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US 12,476,078 B2Granted
Plasma generation device and control method therefor
AssigneeEn2Core Technology, Inc.
InventorsSae Hoon Uhm, Yun Seong Lee, Yeong Hoon Sohn, Se Hong Park
Life of this patent
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Abstract
According to one embodiment of the present specification, there can be provided an apparatus for generating plasma, comprising: a chamber configured to provide a generating space for the plasma; an antenna module placed adjacent to the chamber and configured to be connected to a first power source and generate induced electric field in the chamber; an electrode placed adjacent to the chamber and configured to be connected to a second power source and assist in a generation of the plasma; a sensor configured to obtain sensing information related to a status of the plasma; and a controller configured to control the first power source and the second power source.
Claims16
An apparatus for generating plasma, comprising:
- a chamber configured to provide a generating space for the plasma;
- a first power source configured to output an RF voltage;
- a second power source configured to output a pulsed DC voltage;
- an antenna module placed adjacent to the chamber and surrounding an outer surface of a side wall of the chamber and configured to be connected to the first power source such that an induced electric field is generated in the chamber when the RF voltage is supplied to the antenna module from the first power source;
- an electrode placed adjacent to the chamber and configured to be connected to the second power source such that electrons are supplied into the chamber when a voltage difference is supplied between the electrode and a counter electrode from the second power source;
- a sensor configured to obtain sensing information related to a status of the plasma;
- and
- a controller configured to control the first power source and the second power source,
- wherein, for igniting plasma in the chamber, the controller is further configured to:
- control the first power source to output the RF voltage to the antenna module for igniting plasma without supplying the pulsed DC voltage to the electrode from the second power source,
- obtain the sensing information related to the status of the plasma while maintaining the RF voltage output,
- monitor, during a first time period, whether plasma is ignited based on the sensing information or not, and
- control the second power source to output a first pulsed DC voltage to the electrode for supplying electrons into the chamber while maintaining the RF voltage output for assisting the ignition of plasma in response to plasma not being ignited with the induced electric field in the chamber, or control the second power source not to output the pulsed DC voltage to the electrode in response to the plasma being ignited with the induced electric field in the chamber.
10 more elements
A method of controlling a plasma generating apparatus, wherein the plasma generating apparatus comprises:
- a chamber providing a generating space for plasma,
- a first power source configured to output an RF voltage,
- a second power source configured to output a pulsed DC voltage,
- an antenna module placed adjacent to the chamber and surrounding an outer surface of a side wall of the chamber and configured to be connected to the first power source such that an induced electric field is generated in the chamber when the RF voltage is supplied to the antenna module from the first power source,
- an electrode placed adjacent to the chamber and configured to be connected to the second power source such that electrons are supplied into the chamber when a voltage difference is supplied between the electrode and a counter electrode from the second power source,
- a sensor configured to obtain sensing information related to a status of the plasma, and
- a controller configured to control the first power source and the second power source,
- wherein, for igniting the plasma in the chamber, the method further comprises:
- controlling, by the controller, the first power source to output the RF voltage to the antenna module for igniting the plasma without supplying the pulsed DC voltage to the electrode from the second power source, obtaining, by the controller, the sensing information related to the status of the plasma while maintaining the RF voltage output,
- monitoring, during a first time period, by the controller, whether plasma is ignited based on the sensing information or not, and
- controlling, by the controller, the second power source to output a first pulsed DC voltage to the electrode for supplying electrons into the chamber while maintaining the RF voltage output for assisting the ignition of plasma in response to the plasma not being ignited with the induced electric field in the chamber, or controlling, by the controller, the second power source not to output the pulsed DC voltage to the electrode in response to the plasma being ignited with the induced electric field in the chamber.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.