# US 2021/0243876 A1 · Plasma Source Having a Dielectric Plasma Chamber with Improved Plasma Resistance

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- Number: US 2021/0243876 A1
- Document ID: US20210243876A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/237,913
- Filed: 2021-04-22
- Published: 2021-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2018-07-13
- Assignees: MKS Instruments, Inc.
- Applicants: MKS Instruments, Inc.
- Inventors: Xing Chen; Ilya Pokidov; Atul Gupta
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210243876A1

## CPC

- H05H 1/46: using applied electromagnetic fields, e.g. high frequency or microwave energy (H05H1/26 takes precedence)
- H01J 37/321: {the radio frequency energy being inductively coupled to the plasma}
- H01J 37/32357: {Generation remote from the workpiece, e.g. down-stream}
- H01J 37/32467: {Material}
- H01J 37/32513: {Sealing means, e.g. sealing between different parts of the vessel}
- H01J 37/32522: {Temperature}
- H01J 37/3255: {Material}
- H05H: PLASMA TECHNIQUE (apparatus or processes specially adapted for producing X-rays H05G2/00); PRODUCTION OF ACCELERATED ELECTRICALLY-CHARGED PARTICLES OR OF NEUTRONS; PRODUCTION OR ACCELERATION OF NEUTRAL MOLECULAR OR ATOMIC BEAMS
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)

## Abstract

A plasma chamber of a plasma processing system is provided. The plasma chamber defines a plasma channel having a first side and a second side oppositely disposed along a length of the plasma channel. The plasma chamber comprises a first section and a second section constructed from a dielectric material and an interface that bonds together the first and second sections at between a first flange of the first section and a third flange of the second section and between a second flange of the first section and a fourth flange of the second section.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A plasma processing system comprising:
a plasma assembly including:
a plasma chamber defining a plasma channel, the plasma chamber comprising (i) two dielectric sections constructed from a dielectric material and (ii) a bonding interface that bonds together the two dielectric sections along a bonding plane to form a hermetic seal between the two sections; and
a heat sink substantially surrounding the plasma chamber, the heat sink being divided into two conductive segments along the bonding plane, wherein the two conductive segments are constructed from a conductive material and are electrically separated from each other; and
a power transformer including a magnetic core, a primary coil, and the plasma assembly, the power transformer configured to induce an electric field that ionizes a gas in the plasma chamber of the plasma chamber.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing system of claim 1, wherein the plasma assembly further comprises a thermal interface disposed between the heat sink and the plasma chamber, the thermal interface configured to provide at least one of accommodating thermally-induced deformation of the plasma chamber or conducting heat away from the plasma chamber toward the heat sink.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The plasma processing system of claim 2, wherein the thermal interface is constructed from a compliant, thermally-conductive material.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing system of claim 1, wherein the plasma chamber further comprises:
an outer bonded flange formed by the bonding of the two conductive dielectric sections at the bonding interface, the outer bonded flange configured to extend outward from an outer side of the plasma chamber substantially parallel to the bonding plane, and
an inner bonded flange formed by the bonding of the two conductive dielectric sections at the bonding interface, the inner bonded flange configured to extend inward from an inner side of the plasma chamber substantially parallel to the bonding plane.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The plasma processing system of claim 4, wherein the plasma assembly further comprises one or more dielectric breaks located along at least one of the outer bonded flange or the inner bonded flange of the plasma chamber at the bonding interface.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The plasma processing system of claim 5, wherein the two conductive segments of the heat sink are electrically separated by the one or more electric breaks and at least one the outer or inner bonded flanges at the bonding interface.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing system of claim 1, wherein the plasma assembly further comprises one or more dielectric fluid couplings located in the plasma assembly, the dielectric fluid couplings in fluid communication with the conductive segments of the heat sink for conducting a cooling fluid between the conductive segments.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing system of claim 1, further comprising a supporting structure configured to support and cool the magnetic core of the power transformer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing system of claim 1, wherein the bonding interface comprises a bonding agent that is one of a glass frit, a eutectic mixture or an epoxy.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The plasm processing system of claim 1, wherein a first of the dielectric sections of plasma chamber and a first of the conductive segments of heat sink are located in a first half of the transformer relative to the bonding plane, and a second of the dielectric sections of plasma chamber and a second of the conductive segments of heat sink are located in a second half of the transformer relative to the bonding plane.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The plasma processing system of claim 10, wherein the first and second dielectric sections of the plasma chamber are substantially identical, and the first and second conductive segments of the heat sink are substantially identical.

### Claim 12

A method for operating a plasma processing system, the method comprising:
providing the plasma processing system including a power transformer having at least one magnetic core, a primary coil, and a plasma assembly, wherein the plasma assembly includes (i) a plasma chamber defining a plasma channel created by two dielectric sections bonded together to form a bonding interface along a bonding plane and (ii) a heat sink substantially surrounding the plasma chamber, the heat sink being divided into two conductive segments along the bonding plane and electrically separated from each other;
supplying a gas to the plasma channel via a gas inlet;
inducing, by the power transformer, an electric field that ionizes the gas in the plasma channel of the plasma chamber to form a plasma therein; and
delivering at least a portion of the plasma out of the plasma channel via an exit flange.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising biasing the two conductive segments of the heat sink at opposite voltages to ignite the gas in the plasma channel prior to inducing the electric field in the plasma channel.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising electrically isolating the two conductive segments at the bonding interface by one or more electric breakers and at least one of an inner bonded flange or an outer bonded flange of the plasma chamber.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the outer bonded flange is formed by the bonding of the two conductive dielectric sections at the bonding interface and extends outward from an outer side of the plasma chamber substantially parallel to the bonding plane, and (ii) the inner bonded flange is formed by the bonding of the two conductive dielectric sections at the bonding interface and extends inward from an inner side of the plasma chamber substantially parallel to the bonding plane.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising increasing an amount of contact surface between the plasm chamber and the heat sink by the inner and outer bonded flanges of the plasma chamber, thereby decreasing a peak temperature in the plasma chamber.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising stiffening the plasma chamber within the power transformer by the inner and outer bonded flanges of the plasma chamber, thereby reducing deformation and thermal stress of the plasma chamber.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising cooling the heat sink by conducting a cooling fluid through a plurality of dielectric fluid couplings that are in fluid communication with the two conductive segments of the heat sink.

### Claim 19 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising reducing thermally-induced deformation of the plasma chamber by a thermal interface located between the plasma chamber and the heat sink.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein the thermal interface is further configured to conduct heat away from the plasma chamber toward the heat sink.

### Claim 21 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising operating the plasma processing system as a remoted plasma source in a pulsed operation.