Centre National De La Recherche Scientifique

Centre National D'etudes Des Telecommunications

Etat Francais, Represente Par Le Ministre Des Pos Tes, Destelecommunicati

L'etat Francais, Represents Par Aux Postes Et Telecommunications

Yves A Arnal

Jacques Henri Pelletier

Michel G Pichot

Laurent J Vallier

Pelletier, Jacques H

Claude Pomot

A device for coupling microwave energy with at least one exciter, and for distributing it therealong for the purpose of producing a plasma, includes a first enclosure whose inside is bathed in microwave energy, a second enclosure containing a gaseous medium to be ionized, and a first series of at least one communication passage between the two enclosures. An exciter is mounted to pass through each communication passage at a distance from the inside surfaces and to extend into the first and second enclosures in order to couple with a portion of the microwave energy and convey the coupled microwave energy locally into association with the gaseous medium. The exciter constitutes, together with the passage and portions of the sidewalls of the enclosures facing the exciter, a coaxial-type structure.

Device for coupling microwave energy with an exciter and for

This invention relates to a process for surface treatment of a substrate carried by an electrode and immersed in a sealed engraving or deposition chamber equipped with plasma generating means, of the type involving the application to the electrodes, of a variable voltage, produced by a generator that is independent of the plasma generating means, wherein said process comprises the steps of:

Process for surface treatment by plasma of a substrate supported by an

Method and device for exciting a plasma using microwaves at the electronic cyclotronic resonance. The device for exciting a gaseous medium by microwaves comprises at least a co-axial structure for introducing the microwave power inside a multipolar confinement structure and at least one antenna coupled to said co-axial structure for the localized introduction of the microwave energy inside said multipolar magnetic confinement structure which comprises a set of permanent magnets creating a network of surfaces having a constant magnetic field and presenting locally an intensity which corresponds to the electronic cyclotronic resonance, and said antenna being positioned on said network of surfaces of constant magnetic field in an area of intensity corresponding to the electronic cyclotronic resonance. The invention finds an application in the creation of a homogenous, isotropic plasma of large volume and high density, which is free of fields in the area of use.

Method and device for exciting a plasma using microwaves at the

The invention relates to the production of plasma. The process according to the invention comprises the steps of: maintaining a gaseous medium in an enclosure at a pressure in the range of 10.sup.-5 to 10.sup.-1 Torr; exciting this gaseous medium in the enclosure by means of UHF waves in the range of one to ten gigahertz, producing a plasma; and maintaining this plasma in the enclosure by means of a magnetic confinement shell comprising many elongated magnetic elements arranged parallel to each other inside the enclosure near the respective interior surfaces, the faces of the magnetic elements which face the interior of the enclosure having alternating polarities. It is more particularly applicable to the microelectronics industry.

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Poisat, France

Yves A Arnal