Abstract: Methods and apparatus for improved inductively coupled plasma sources are disclosed. A remote linear plasma source can have a plurality of coil segments operable to power intense localized radiofrequency plasma current channels along inner surfaces of a chamber. A plurality of localized intense plasma current channels within a single chamber provides a relatively large active plasma volume, improves efficiency, and provides for favorable residence time and feed gas distribution in a plasma source. In various embodiments, a remote plasma source operable to generate active species is useful for applications such as chamber cleaning, processing materials, ion, electron, and/or neutral beam sources, gaseous discharge lamps, fluorescent lighting, gaseous lasers, and others.

Abstract: A method for forming carbon nanotubes includes preparing a target object having a surface on which one or more openings are formed, each of the openings having a catalyst metal layer on a bottom thereof; performing an oxygen plasma process on the catalyst metal layers; and activating the surfaces of the catalyst metal layers by performing a hydrogen plasma process on the metal catalyst layers subjected to the oxygen plasma process. The method further includes filling carbon nanotubes in the openings on the target object by providing an electrode member having a plurality of through holes above the target object in a processing chamber, and then growing the carbon nanotubes by plasma CVD on the activated catalyst metal layer by diffusing active species in a plasma generated above the electrode member toward the target object through the through holes while applying a DC voltage to the electrode member.

Abstract: In a plasma processing apparatus, a connector section with the film-like electrode of a sintered plate of a sample stage to which high-frequency power is supplied includes a conductor section disposed inside a through hole, an upper part of which is bonded to the film-like electrode and a lower part of which is connected to an end of a power supply path of the high-frequency power, and a boss disposed between the conductor section and a substrate surrounding an outer periphery of the conductor section inside the through hole and made of an insulating material. Upper ends of a rod-like member at the center of the conductor section and a socket surrounding the rod-like member are disposed at a position higher than the boss, and an adhesive is prevented from entering between the socket and the rod-like member in the upper end of the socket.

Abstract: An installation, comprising a chamber comprising two ends, a transport unit and a support unit which introduce a two-sided substrate into the chamber, a stabilized high-voltage high-frequency power supply of at least 200 kW, comprising an HF transformer comprising a primary and a secondary circuit connected to terminals, at least two electrodes being connected to the terminals of the secondary circuit, said electrodes being placed on each side of the substrate, at least one dielectric barrier placed between the at least two electrodes; a power supply regulation/control unit placed upstream of the HF transformer that is capable of increasing an active power/reactive power ratio, an introducing unit for introducing at least one reactive substance into the chamber, and an extracting unit for extracting residual substances, wherein an adjustable inductor is placed in the secondary circuit of the transformer in parallel with a circuit comprising the at least two electrodes, and the adjustable inductor enables a ph

Abstract: An apparatus comprises: a shower head having a supply plenum for supplying the gas to the chamber and a vacuum manifold fluidly coupled to the supply plenum; and at least one vacuum system fluidly coupled to the vacuum manifold of the shower head.

Abstract: A film forming device includes: a microwave supplying unit configured to supply microwaves for generating plasma along a treatment surface of a conductive workpiece; a negative voltage applying unit configured to apply to the workpiece a negative bias voltage for expanding a sheath layer thickness along the treatment surface of the workpiece, and a controller configured to control the microwave supplying unit and the negative voltage applying unit, wherein the microwave supplying unit has a microwave transmitting window configured to propagate the supplied microwaves to the expanded sheath layer, wherein the controller is configured to control the microwave supplying unit and the negative voltage applying unit while supplying of the microwaves so that a sheath thickness of the sheath layer changes.

Abstract: Provided are a plasma generation apparatus and a plasma generation method. The plasma generation apparatus includes a chamber including a dielectric window and a toroidal discharge space, a magnetic core disposed to surround a portion of the chamber, an induction coil disposed to wind the magnetic core, and a waveguide radiating a microwave through the dielectric window. Alternating current flowing in the induction coil forms a magnetic flux at the magnetic core, and the magnetic flux generates inductively-coupled plasma. A microwave propagating along the waveguide generates microwave plasma inside the chamber.

