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:
Aug. 18, 2015
Filed:
Aug. 31, 2009
Martin Freeborn, Santa Cruz, CA (US);
Vince Burkhart, Cupertino, CA (US);
Martin Freeborn, Santa Cruz, CA (US);
Vince Burkhart, Cupertino, CA (US);
Novellus Systems Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
A plasma ignition system includes a first voltage supply that selectively supplies a plasma ignition voltage and a plasma maintenance voltage across an adapter ring and a cathode target of a physical vapor deposition (PVD) system. A second voltage supply selectively supplies a second voltage across the adapter ring and an anode ring of the PVD system. A plasma ignition control module ignites plasma using the plasma ignition voltage and the auxiliary plasma ignition voltage and, after the plasma ignites, supplies the plasma maintenance voltage and ceases supplying the plasma ignition voltage and the auxiliary plasma ignition voltage.