Abstract: A method and apparatus for liquid thermoset resin or polymer molding using electromagnetic waves (particularly radiofrequency waves or microwaves), is described. The method and apparatus uses a metal mold (10, 212) with a cavity (401) for the molding as well as for confinement of the electromagnetic waves. Multiple low loss ports (A, B, C, D, E, p1, p2, p3) are provided for introducing the microwaves into the cavity.

Abstract: A plasma (56, 333) generating apparatus (10, 320, 450) wherein a stage (250, 300, 300A, 350, 400, 425) is constructed to keep the plasma on the substrate (S). A pair of electrically, non-conductive tubes (252, 252A, 303, 305, 303A, 305A 403, 405) are mounted on a conductive base plate (253,306,406) having holes (255, 306B) for gas flow and one of the tubes supports a conductive support plate (251, 301, 351, 401) for a substrate (S). An electrically conductive disk (304, 404) between the tubes is provided. An outer conductive tube (307, 418) is preferably used with larger diameter chambers. The stage is designed to prevent the plasma from falling below conductive support plate which preferably mounts a graphite insert (302, 352, 402) which supports the substrate.

Abstract: A radiofrequency wave apparatus and method which provides a relatively high concentration of reactive species from a plasma for the treatment of a surface particularly of a substrate (31) with a complex geometry in a holder (62) which masks a portion of the substrate. The radiofrequency waves are preferably microwaves or UHF waves. The apparatus and method is particularly useful for rapid plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition of diamond on a portion of the substrate, particularly on surfaces of objects with complex geometries such as a drill (60) or a seal ring (64).

Abstract: A radiofrequency wave apparatus and method which provides a relatively high concentration of reactive species from a plasma for the treatment of a surface particularly of a substrate (31) with a complex geometry in a holder (62) which masks a portion of the substrate. The radiofrequency waves are preferably microwaves or UHF waves. The apparatus and method is particularly useful for rapid plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition of diamond on a portion of the substrate, particularly on surfaces of objects with complex geometries such as a drill (60) or a seal ring (64).

Abstract: An improved radiofrequency wave apparatus (10) which provides a relatively large diameter (on the order of magnitude 500 millimeters) plasma (56) for the coating of a material on a surface of a substrate (50) is described. The apparatus has a movable stage (54), which is used to change the position of the substrate with respect to the plasma. The radiofrequency waves are preferably microwaves or UHF waves (2.45 GHz or 915 MHg). The apparatus has a probe (30) which is mounted along the longitudinal axis (A--A) through a sliding short (16). The apparatus operates in the TM mode and is particularly useful for uniformly coating a relatively large surface of the substrate (or a number of smaller surfaces of substrates at the same time) with a material which is formed in the plasma. The apparatus has been used for depositing diamond films on a number of substrates (Si, Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 and the like).

Abstract: An improved apparatus for generating a uniform electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) region in a plasma region (16) of a chamber (15) is described. The apparatus uses higher modes of electrical field cusps (16b) which are essentially perpendicular to the magnetic field cusps (16a) in a controlled manner to produce the ECR. The modes are optimal in the ECR region.

Abstract: A radiofrequency wave apparatus including an applicator (112, 120) which provides multiple, sequenced processing modes for use in a method for heating a material is described. The modes in the applicator are selected to suit each stage of the processing of a material (B). The apparatus can include multiple circuits (11, 12 and 13) which couple the radiofrequency waves to the applicator using probes (111a, 121a and 122a) in the method. The result is the optimum processing of the material.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for treating a substrate with an excited species removed from a plasma (15, 15a, 31, 52, 53) is described. The apparatus includes closed or open end tubes (13, 22, 30, 54 and 55) with apparatus or nozzles (16, 32, 56 and 57) for directing the excited species at a substrate (17, 33, 59) and a tunable plate or sliding short (11, 38, 39, 40) internal or external of the tubes for positioning the plasma in the tube during operation of the apparatus. Tuning or nozzle position or power variations are used. The method and apparatus is useful for depositing films, etching and the like.

Abstract: A coaxial radiofrequency wave plasma generating apparatus with an elongate metallic cavity (10) having a movable elongate coupling probe (16) mounted in line with an axis (a--a) of the cavity having a central coaxial conductor (11) and having a movable plate (12) for obtaining a mode of resonance of the radiofrequency wave in the cavity surrounding a chamber (14) for confining the plasma (100) is described. An end (11b) of the conductor is adjacent to the chamber and can optionally support a set of magnets (27). The apparatus is particularly useful for retrofitting existing vacumm sources (101) having small inlet ports (105) for plasma treatment using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE).

