulse microwave in the microwave circuit.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein the pulse microwave has frequency 500 Hz or more.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
59 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein DC is converted into AC having frequency higher than the commercial frequency by an DC-AC inverter, and stepped up by a transformer, and then pulse microwave is generated by a microwave oscillator driven by a power source to generate high voltage in ripple by a half-wave voltage multiplying circuit.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein pulse microwave is generated by a microwave oscillator driven by high-voltage pulse source where DC of high voltage is interrupted by a switching element.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein the pulse microwave has quiescent time less than thermal time constant of the plasma generating medium.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
86 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the power source apparatus to supply pulse voltage to the microwave oscillator is a power source apparatus to drive non-linear element or device where current does not flow at voltage less than the prescribed voltage E z and current flows at the prescribed voltage E z or more, and semiconductor switching element to control power source flowing from voltage source to the non-linear element or device is connected in series to the non-linear element or device.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 18, wherein the non-linear element or device is provided with dividing resistors connected in parallel.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
39 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 18 or claim 19, wherein the semiconductor switching element has withstand voltage being lower than voltage E o of the voltage source and higher than E o - E z .
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claims 18 through 20, wherein plural semiconductor switching elements are connected in series.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claims 18 through 21, wherein the semiconductor switching element is field effect transistor.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claims 18 through 21, wherein the semiconductor switching element is bipolar transistor.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claims 18 through 23, wherein the non-linear element is magnetron.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the wall surface by conductor in the space is coated by a ceramic layer.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
24 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 25, wherein thickness of the ceramic layer is 1/10 of that of the dielectrics or less.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
38 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 25, wherein value of thickness of the ceramic layer divided by its dielectric constant is less than value of resistivity of the plasma divided by the surge impedance of vacuum.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
19 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 25, wherein the ceramic layer does not react with halogen layer.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
39 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a reservoir tank communicates with the space by a connection penetrating hole and stores the plasma generating medium to be replaced for the plasma generating medium in the space.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
32 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 29, wherein the connection penetrating hole is provided with a gas permeable member which reflects the microwave to end at side of the space.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 29, wherein the reservoir tank is installed in the conductor behind the conductor wall.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
124 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a recess comprising a first conductor wall to constitute a part of the microwave circuit as a bottom surface and a second conductor wall as a side surface is installed, an opening portion of the recess is covered by a first dielectric body being an incident window of microwave, a second dielectric body is arranged on the second conductor wall, the plasma producing medium is filled in a space formed by the first conductor wall, the first dielectric body and the second dielectric body, and the microwave circuit forms microwave mode having the electric field component orthogonal to the boundary between the first dielectric body and the plasma generated in the plasma producing medium.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
79 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 1, the space formed between the conductor wall and the dielectrics acts as an optical waveguide, the laser gas is filled in the space, the microwave is entered using the dielectrics as a microwave incident window, and microwave mode having the electric field component orthogonal to the boundary between the dielectrics and the plasma generated in the laser gas is formed thereby an optical waveguide type gas laser apparatus is constituted.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
46 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a part of the space other than the dielectrics is made a gas permeable member to reflect the microwave, and the laser gas in the space is circulated by circulation means through the gas permeable member.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
26 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 34, wherein the gas permeable member comprises a conductive member with a number of small holes bored thereon.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
20 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 34, wherein the gas permeable member comprises a honeycomb structure of metal.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
18 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 34, wherein the gas permeable member is a metal mesh.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
50 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein among portion where the dielectrics and a part of the microwave circuit with the conductor wall formed thereon are contacted to each other, a part or the whole of the contact portion is bonded and sealed by epoxy adhesive agent.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
60 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein among portion where the dielectrics and a part of the microwave circuit with the conductor wall formed thereon are contacted to each other, a part or the whole of the contact portion is subjected to metallizing and portion to a part of the microwave circuit is subjected to metal seal.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
50 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a metallized layer is provided on a surface of the dielectrics in reverse side to the space, and other surface of the metallized layer faces directly to a cooling water path provided on the conductor to form the microwave circuit.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
23 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein an opening edge of the groove to form the space is made arc-shape.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
34 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a metallized layer to cover an opening edge portion of the groove to form the space is provided on a part of the dielectrics.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
18 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 42, wherein the metallized layer is an aluminium evaporation layer.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
27 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the microwave transmission path and the microwave circuit are arranged in parallel along the laser optical axis.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
19 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 44, wherein the microwave transmission path is a square transmission path.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
18 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 44, wherein the microwave transmission path is a ridge waveguide.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
19 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 44, wherein the microwave transmission path is a delay transmission path.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
23 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 43, wherein the microwave transmission path and the microwave circuit are coupled through a slit.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
25 words
A plasma apparatus as set forth in claim 43, wherein the microwave transmission path and the microwave circuit are coupled through a plurality of holes.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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