公开(公告)号：WO1990010547A1

公开(公告)日：1990-09-20

申请号：PCT/US1990001270

申请日：1990-03-08

Applicant: APPLIED MICROWAVE PLASMA CONCEPTS, INC.

Inventor： APPLIED MICROWAVE PLASMA CONCEPTS, INC. ,  DANDL, Raphael, Anthony

IPC: B44C01/22

CPC classification number: H01J37/32229 ,  H01J37/32192 ,  H01J37/32678 ,  H01J2237/3323 ,  H01J2237/3345 ,  H05H1/18

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed employing electron cyclotron resonant (ECR) heating to produce plasma for applications including but not limited to chemical vapor deposition and etching. A magnetic field is formed by magnets (20) circumferentially arranged about a cylindrical and symmetrical chamber (12) with microwave power (44) injected perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis (14) of the chamber (12) for preventing line-of-sight communication of resulting energetic electron through an outlet (50) at one axial end of the chamber (12). The circumferential magnets (20) cause precessing of the electrons resulting in greatly increased plasma density and ion flux or current density even at low pressures which are preferably maintained for establishing unidirectionality or anisotropic plasma characteristics. A magnetic field free region (60) is formed between the plasma forming region (44) and the circumferential magnets (20) in order to also produce uniformity of plasma distribution in a plasma stream approaching the outlet.