Abstract: A device for reducing plasma irregularities includes an electrode assembly capable of applying an electric potential to said plasma. The electrode assembly includes a portion for reducing the plasma irregularities. The portion which reduces the plasma irregularities includes alternately a buried portion which is capable of altering the potential within the buried element, or else a conditioned portion of the surface which controls reflectivity and/or emissivity of portions of a surface of the electrode assembly differently.

Abstract: A high-density plasma-processing reactor with a processing chamber configuration which closes upon itself. The reactor applies a toroidal magnetic field to the plasma discharge which creates magnetic field lines which close upon themselves thereby preventing the magnetized plasma electrons traveling along these magnetic field lines from diffusing to the chamber wall or adjacent magnetic field lines. This electron confinement scheme is expected to result in a plasma density in the 10.sup.12 to 10.sup.13 cm.sup.-3 range. The high density plasma processing reactor includes a plasma processing chamber which forms an enclosed configuration mounted within a plurality of toroidal solenoid coils and containing a plurality of plasma source regions.