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:
Jul. 16, 2002
Filed:
May. 25, 2000
Michael S. Cox, Davenport, CA (US);
Canfeng Lai, Fremont, CA (US);
Robert B. Majewski, Felton, CA (US);
David P. Wanamaker, San Jose, CA (US);
Christopher T. Lane, San Jose, CA (US);
Peter Loewenhardt, San Jose, CA (US);
Shamouil Shamouilian, San Jose, CA (US);
John P. Parks, San Jose, CA (US);
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A toroidal plasma source ( ) within a substrate processing chamber ( ). The toroidal plasma source forms a poloidal plasma with theta symmetry. The poloidal plasma current is essentially parallel to a surface of the plasma generating structure, thus reducing sputtering erosion of the inner walls. The plasma current is similarly essentially parallel to a process surface ( ) of a substrate ( ) within the chamber. In a further embodiment, a shaped member ( ) between the substrate and the plasma source controls the plasma density in a selected fashion to enhance plasma processing uniformity.