Inductive antenna for a plasma reactor producing reduced fluorine dissociation

A plasma reactor for processing a semiconductor workpiece, said reactor comprising:

• a vacuum chamber with a sidewall and a ceiling enclosing said vacuum chamber;
• a workpiece support pedestal within said vacuum chamber;
• a process gas inlet to said vacuum chamber and a vacuum pump coupled to said vacuum chamber;
• an inductive antenna adjacent said vacuum chamber and an RF power source coupled to said inductive antenna, said inductive antenna comprising:
• an array of plural current conducting loops placed side-by-side and defining a surface, successive ones of said plural current conducting loops being wound so as to carry current from said RF source in opposite directions,
• said current conducting loops comprising respective conductors, at least a portion of each conductor of one loop being adjacent at least a portion of the conductor of the next loop of said array, said portions carrying current in the same direction and being sufficiently close so as to define a juncture sharing a common current path, said array having plural such junctures periodically spaced along at least one length thereof.