# US 7,182,842 B2 · Device for amplifying the current of an abnormal electrical discharge and system for using an abnormal electrical discharge comprising one such device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,182,842 B2 - Document ID: US7182842B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/344,666 - Filed: 2002-06-10 - Published: 2004-02-12 - Granted: 2007-02-27 - Earliest claimed: 2001-06-21 - Assignees: Tecmachine - Inventors: Christophe Heau; Jean-Paul Terrat - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7182842B2 ## CPC - H01J 37/3266: {Magnetic control means} - H01J 37/3405: {Magnetron sputtering} - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract A device (1) for amplifying the current of an abnormal electrical discharge, characterized in that it comprises an electrode which is positively polarized (2) and associated with a magnetic circuit (3) producing a magnetic field (4) which is uniformly divergent, whereby the intensity on the surface of the electrode is more than approximately 6.102 Tesla, the electrode being positioned in the region where the magnetic field is at its most intense. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device (1) for amplifying the current of an abnormal electrical discharge, wherein the device is arranged to amplify the current of the abnormal electrical discharge at a substrate being treated and includes an electrode disk (2) which is positively polarized and associated with a magnetic circuit (3) producing a magnetic field (4) which is uniformly divergent, whereby the intensity on the surface of said electrode is more than approximately 6.10−2 Tesla, said electrode being positioned in the region where the magnetic field is most intense. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A device (1) according to claim 1 for amplifying the current of an abnormal electrical discharge, characterized in that the magnetic field (4) has an intensity from approximately 8.10−2 Tesla to approximately 25.10−2 Tesla. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A device (1) according to claim 2 for amplifying the current of an abnormal electrical discharge, characterized in that the magnetic field (4) has an intensity from approximately 10.10−2 Tesla to approximately 15.10−2 Tesla. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A device (1) according to claim 1 for amplifying the current of an abnormal electrical discharge, characterized in that the disk has a diameter from approximately 50 mm to approximately 200 mm. ### Claim 5 A device (1) for amplifying the current of an abnormal electrical discharge, wherein the device includes an electrode (2) which is positively polarized and associated with a magnetic circuit (3) producing a magnetic field (4) which is uniformly divergent, whereby the intensity on the surface of said electrode is more than approximately 6.10−2 Tesla, said electrode being positioned in the region where the magnetic field is most intense, and a metal counter-electrode (5, 5′) positioned on the path of the electrical discharge and substantially parallel to the surface of said electrode. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A device (1) according to claim 5 for amplifying the current of an abnormal electrical discharge, characterized in that the counter-electrode (5, 5′) is positioned at a distance from approximately 5 mm to approximately 70 mm from the surface of the positively polarized electrode of said amplifier device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) A device (1) according to claim 5 for amplifying the current of an abnormal electrical discharge, characterized in that the counter-electrode is a plate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A device (1) according to claim 7 for amplifying the current of an abnormal electrical discharge, characterized in that the plate has an orifice through it. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A device (1) according to claim 8 for amplifying the current of an abnormal electrical discharge, characterized in that the orifice is rectangular. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) A device (1) according to claim 5 for amplifying the current of an abnormal electrical discharge, characterized in that the counter-electrode is a rod. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A device (1) according to claim 10 for amplifying the current of an abnormal electrical discharge, characterized in that the rod has a diameter from approximately 5 mm to approximately 20 mm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) A device (1) according to claim 5 for amplifying the current of an abnormal electrical discharge, characterized in that the counter-electrode is a disk. ### Claim 13 (depends on 5) A device (1) according to claim 5 for amplifying the current of an abnormal electrical discharge, characterized in that the counter-electrode is rectangular. ### Claim 14 (depends on 5) A device (1) according to claim 5 for amplifying the current of an abnormal electrical discharge, characterized in that the counter-electrode is a grid. ### Claim 15 (depends on 5) A device (1) according to claim 5 for amplifying the current of an abnormal electrical discharge, characterized in that it includes a plurality of counter-electrodes. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A device (1) according to claim 15 for amplifying the current of an abnormal electrical discharge, characterized in that the counter-electrodes are of different types. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A device (1) according to claim 16 for amplifying the current of an abnormal electrical discharge, characterized in that the counter-electrode types are chosen from the plate type, the rod type, the disk type and the grid type. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A system for using an abnormal electrical discharge, including a plasma source in an enclosure containing a gas at a reduced pressure, wherein the system includes in said enclosure a device according to claim 1 that is separate from said enclosure and said plasma source. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A system according to claim 18 for using an abnormal electrical discharge, characterized in that it includes a device for amplifying the current of an abnormal electrical discharge for the plasma source or for each plasma source, the or each device for amplifying the current of an electrical discharge being associated with only one plasma source. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) A system according to claim 18 for using an abnormal electrical discharge, characterized in that at least one of the plasma sources is a magnetron cathode sputtering cathode. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) A system according to claim 18 for using an abnormal electrical discharge, characterized in that said use is chosen from deposition on and treatment and modification of the surface of a substrate. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) A system according to claim 21 for using an abnormal electrical discharge, characterized in that it is associated with a rotatable substrate carrier. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) A system according to claim 22 for using an abnormal electrical discharge, characterized in that the substrate carrier is negatively polarized. ### Claim 24 (depends on 18) A method of treating the substrate with a plasma, characterized in that a system according to claim 18 for using an abnormal electrical discharge is used and in that the positive supply voltage of the device for amplifying the current of an abnormal electrical discharge is from approximately 20 volts to approximately 60 volts.