Methods and apparatus for generating plasmas
AssigneeWestern Electric Company, Inc.
InventorBirol Kuyel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An RF-excited radial-flow, cylindrical plasma reactor (10) includes a toroidal waveguide (17) of rectangular cross-section connected to a microwave source (21). One of the reactive species (37) is flowed through the waveguide and pre-ionized, thus, permitting independent control over the activation of both reactive species.
Claims25
A method of separately activating at least two potentially reactive species to form a reactive plasma when combined, each of said potentially reactive species having a different activation level, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming a non-reactive plasma so as to create therein an activated species of at least one of said potentially reactive species;
- (b) separately activating the other of said potentially reactive species having the higher activation level;
- and
- (c) flowing the activated species having the higher activation level into said non-reactive plasma to create a reactive plasma.
Apparatus for separately activating at least two potentially reactive species to form a reactive plasma when combined, each of said potentially reactive species having a different activation level, said apparatus comprising:
- means for forming a non-reactive plasma so as to create therein an activated species of at least one of said potentially reactive species;
- means for separately activating the other of said potentially reactive species having the higher activation level;
- and
- means for flowing the activated species having the higher activation level into said non-reactive plasma to create a reactive plasma.
Apparatus for separately activating at least two potentially reactive species to form a reactive plasma when combined, each of said potentially reactive species having a different activation level, said apparatus comprising:
- means for forming a non-reactive plasma so as to create therein an activated species of at least one of said potentially reactive species;
- means for separately activating the other of said potentially reactive species having the higher activation level, said separately activating means further comprising:
- a waveguide positioned within said apparatus, said reactive species having the higher activation level flowing through said waveguide;
- and
- a source of a beam of microwave energy connected to said waveguide.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.