US 2025/0095967 A1 · PLASMA SOURCE WITH MULTIPLE EXTRACTION APERTURES

Abstract

A plasma source having two extraction apertures is disclosed. The extraction apertures are not co-planar, allowing a scanned workpiece to be impacted by particles or ions from two different directions during a single scan pass. The chamber housing of the plasma source may be cylindrical or may have a polygonal cross-section. In some embodiments, external plates are mounted to the chamber housing to provide defining apertures which serve to further collimate the particles or ions that exit each extraction aperture. Various different plasma generators may be utilized with this plasma source, including internal antenna elements, external coils, cathodes, filaments and other mechanisms.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A plasma source comprising:

a chamber housing defining a plasma chamber;
and
a plasma generator to create a plasma within the plasma chamber;
wherein a first portion of the chamber housing includes a first extraction aperture;
and a second portion of the chamber housing includes a second extraction aperture, wherein the first portion and the second portion are not coplanar.

2 more elements

A processing system, comprising:

a plasma source, comprising:
a chamber housing including a cylindrical body and two ends that define a plasma chamber;
a first extraction aperture and a second extraction aperture disposed along the cylindrical body;
and
at least one antenna element disposed within the plasma chamber to generate a plasma;
a scan motor;
and
a workpiece holder, movable in a scanning direction by the scan motor, wherein a workpiece disposed on the workpiece holder is exposed to particles or ions exiting the first extraction aperture at some locations along the scanning direction, and is exposed to particles or ions exiting the second extraction aperture at other locations along the scanning direction.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Plasma source with multiple extraction apertures

Life of this patent

Plasma source with multiple extraction apertures

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19