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US 4,887,005 AGranted
Multiple electrode plasma reactor power distribution system
OwnerJ. Kirkwood H. Rough, Peter W. Roseinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A multiple electrode plasma reactor power circuit that utilizes a power splitting device, such as a center-tapped coil, to deliver balanced power to a plurality of powered electrodes. Balanced plasmas are thereby created between powered electrodes and grounded electrodes. In a preferred embodiment a plurality of center-tapped coils are connected to deliver balanced power to several powered electrodes located in a plurality of reactor chambers.
Claims12
A multiple electrode plasma reactor power circuit comprising:
- an RF generator;
- a matching network being electrically connected to said RF generator;
- at least one reaction chamber having a total of at least two powered electrodes disposed within said chambers and at least one grounded surface disposed in each said chamber, said powered electrodes and said grounded surfaces being positioned relative to each other such that at least one plasma for each powered electrode is created between said powered electrode and said grounded surface upon the application of RF power thereto;
- an electrode power circuit disposed between said matching network and said powered electrodes to feed RF power from said matching network to said powered electrodes, said electrode power circuit including a circuit means having an input power line connected from said matching network and having output power lines connected to said powered electrodes and operative to split said RF power among said powered electrodes;
- said circuit means supplying a voltage to each powered electrode that is in phase with the voltage supplied to each other powered electrode;
- said circuit means being automatically reactive to changes in the impedance between various ones of said powered electrodes and said grounded surfaces to alter the RF power applied to each said powered electrode to balance said plasmas generated between each said powered electrode and said ground surfaces.
3 more elements
A multiple electrode plasma reactor comprising
- a chamber being defined by walls within which plasmas are created;
- a pluarlity of powered electrodes and at least one grounded surface being disposed within said chamber whereby said plasmas are struck between said powered electrodes and said grounded surface;
- said powered electrodes being connected to an RF power splitting circuit means, said circuit means being joined at an RF power input thereof to an RF power source;
- said circuit means supplying a voltage to each powered electrode that is in phase with the voltage supplied to each other powered electrode;
- said circuit means being automatically reactive to differing impedances between said powered electrodes and said grounded surface to alter the RF power supplied to each said powered electrode to balance the plasmas generated between each said powered electrode and said grounded surface.
2 more elements
A multiple electrode plasma reactor power circuit comprising:
- an RF generator;
- a matching network being electrically connected to said RF generator;
- two or more reaction chambers having at least one powered electrode disposed within each said chamber and at least one grounded surface disposed in each said chamber, said powered electrode and said grounded surface within each said chamber being positioned relative to each other such that at least one plasma for each powered electrode is created between said powered electrode and said grounded surface upon the application of RF power thereto;
- an electrode power circuit disposed between said matching network and each said powered electrode to feed RF power from said matching network to each said powered electrode, said electrode power circuit including a circuit means having an input power line connected from said matching network and having output power lines connected to each said powered electrode and operative to split said RF power among said powered electrodes, said circuit means supplying a voltage to each powered electrode that is in phase with the voltage supplied to each other powered electrode;
- said circuit means being automatically reactive to changes in the impedance between various ones of said powered electrodes and said grounded surfaces to alter the RF power applied to each said powered electrode to balance said plasmas generated between each said powered electrode and said grounded surface.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.