US5296784A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for the production of glow discharge
Assignee: Balzers und Leybold Deutschland Holding AG
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Filing: 1991-11-22
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Granted: 1994-03-22
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Expires: 2011-11-22
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for the production of glow discharge, preferably for a large-area plasma CVD process, including a vacuum coating chamber (K) and a microwave waveguide resonator with one or more coupling points, wherein the resonator is made in the form of a microwave waveguide ring resonator (13, 13'), reaction zones (R) are formed at the coupling points between the microwave waveguide ring resonator (13, 13') and the vacuum chamber (K), and in each case a series of magnets (5, 5', . . . ; 6, 6', . . . ) of different polarity are provided, so that in front of the reaction zone (R) individual tunnels of magnetic field lines (16, 16') running parallel thereto are formed and each magnetic field (16, 16') encloses a spatially uniform plasma tube (17) in the reaction zone (R).
Inventors
- 👤 Michael Geisler
- 👤 Michael Jung
- 👤 Rudolf Koetter-Faulhaber
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 21:50
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32009; H01J37/32192; H01J37/32211; H01J37/32229; H01J37/32247; H01J37/32431; H01J37/3266; H05; H05H; H05H1/00; H05H1/24; H05H1/46; H05H7/00; H05H7/14; H05H7/18
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
181 words
Apparatus for the production of glow discharge, particularly for a large-area plasma CVD process, comprising: a vacuum coating chamber having an outer wall, and microwave waveguide resonator means with discrete coupling points each comprising an antenna, the resonator means being microwave waveguide ring resonator means and disposed in the area of the outer wall of the chamber, reaction zones each being formed at each of the discrete coupling points between the microwave waveguide ring resonator means and the vacuum chamber, the reaction zones having a similar ring-like composite configuration to the resonator means and being disposed on the inside of the chamber wall, individual spatially uniform plasma clouds being disposed in the individual reaction zones, and a series of permanent magnets of different polarity being disposed in the area of the annularly formed reaction zones, the magnets being so disposed inside the chamber wall that in front of the reaction zones a tunnel of magnetic field lines running parallel thereto is formed between magnet poles, and the magnetic field lines covering the individual spatially uniform plasma clouds of the reaction zones.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
181 words
Apparatus for the production of glow discharge, particularly for a large-area plasma CVD process, comprising: a vacuum coating chamber having an outer wall, and microwave waveguide resonator means with discrete coupling points each comprising an antenna, the resonator means being microwave waveguide ring resonator means and disposed in the area of the outer wall of the chamber, reaction zones each being formed at each of the discrete coupling points between the microwave waveguide ring resonator means and the vacuum chamber, the reaction zones having a similar ring-like composite configuration to the resonator means and being disposed on the inside of the chamber wall, individual spatially uniform plasma clouds being disposed in the individual reaction zones, and a series of permanent magnets of different polarity being disposed in the area of the annularly formed reaction zones, the magnets being so disposed inside the chamber wall that in front of the reaction zones a tunnel of magnetic field lines running parallel thereto is formed between magnet poles, and the magnetic field lines covering the individual spatially uniform plasma clouds of the reaction zones.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus for the production of glow discharge according to claim 1, which includes microwave sources for feeding the microwaves into the waveguide ring resonator means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus for the production of glow discharge according to claim 1, in which the waveguide ring resonator means is made from a tube of tetrahedral cross section.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus for the production of glow discharge according to claim 1, in which the waveguide ring resonator means is made in the form of a coaxially disposed rectangle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus for the production of glow discharge according to claim 1, in which the waveguide ring resonator means is fastenable on a flat plate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus for the production of glow discharge according to claim 1, in which the antennas at the coupling points between the waveguide ring resonator means and the reaction zones are coupling loops.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus for the production of glow discharge according to claim 6, in which the coupling loops lie on at least one common imaginary line and this imaginary line has a rectangular configuration.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus for the production of glow discharge according to claim 7, in which the coupling loops are disposed at regular intervals apart.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus for the production of glow discharge according to claim 8, in which the coupling loops are disposed alternately invertingly and noninvertingly.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus for the production of glow discharge according to claim 1, which includes a circulator integral with the waveguide ring resonator means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-03-21 | 1997-09-20 | 1998-03-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-03-21 | 2001-09-20 | 2002-03-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-03-21 | 2005-09-20 | 2006-03-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |