Plasma reactor having a symmetrical parallel conductor coil antenna

A plasma reactor for use with a supply of RF source power for processing a workpiece, said reactor comprising:

• a vacuum chamber having a ceiling;
• a workpiece support pedestal within the chamber facing said ceiling and comprising a top pedestal surface having a diameter similar to a diameter of a workpiece to be supported thereon, said chamber having an axis of symmetry intersecting said ceiling and intersecting said top pedestal surface, said ceiling having a diameter greater than said diameter of said top pedestal surface;
• a first single solenoidal interleaved coil antenna at least generally coaxial with said axis of symmetry, the entirety thereof overlying an intermediate portion of the ceiling between a periphery of the ceiling and a center of the ceiling, the entirety of said first single solenoidal interleaved coil antenna having a diameter substantially less than the diameter of said top pedestal surface, and comprising a plurality of conductors wound about said axis of symmetry in respective concentric helical solenoids, said conductors being displaced from said axis of symmetry in a lateral direction uniformly, the conductors being offset from one another in the direction generally of the axis of symmetry, each of said conductors being connected across said supply of RF source power.