Abstract: A processing system is disclosed, having a power transmission element with an interior cavity that propagates electromagnetic energy proximate to a continuous slit in the interior cavity. The continuous slit forms an opening between the interior cavity and a substrate processing chamber. The electromagnetic energy may generate an alternating charge in the continuous slit that enables the generation of an electric field that may propagate into the processing chamber. The electric field may interact with process gas in the processing chamber to generate plasma for treating the substrate. The interior cavity may be isolated from the process chamber by a dielectric component that covers the continuous slit. The power transmission element may be used to control plasma density within the process chamber, either by itself or in combination with other plasma sources.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes supporting members, connecting members and a sliding member. Each of the supporting members is partially disposed in a disc-shaped cooling plate and configured to support an upper electrode in a direction of gravity. Each of the connecting members is partially disposed in the cooling plate and extends in a diametrical direction of the cooling plate to be engaged with the corresponding supporting member. The sliding member is configured to slide the connecting members inward in the diametrical direction of the cooling plate, thereby pushing upward the supporting member and lifting the upper electrode to the cooling plate.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a plasma processing chamber processing a sample using plasma, a radio frequency power supply supplying radio frequency power for generating the plasma, a sample stage including an electrode electrostatically chucking the sample, mounting the sample thereon, a DC power supply applying DC voltage to the electrode, and a control device shifting the DC voltage previously set, in a negative direction by a first shift amount during discharge of the plasma, shifting the DC voltage having been shifted in the negative direction by the first shift amount, in a positive direction by a second shift amount after the discharge of the plasma. The first shift amount has a value changing potential over a surface of the sample to 0 V, upon shifting the DC voltage in the positive direction. The second shift amount has a value obtained based on a floating potential of the plasma.

Abstract: Microwave plasma assisted reactors, for example chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) reactors, are disclosed. The disclosed reactors operate at high pressures (>180-320 Torr) and high power densities (>150 W/cm3), and thereby enable high deposition rate CVD processes that rapidly deposit materials. In particular, reactor design examples are described that, when operating in the 180-320 Torr pressure regime, rapidly CVD synthesize high quality polycrystalline (PCD) and single crystal diamond (SCD). The improved reactors include a radial contraction in the vicinity of the plasma chamber (and optionally a combined expansion in the vicinity of the electromagnetic wave source, followed by the contraction) in the main microwave chamber as electromagnetic energy propagates from an electromagnetic wave source to a plasma/deposition chamber.

Abstract: A plasma process apparatus that utilizes plasma so as to perform a predetermined process on a substrate, and includes a process chamber that houses a substrate subjected to the predetermined plasma process; a microwave generator; a dielectric window attached to the process chamber and provided with a concave portion provided at an outer surface of the dielectric window opposite to the process chamber and a through hole penetrating the dielectric window to the process chamber; a microwave transmission line; and a first process gas supplying portion including a gas conduit including a first portion provided at a front end and a second portion having a larger diameter than the first portion, the gas conduit being inserted from outside of the process chamber such that the first portion is inserted in the through hole and the second portion is inserted in the concave portion.

