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.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 12, 1994
Filed:
Dec. 23, 1991
James E Stevens, Princeton, NJ (US);
Joseph L Cecchi, Lawrenceville, NJ (US);
Consortium for Surface Processing, Inc., Princeton, NJ (US);
Abstract
A plasma processing apparatus and method using a predetermined proportion of relative power between a TE.sub.11 mode and a TM.sub.01 mode to produce radial uniformity of the plasma. A microwave coupler transforms microwave energy from a microwave source into approximately equal proportions of TE.sub.11 and TM.sub.01 modes. In one embodiment, the coupler includes a first arm for generating the TE.sub.11 mode and a second arm for generating the TM.sub.01 mode which are then combined in a cylindrical waveguide section having a sufficient inner diameter to support propagation of both modes. Other circuit components are provided to prevent cross-coupling of the TE.sub.11 mode into the TM.sub.01 generating arm, and vice versa. Thus, the relative proportion of power of each mode may be independently controlled. A magnetic field generator may be used in the apparatus to create an electron cyclotron resonance condition within the plasma.