Applied Materials, Inc.

Elvis Gomez

Klaus Becker

Thomas Edward Stewart

David Burgdorf

Luigi G Amato

Victor Theriault

A Bernas ion source having a shield is disclosed. The shield is disposed between the distal portion of the filament and the first end of the chamber and serves to confine the plasma to the region between the shield and the second end of the chamber. The shield may be electrically connected to the negative leg of the filament so as to be the most negatively biased component in the chamber. In other embodiments, the shield may be electrically floating. In this embodiment, the shield may self-bias. The shield is typically made of a refractory metal. The use of the shield may reduce back heating of the filament by the plasma and reduce the possibility for thermal runaway. This may allow denser plasmas to be generated within the chamber.

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Atkinson, NH, United States of America

Elvis Gomez