Inductively coupled plasma sputter chamber with conductive material sputtering capabilities

An inductively coupled plasma reactor comprising

• a sealed chamber for accepting a wafer and a process gas to be processed by a plasma sputter process,
• an electrical power supply,
• an inductive coil angularly disposed about an axis for a length along said axis, coupled to said electrical power supply, and positioned adjacent to an outer wall of said chamber for generating a magnetic field inside of said sealed chamber to excite said process gas to create a plasma,
• a shade spaced from an inner wall of said chamber, said shade covering a protected zone of said inner wall which is generally on an opposite side of said chamber wall from a portion of said inductive coil, said shade preventing accumulation of sputtered material in said protected zone, said shade extending, in one angular region of said coil, a distance along said axis of said coil a substantial fraction of the length of said coil, and, in another angular region of said coil, said shade not extending along said axis of said coil any substantial fraction of the length of said coil,
• whereby closed paths for eddy current flow along the chamber walls or said shade are restricted, improving inductive coupling of electrical power to said plasma in said chamber.