The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Sep. 11, 2018

Filed:

Jul. 06, 2017
Applicant:

Mks Instruments Inc., Andover, MA (US);

Inventors:

Shaun T. Smith, Malden, MA (US);

Steven R. Walther, Andover, MA (US);

Chen Wu, Foster City, CA (US);

Assignee:

MKS Instruments, Inc., Andover, MA (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H05H 1/46 (2006.01); H01J 37/32 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
H05H 1/46 (2013.01); H01J 37/32082 (2013.01); H01J 37/32174 (2013.01); H01J 37/32192 (2013.01); H01J 37/32247 (2013.01); H01J 37/32311 (2013.01); H05H 2001/4607 (2013.01); H05H 2001/4652 (2013.01);
Abstract

Methods and apparatus for igniting a process plasma within a plasma chamber are provided. One or more self-resonating devices are positioned within a plasma chamber relative to a plasma generation volume within the plasma chamber. The plasma generation volume is defined by the plasma chamber. Each of the self-resonating devices generates an ignition plasma. The ignition plasmas cause a partial ionization of an ignition gas. The partially ionized ignition gas allows for ignition of a process plasma by applying an electric field to the plasma generation volume.


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