Abstract: An apparatus 10 with gears (22a, 22b, 22c, 25) for adjusting the position of a plate (13) in a cavity (12) and a rack (51) and gear (53) for moving a probe (15) into and out of the cavity is described. The apparatus includes knobs (34, 55) for controlling the movement of the plate and probe. Micrometers (37, 52) measure the precise position of the plate and probe in the cavity. The apparatus allows very precise tuning for selection of a mode of radiofrequency wave in the cavity and fine tuning within the mode.

Abstract: A method (1) for determining and controlling patterns of change of heating as a function of time for controlled heating of similar materials B, Ba or Bb or (2) for determining changing dielectric constants of a material B, Ba or Bb during heating is described. The materials are heated in cavity (10 or 10a) using radiofrequency waves with internal tuning using a probe (19 or 19a) and sliding shorting plates (12 or 12a). In particular single mode or controlled multimode heating of the materials to allow programmed processing is described.

Abstract: An improved ion generating apparatus for producing a plasma disk using magnets 34 and 35 around a region 16 in a chamber 15 positioned in a microwave cavity is described. The apparatus is particularly operated at a microwave frequency such that electron cyclotron resonance is produced in the plasma to create an accelerating surface for the electrons around and inside of the plasma. The apparatus can be operated to treat an article 100 in the plasma or a holder 39, with a grid 51 to withdraw particles or with a magnets 47 around an opening 48 forming a nozzle which with electron cyclotron resonance produces a neutral beam of charged particles. The apparatus is particularly useful as a plasma source especially for oxidation, etching and deposition.

Abstract: A plasma apparatus which generates a radio frequency (UHF or microwave) disk plasma 16 and a hybrid plasma 45 derived from the disk plasma. The microwave plasma acts as a source of excited ion and free radical species and electrons for the second plasma which is hybrid in that it contains species from both microwave and dc (or rf depending on bias) excitation. The hybrid plasma can be used to treat an article 43 with different species than are present in the disk plasma and provides more control in this regard than a single plasma.

Abstract: A method for etching or chemically treating a surface of an article utilizing a radio frequency wave ion generating apparatus which provides a thin disk shaped plasma is described. The plasma disks can have a relatively large diameter (on the order of magnitude 50 centimeters). The plasma disks can be created without using a static magnetic field. The radio frequency waves are preferably microwaves or UHF. The method is particularly useful for ion or free radical irradiation of the surface provided in the plasma or for irradiation of the surface by ions accelerated outside a cavity containing the plasma. Disk plasmas are created over a wide pressure range (10.sup.-4 Torr to 1 atmosphere) and are highly ionized at low pressures. An apparatus adapted for treating a surface of an article with ions from a plasma is also described. The method and apparatus are preferably used for treating a surface forming part of an integrated circuit.

Abstract: A method for etching or chemically treating a surface of an article utilizing a radio frequency wave ion generating apparatus which provides a thin disk shaped plasma is described. The plasma disks can have a relatively large diameter (on the order of magnitude 50 centimeters). The plasma disks can be created without using a static magnetic field. The radio frequency waves are preferably microwaves or UHF. The method is particularly useful for ion or free radical irradiation of the surface provided in the plasma or for irradiation of the surface by ions accelerated outside a cavity containing the plasma. Disk plasmas are created over a wide pressure range (10.sup.-4 Torr to 1 atmosphere) and are highly ionized at low pressures. An apparatus adapted for treating a surface of an article with ions from a plasma is also described. The method and apparatus are preferably used for treating a surface forming part of an integrated circuit.

Abstract: A radio frequency wave ion generating apparatus which provides a thin disc shaped plasma adjacent an ion attracting means is described. The radio frequency waves are preferably microwaves. Several improvements to microwave plasma generation are described including the steps of generation of a resonantly sustained microwave discharge inside a microwave/plasma coupler or cavity (11) to ignite the plasma; probe (14) and length tuning of the microwave/plasma coupler by means of a sliding short (12) during operation of the plasma and minimization of the plasma volume inside the coupler in a chamber (15) to produce the disc plasma. The apparatus is particularly useful for internal ion or free radical irradiation of various materials provided in the plasma or for ion acceleration outside the cavity for use as an ion engine or as an ion source for irradiation of the materials.