US5279669A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Plasma reactor for processing substrates comprising means for inducing electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) and ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) conditions
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1991-12-13
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Granted: 1994-01-18
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Expires: 2011-12-13
Abstract
Abstract A plasma reactor for forming a dense plasma from a gas is described incorporating a housing, a gas inlet to the housing, a pump for evacuating the housing, a magnetic coil to generate a magnetic field in the housing, a radio frequency power supply, an electrode or induction coil in the housing, a microwave power supply. The invention overcomes the problem of an upper plasma density limit independent of increases in microwave power by inducing electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) and ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) conditions.
Inventors
- 👤 Young H. Lee
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 21:19
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32009; H01J37/32192; B; B01; B01J; B01J19/00; B01J19/08; B01J19/12; B01J19/122; B01J19/126; B01J19/129; H01J37/32082; H01J37/321; H01J37/32431; H01J37/32532; H01J37/32587; H01J37/32596; H01J37/3266; H01J37/32678; B01J2219/00; B01J2219/08; B01J2219/0894
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
173 words
An apparatus for forming a dense plasma from a gas at low pressure comprising: a housing for holding said gas and said dense plasma to be formed, first means for admitting one or more gas species into said housing to form said gas, second means for evacuating said housing to a predetermined low pressure, third means for generating a magnetic field along a first axis in a first region within said housing, fourth means for applying first radio frequency along a second axis to said gas and dense plasma in said first region, and fifth means for applying microwave power along a third axis to said gas and dense plasma in said first region, whereby electrons are excited to electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) in said first region, said fourth means includes sixth means for determining the frequency of said first radio frequency power as a function of the magnetic field and one of said gas species whereby ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) is obtained of said ions of said gas specie in said plasma.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
173 words
An apparatus for forming a dense plasma from a gas at low pressure comprising: a housing for holding said gas and said dense plasma to be formed, first means for admitting one or more gas species into said housing to form said gas, second means for evacuating said housing to a predetermined low pressure, third means for generating a magnetic field along a first axis in a first region within said housing, fourth means for applying first radio frequency along a second axis to said gas and dense plasma in said first region, and fifth means for applying microwave power along a third axis to said gas and dense plasma in said first region, whereby electrons are excited to electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) in said first region, said fourth means includes sixth means for determining the frequency of said first radio frequency power as a function of the magnetic field and one of said gas species whereby ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) is obtained of said ions of said gas specie in said plasma.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said fourth means includes a first electrode of nonmagnetic material positioned in said first region, and a second electrode of nonmagnetic material positioned in gaseous communication with said first region.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said first and second electrodes are coupled across said fourth means for applying said first radio frequency power.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said first electrode has inner sidewall surfaces of predetermined material whereby said material on said inner sidewall surfaces may be used for deposition on a substrate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said substrate is positioned between said first and second electrode.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 2 further including seventh means for applying second radio frequency power to said second electrode.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said first electrode includes cylindrical inner sidewalls concentric with said first axis.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said second electrode is positioned outside said first region.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second means includes seventh means for evacuating said housing below 1 m Torr.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said third means includes seventh means for generating said magnetic field in the range from 1170 to 1430 gauss.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said fourth means includes seventh means for applying said first radio frequency power at a frequency in the range from 0.1 to 100 MHz.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said fourth means includes seventh means for applying said first radio frequency power in the range from 10 to 500 watts.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said fourth means includes seventh means for applying said first radio frequency power to said plasma in the range from 0.01 w/cm 3 to 0.63 w/cm 3 .
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further including an extraction grid positioned adjacent said first region adapted for coupling to a voltage for removing ions from said first region in response to said voltage.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said extraction grid includes a conductive plate having an upper and lower surface and having holes therein for passing ions there through.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said holes in said conductive plate have a longitudinal axis passing through said plate at a predetermined angle with respect to said upper surface.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said holes are cylindrical having a diameter in the range from 1000 Å to 0.051 cm (0.020 inch).
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said plate has a thickness in the range from 0.1 cm (0.04 inch) to 0.5 cm (0.2 inch).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said fourth means includes an induction coil positioned around said first region.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 19 further including an extraction grid positioned adjacent said first region adapted for coupling to a voltage for removing ions from said first region in response to said voltage.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-01-17 | 1997-07-19 | 1998-01-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-01-17 | 2001-07-19 | 2002-01-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-01-17 | 2005-07-19 | 2006-01-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |