Method and apparatus for generating a plasma

A plasma generator for a semiconductor processing chamber having a wall, comprising:

• an RF source;
• and
• a conductive shield wall positioned within the chamber to protect at least a portion of the chamber wall from deposition materials, said shield having a first terminal electrically coupled to one of said RF source and ground, and a second shield terminal electrically coupled to the other of said RF signal source and ground.

A method of generating a plasma in a semiconductor processing chamber having a wall, comprising the steps of:

• radiating RF energy into said chamber from a coil;
• and
• radiating RF energy into said chamber from a conductive shield having first and second terminals wherein one of said shield terminals is electrically coupled to one of an RF signal source and around and the other terminal of said shield is coupled to the other of said RF signal source and ground, and wherein said shield is positioned within said chamber to protect at least a portion of said chamber wall from deposition materials.

A method of assembling a plasma generator in a semiconductor processing chamber having a wall, comprising the steps of:

• providing a conductive shield wall within said chamber to protect at least a portion of said chamber wall from deposition materials, said shield having first and second terminals;
• and
• electrically coupling one of said shield terminals to one of an RF signal source and ground and the other terminal of said shield to the other of said RF signal source and ground.

A plasma generator for a semiconductor processing chamber having a wall, an RF signal source and electrical ground, comprising:

• a first conductive shield positioned within the chamber to protect at least a portion of the chamber wall from deposition materials, said shield having first and second terminals wherein one of said shield terminals is electrically coupled to one of said RF signal source and ground;
• and
• a coil electrically coupled in series with the other terminal of said shield and the other of said RF signal source and ground.

A plasma generator for a semiconductor processing chamber having a wall, an RF signal source and electrical ground, comprising:

• a conductive first shield wall positioned within the chamber to protect at least a portion of the chamber wall from deposition materials, said shield having first and second terminals and a slot which electrically insulates said first and second terminals from each other wherein one of said terminals is electrically coupled to said RF signal source and the other terminal is electrically coupled to said ground;
• and
• a second shield wall electrically insulated from said first shield wall and positioned adjacent said slot to protect the portion of the chamber wall adjacent said slot.

A method of generating a plasma in a semiconductor processing chamber having a wall, comprising the steps of:

• radiating RF energy into said chamber from a conductive shield positioned within said chamber to protect at least a portion of said chamber wall from deposition materials;
• and
• radiating RF energy into said chamber from a coil coupled in series with the RF source and the shield wall and surrounding the shield wall, wherein the coil produces magnet field lines and the shield wall has a curvature to match the curvature of the field lines.