Solid state microwave generating array material, each element of which is phase controllable, and plasma processing systems

Claim 2

The microwave powered material/plasma processing system as set forth in claim 1 including means (52) for continuously varying the phase of the output of each of said solid state amplifiers (54) with respect to each other to effect movement of an electromagnetic field power node produced by said array within said chamber (12).

Claim 3

The microwave powered processing system as set forth in claim 1 or 2 wherein said solid state microwave generators each comprise a separate low power oscillator whose phase and amplitude are easily controlled and a separate high power amplifier capable of operating at microwave frequencies.

Claim 4

The microwave powered processing system as set forth in one or more of the preceding claims 1 to 3, wherein said multiple antennas (10) are each physically attached to a solid state microwave amplifier substrate and are electrically connected to the amplifier output and protrude through an aperture provided in the process chamber (12).

Claim 5

The microwave powered plasma processing system as set forth in one or more of the preceding claims 1 to 4 including means for monitoring the power produced by each said solid state microwave amplifier (54) and phase controlled antenna (56) and means responsive thereto for controlling the power output and locations of the composite field.

Claim 6

The microwave powered plasma processing system as set forth in one or more of the preceding claims 1 to 5, wherein the phased array of radiating antennas (56) in the processing chamber (12) is organized into a square array, a rectangular array or a circular array.

Claim 7

A microwave powered material/plasma processing system with at least a reaction chamber (12) for holding a process workpiece (20) and means for placing a requisite electrical bias on the workpiece, comprising: a single solid state microwave oscillator having a plurality of solid state amplifiers (54) connected thereto for providing power to said system and mounted to directly introduce microwave power into said reaction chamber (12) containing said workpiece (20) via direct radiating antennas (10) mounted to form an array, in said chamber (12), means for measuring the amplitude and power of the microwave radiation in the chamber (12) from the array at predetermined locations therein, and separate means for controlling the phase and amplitude of the output of said microwave oscillator and connected individual inputs of said plurality of solid state amplifiers (54) each of which supplies power to a single antenna (56) of said array whereby the phase and amplitude of the outputs of each said solid state amplifier (54) is separately controllable to effect a predetermined distribution of microwave power from said array to predetermined locations within said chamber (12).