Self-neutralized radio frequency plasma ion source

Abstract

A plasma ion source includes a plasma generation unit comprising a plasma discharge chamber adapted to generate and sustain a plasma confined therein, a gas distribution unit adapted to deliver a working gas into an interior of the plasma discharge chamber, an ignition unit adapted to stimulate ionization of the working gas to generate a stable plasma, an electrode bias unit configured to apply an electrostatic potential to charged species in the plasma discharge, and an ion extraction unit configured to accelerate the charged species out of the ion extraction unit to generate a quasi-neutral plasma ion beam. The plasma ion source further includes a vacuum integrated matching network coupled with the plasma generation and electrode bias units. The matching network resides with the plasma generation and electrode bias units in a vacuum chamber during operation of the plasma ion source.