Fusion Systems Corporation

Lam Research Corporation

Fusion Lighting, Inc.

Other

Axcelis Technologies, Inc.

Mohammad Kamarehi

Michael G Ury

James E Simpson

Ing-Yann Wang

Donald C Lynch

Charles H Wood

Brian P Turner

Jianou Shi

Richard Pingree

Harmeet Singh

Hong Shih

Duane Outka

Aseem Kumar Srivastava

Raphael Casaes

Robert D Wooten

Gerald Cox

Leslie Levine

A method for minimizing microwave leakage into processing chamber of a microwave plasma system is provided. The method includes securing plasma traps to a plasma tube assembly, which is a cylindrical structure positioned upstream from the processing chamber and has a plasma-sustaining region. The plasma traps are electrically conductive disks surrounding the cylindrical structure and are positioned upstream from the processing chamber. The plasma traps include at least two electrically conductive disks. Each electrically conductive disk includes corrugated outer surfaces with plurality of corrugated peaks. The corrugated outer surface of the first electrically conductive disk is facing a corrugated outer surface of the second electrically conductive disk in a space-apart relationship to form an interstitial region between the electrically conductive disks. Both electrically conductive disk and the interstitial region form one of a set of upstream plasma traps and a set of downstream plasma traps relative to the plasma-sustaining region.

Methods for implementing highly efficient plasma traps

A gas distribution arrangement configured to provide a process gas downstream to a plasma tube of a plasma processing chamber. The plasma tube has a top end. The arrangement includes a body having a first end. The first end has a width larger than the plasma tube and a protrusion end adapted to be inserted into the top end. The arrangement also includes a gas inlet vertically disposed in the body. The gas inlet extends from the first end toward the protrusion end and the gas inlet terminates before extending through the protrusion end. The arrangement further includes a plurality of directional inlet channels extending from a lower end of the gas inlet through the protrusion end.

Highly efficient gas distribution arrangement for plasma tube of a plasma processing chamber

A method of cleaning a microwave plasma applicator tube as described herein includes preparing a microwave plasma applicator for cleaning. A general cleaning of the plasma applicator tube is performed using an organic solvent wash and an ultrapure water wash. Selective cleanings of the tube are performed to remove selected contaminants. Such cleanings include a third wash with an alkaline cleaning solution, a fourth wash with an acidic cleaning solution and another wash using an ammonia and peroxide solution. The tube is rinsed using a sonicating wash performed in ultrapure water followed by drying. Also, the coil can be cleaned using acidic wash solution.

Method for cleaning microwave applicator tube

An arrangement configured to contain plasma within plasma tube assembly of downstream microwave plasma system. Downstream microwave plasma system is configured to generate plasma within plasma-sustaining region of plasma tube assembly and channeling at least portion of plasma downstream to plasma processing chamber of downstream microwave plasma system. Arrangement includes a first hollow center electrically conductive disk surrounding a cylindrical structure that defines plasma passage of plasma tube assembly. Arrangement also includes a second hollow center electrically conductive disk also surrounding the cylindrical structure. Second hollow center electrically conductive disk is configured to be disposed in a spaced-apart relationship relative to first hollow center electrically conductive disk so as to form a first hollow center disk-shape interstitial region between first hollow center electrically conductive disc and second hollow center electrically conductive disc.

Methods and arrangement for implementing highly efficient plasma traps

A plasma system is disclosed. The plasma system includes a microwave waveguide assembly having a longitudinal axis parallel with a first axis. The plasma system also includes a plasma tube assembly intersecting the microwave waveguide assembly. The plasma tube assembly has a longitudinal axis parallel with a second axis that is substantially orthogonal with the first axis. The plasma tube assembly also has a plasma-sustaining region defined by an upstream plurality of plasma traps and a downstream plurality of plasma traps.

Corrugated plasma trap arrangement for creating a highly efficient downstream microwave plasma system

A remote plasma source employs a helical coil slow wave structure to couple microwave energy to a flowing gas to produce plasma for downstream substrate processing, such as photoresist stripping, ashing, or etching. The system also includes cooling structures for removing excess heat from the plasma source components.

Helix coupled remote plasma source

An apparatus for cooling an electrodeless lamp including a supersonic outlet jet for providing a stream of cooling gas. A common manifold including mounting elements for a plurality of conduits of equal length for transporting cooling gas, wherein the mounting elements are at staggered elevational positions so that the conduits provide cooling gas in the vicinity of lamp envelope at different elevational positions.

Device for cooling electrodeless lamp with supersonic outlet jets and a

A method of removing material from a substrate, and a plasma discharge device wherein a plasma is excited by microwave energy having an electric field which is azimuthally and axially uniform in relation to the plasma tube. The microwave cavity is divided longitudinally into sections by conducting partitions, each of which is separately fed with microwave energy, and the plasma tube extends through openings in the partitions.

Microwave plasma discharge device

An electrodeless lamp arrangement powered by RF energy. The lamp arrangement having an envelope that is rotated and most importantly the envelope forms the center of a coaxial arrangment used to transfer the RF energy into the envelope.

Electrodeless lamp with elimination of arc attachment

A sulfur, selenium, and/or tellurium based lamp for providing visible light. The lamp is operated in a regime for providing high efficacy wherein the ratio of the volume to surface area of the bulb is greater than 0.45 cm, the concentration of the sulfur, selenium, or tellurium is less than 1.75 mg/cc, and the power density is between about 100 watts/cc and 5 watts/cc.

Electrodeless lamp with improved efficacy

An electrodeless lamp is started by coupling microwave power of a first frequency to a lamp cavity, while the discharge is maintained by coupling microwave power of a second frequency, wherein the first frequency is lower than the second frequency. A cooling fluid is impinged on the lamp bulb immediately before the application of the microwave power of the first frequency.

Electrodeless lamp starting/operation with sources at different

Apparatus for efficiently exciting an electrodeless lamp to produce visible light. A source of microwave energy is coupled to a cylindrical cavity which encloses an electrodeless lamp. The cylindrical cavity includes a sidewall and end wall which is made from a metallic mesh which passes light produced from the electrodeless lamp. The electric field intensity within the cylindrical cavity is increased in the region above the lamp center. The increased electric field intensity produces a more uniform temperature across the bulb service, increasing the rate of plasma heating of gas molecules in the lamp.

Apparatus for exciting an electrodeless lamp with an increasing electric

A plasma asher which obviates microwave leakage and attendant problems by providing a microwave trap proximate the opening through which the plasma tube exits the microwave cavity.

Plasma asher with microwave trap

A microwave powered lamp wherein microwave energy is coupled to a cavity in which an electrodeless bulb is disposed, such that a rotating field of constant ellipticity is established in the cavity.

Microwave lamp with rotating field

A microwave powered electrodeless lamp which employs a hybrid cylindrical cavity which is part mesh and part solid. The cylindrical mesh portion permits the lamp to be used with an external reflector while the cylindrical solid portion enables a plurality of waveguides to be coupled to the cavity for high power operation.

Growing community of inventors

Gaithersburg, MD, United States of America

Mohammad Kamarehi