Abstract: Circuits, methods, chambers, systems, and computer programs are presented for processing wafers. A wafer processing apparatus includes top and bottom electrodes inside a processing chamber; a first, second, third, and fourth radio frequency (RF) power sources; and one or more resonant circuits. The first, second, and third RF power sources are coupled to the bottom electrode. The top electrode may be coupled to the fourth RF power source, to electrical ground, or to the one or more resonant circuits. Each of the one or more resonant circuits, which are coupled between the top electrode and electrical ground, include a tune-in element operable to vary a frequency-dependent impedance presented by the resonant circuit. The wafer processing apparatus is configurable to select the RF power sources for wafer processing operations, as well as the connections to the top electrode in order to provide plasma and etching uniformity for the wafer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a microwave plasma processing apparatus. The microwave plasma processing apparatus includes a coaxial waveguide installed in a through hole which is formed in the center side portion in the intermediate metal body to extend continuously through the cooling plate and the intermediate metal plate. The coaxial waveguide includes an inner conductor, an intermediate conductor and an outer conductor. Each of a space between the inner conductor installed in a hollow portion of the intermediate conductor and the intermediate conductor and a space between the intermediate conductor installed in a hollow portion of the outer conductor and the outer conductor transmits microwaves. A difference between an inner diameter of the outer conductor and an outer diameter of the intermediate conductor is larger than a difference between an outer diameter of the inner conductor and an inner diameter of the intermediate conductor.

Abstract: An endpoint booster transports an optical signal from inside of a plasma etch chamber through a viewport to an optical cable outside of the plasma etch chamber. The optical signal is analyzed to determine an endpoint of a plasma process. The endpoint booster inhibits process byproducts from accumulating on the viewport during the plasma process, which increases the time between chamber cleanings. The reduction in chamber downtime for cleaning increases production throughput.

Abstract: This application is directed to an apparatus for creating microwave radiation patterns for an object detection system. The apparatus includes a waveguide conduit having first slots at one side of the conduit and corresponding second slots at an opposite side of the conduit. The waveguide conduit is coupled to a microwave source for transmitting microwaves from the microwave source through the plurality of first slots. A plunger is moveably positioned in the waveguide conduit from one end thereof. The plunger allows the waveguide conduit to be tuned to generally optimize the power of the microwaves exiting the first slots. Secondary plungers are each fitted in one of the second slots to independently tune or detune microwave emittance through a corresponding first slot.

Abstract: In a film-forming apparatus according to an aspect, a substrate placed on a substrate placing region passes through a first region and a second region in this order by rotation of a placing table. A precursor gas is supplied to the first region. Plasma of a reaction gas is generated in the second region by a plasma generation section. The plasma generation section includes an antenna that supplies microwaves as a plasma source. The antenna includes a dielectric window member and a waveguide. The window member is provided above the second region. The waveguide defines a waveguide path that extends in a radial direction. The waveguide is formed with a plurality of slot holes that allow the microwaves to pass therethrough from the waveguide path toward the window member plate. A bottom surface of the window member defines a groove that extends in the radial direction.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes: a processing container which defines a processing space; a microwave generator; a dielectric having an opposing surface which faces the processing space; a slot plate formed with a plurality of slots; and a heating member provided within the slot plate. The slot plate is provided on a surface of the dielectric at an opposite side to the opposing surface to radiate microwaves for plasma excitation to the processing space through the dielectric based on the microwaves generated by the microwave generator.

Abstract: A processing system is disclosed, having a power transmission element with an interior cavity that propagates electromagnetic energy proximate to a continuous slit in the interior cavity. The continuous slit forms an opening between the interior cavity and a substrate processing chamber. The electromagnetic energy may generate an alternating charge in the continuous slit that enables the generation of an electric field that may propagate into the processing chamber. The electric field may interact with process gas in the processing chamber to generate plasma for treating the substrate. The interior cavity may be isolated from the process chamber by a dielectric component that covers the continuous slit. The power transmission element may be used to control plasma density within the process chamber, either by itself or in combination with other plasma sources.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes supporting members, connecting members, a rotation member and fixing members. Each of the supporting members is partially disposed in a disc-shaped cooling plate and configured to support an upper electrode provided below the cooling plate. Each of the connecting members is partially disposed in the cooling plate and extends in a diametrical direction of the cooling plate to be engaged with the corresponding supporting member. The rotation member is provided to surround an outer periphery of the cooling plate and has recesses formed to face the cooling plate and engaged with the corresponding connecting members. Each of the fixing members is configured to lift and fix the upper electrode to the cooling plate by applying a torque to the corresponding connecting member.