US 2026/0011530 A1 · Beam Plasma Source

Abstract

A broad beam plasma or ion source is provided, which includes an anode pole extending beyond the top surface of the cathode. A further aspect of a broad ion source includes magnets and magnetic shunts which create convex magnetic flux across and above the anode pole, which intercepts a significant portion of the magnetic flux. In another aspect, a broad beam ion source includes a magnetic surrounding cathode that prevents the magnetic flux from leaking out of the ion source. A further aspect provides a broad beam plasma source which is excited by combined DC and RF powers to create ions and reactive species to interact with specimen. Yet in a further aspect, a broad beam ion source operates simultaneously with another deposition source at the same internal pressure in a vacuum chamber for making high-quality thin films.

Claims30

Dependent claims

An ion source comprising:

an anode pole disposed between a center cathode and a surrounding cathode, with the anode pole having a surface extending above a center cathode surface and the surrounding cathode;
and
a set of magnets and magnetic shunts that create substantially convex magnetic flux lines across and above the surface of the anode pole,
wherein the surrounding cathode further comprises an upper surrounding cathode and a lower supporting cathode,
wherein the upper surrounding cathode includes an inner portion disposed adjacent to and beneath the anode pole surface extending above the center cathode surface and an outer portion disposed outboard of the inner portion and mounted to the lower supporting cathode, and wherein the lower supporting cathode is further mounted to a cathode housing.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Beam Plasma Source

Life of this patent

Beam Plasma Source

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims30