Method and Apparatus for Processing Metal Bearing Gases
AssigneeMKS Instruments, Inc.
InventorsWilliam M. Holber, John A. Smith, Xing Chen, Donald K. Smith
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for processing metal bearing gases involves generating a toroidal plasma in a plasma chamber. A metal bearing gas is introduced into the plasma chamber to react with the toroidal plasma. The interaction between the toroidal plasma and the metal bearing gas produces at least one of a metallic material, a metal oxide material or a metal nitride material.
Claims14
An apparatus for processing metal bearing gases, the apparatus comprising:
- an inlet;
- a plasma chamber for containing a metal bearing gas;
- a transformer having a primary winding and a magnetic core surrounding a portion of the plasma chamber;
- and
- a solid state switching power supply comprising one or more switching semiconductor devices coupled to a voltage supply and having an output coupled to the primary winding, the switching power supply driving current in the primary winding, the current inducing a potential inside the chamber that directly forms a toroidal plasma which completes a secondary circuit of the transformer and which reacts with the metal bearing gas.
An apparatus for processing metal bearing gases, the apparatus comprising:
- an inlet;
- a plasma chamber for containing a metal bearing gas, comprising an electrically conductive material and at least one dielectric region that forms an electrical discontinuity in the plasma chamber;
- a transformer having a primary winding and a magnetic core surrounding a portion of the plasma chamber;
- and
- a power supply having an output electrically connected to the primary winding, the power supply driving current in the primary winding, the current inducing a potential inside the chamber that forms a toroidal plasma which completes a secondary circuit of the transformer and which reacts with the metal bearing gas.
13-18. (canceled)
An apparatus for processing metal bearing gases, the apparatus comprising:
- means for receiving a metal bearing gas in a plasma chamber at pressure via an inlet;
- and
- means for forming a toroidal plasma inside the plasma chamber, by passing current, generated by a solid state switching power supply comprising one or more switching semiconductor devices, through a primary winding of a transformer having a magnetic core surrounding a portion of the plasma chamber, the toroidal plasma reacting with the metal bearing gas to produce at least one of a metallic material, a metal oxide material or a metal nitride material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.