US5198718A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Filamentless ion source for thin film processing and surface modification
Assignee: Nordiko Technical Services Ltd
•
Filing: 1990-03-06
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Granted: 1993-03-30
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Expires: 2010-03-06
Abstract
Abstract A filamentless (without a heated cathode) ion source for thin film processing and surface modification. The ion source comprises a plasma chamber which includes a wall defining an evacuable chamber having a first end and a second end, with a dielectric member extending across the first end of the evacuable chamber. A gas inlet admits a plasma forming gas into the chamber. An RF emitter is positioned adjacent to the dielectric member for inductively generating a plasma in the gas in the plasma chamber during use of the ion source. A control grid structure is provided for extracting ions from plasma in the plasma chamber, and include a first grid connected to a positive voltage source and a second grid connected to a negative voltage source, to produce an acceleration field for accelerating ions towards and through the second grid of the control grid structure. An ion beam processing apparatus and an ion beam neutralizer incorporating such an ion source are also described.
Inventors
- 👤 Mervyn H. Davis
- 👤 Gary Proudfoot
- 👤 Keith H. Bayliss
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 18:22
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J27/00; H01J27/02; H01J27/16; H01J37/00; H01J37/02; H01J37/04; H01J37/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
174 words
An ion gun for use in ion beam processing comprising: a) a plasma chamber comprising: wall means defining an evacuable chamber having a first end and a second end; and a dielectric member extending across the first end of the evacuable chamber; b) gas inlet means for admission to the chamber of a plasma forming gas; c) radio frequency emitter means comprising a substantially flat spirally wound coil positioned adjacent to the plasma chamber for inductively generating a plasma in the gas in the plasma chamber during use of the ion gun; d) primary magnet means for trapping electrons adjacent the wall of the plasma chamber during use of the ion gun; and e) a control grid structure for extracting ions from plasma in the plasma chamber including a first grid arranged for connection to a positive voltage source and a second grid arranged for connection to ground or a negative voltage source so as to produce an acceleration field for accelerating ions towards and through the second grid of the control grid structure.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
174 words
An ion gun for use in ion beam processing comprising: a) a plasma chamber comprising: wall means defining an evacuable chamber having a first end and a second end; and a dielectric member extending across the first end of the evacuable chamber; b) gas inlet means for admission to the chamber of a plasma forming gas; c) radio frequency emitter means comprising a substantially flat spirally wound coil positioned adjacent to the plasma chamber for inductively generating a plasma in the gas in the plasma chamber during use of the ion gun; d) primary magnet means for trapping electrons adjacent the wall of the plasma chamber during use of the ion gun; and e) a control grid structure for extracting ions from plasma in the plasma chamber including a first grid arranged for connection to a positive voltage source and a second grid arranged for connection to ground or a negative voltage source so as to produce an acceleration field for accelerating ions towards and through the second grid of the control grid structure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
An ion gun according to claim 1, in which the dielectric member is flat.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
An ion gun according to claim 1, in which the dielectric member is curved.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
An ion gun according to claim 1, in which the coil is positioned adjacent to the dielectric member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
An ion gun according to claim 1, in which the coil is embedded within the dielectric member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
An ion gun according to claim 1, in which the coil is coupled to a power source operating at a frequency in the range of from about 1 MHz to about 40 MHz.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
An ion gun according to claim 1, in which said wall means is constructed from an electrically conductive material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
An ion gun according to claim 1, in which said wall means is constructed from a dielectric material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
64 words
An ion gun according to claim 1, in which said primary magnet means comprises an array of magnets arranged to produce lines of magnetic flux within the plasma chamber which extend in a curve from the wall of the plasma chamber and return thereto so as to form an arch over a respective one of a plurality of wall regions of said plasma chamber.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
An ion gun according to claim 9, in which said wall regions extend longitudinally of the wall of said plasma chamber.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
74 words
An ion gun according to claim 9, in which said primary magnet means comprises an even number of magnets arranged in an array including at least one row extending around the periphery of said plasma chamber, with each magnet in said array being disposed with its magnetic axis extending substantially in a lateral plane and having a pole of opposite polarity to that of the magnets adjacent to it facing towards the plasma chamber.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
55 words
An ion gun according to claim 11, in which the array of magnets comprises a plurality of rows of magnets extending around the periphery of said plasma chamber, with each magnet in a row having a pole of opposite polarity to that of any adjacent magnet in another adjacent row facing towards the plasma chamber.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
An ion gun according to claim 1, further including a secondary magnet means positioned adjacent to the radio frequency emitter means for producing a magnetic dipole field that penetrates the coil of the radio frequency emitter means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
229 words
An ion beam processing apparatus comprising: 1) a vacuum chamber; 2) an ion gun utilizing radio frequency coupling for plasma generation and arranged to project an ion beam into the vacuum chamber; 3) an ion beam neutralizer for projecting electrons into the ion beam; and 4) a support for a target or a substrate in the path of the ion beam; the ion gun comprising: a) a plasma chamber comprising: wall means defining an evacuable chamber having a first end and a second end; and a dielectric member extending across the first end of the evacuable chamber; b) gas inlet means for admission to the chamber of a plasma forming gas; c) radio frequency emitter means comprising a substantially flat spirally wound coil positioned adjacent to the plasma chamber for inductively generating a plasma in the gas in the plasma chamber during use of the ion gun; d) primary magnet means for trapping electrons adjacent the wall of the plasma chamber during use of the ion gun; and e) a control grid structure for extracting ions from plasma in the plasma chamber including a first grid arranged for connection to a positive voltage source and a second grid arranged for connection to ground or a negative voltage source so as to produce an acceleration field for accelerating ions towards and through the second grid of the control grid structure.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
229 words
An ion beam processing apparatus comprising: 1) a vacuum chamber; 2) an ion gun utilizing radio frequency coupling for plasma generation and arranged to project an ion beam into the vacuum chamber; 3) an ion beam neutralizer for projecting electrons into the ion beam; and 4) a support for a target or a substrate in the path of the ion beam; the ion gun comprising: a) a plasma chamber comprising: wall means defining an evacuable chamber having a first end and a second end; and a dielectric member extending across the first end of the evacuable chamber; b) gas inlet means for admission to the chamber of a plasma forming gas; c) radio frequency emitter means comprising a substantially flat spirally wound coil positioned adjacent to the plasma chamber for inductively generating a plasma in the gas in the plasma chamber during use of the ion gun; d) primary magnet means for trapping electrons adjacent the wall of the plasma chamber during use of the ion gun; and e) a control grid structure for extracting ions from plasma in the plasma chamber including a first grid arranged for connection to a positive voltage source and a second grid arranged for connection to ground or a negative voltage source so as to produce an acceleration field for accelerating ions towards and through the second grid of the control grid structure.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
An ion beam processing apparatus according to claim 14, in which the ion beam neutralizer is coupled to a radio frequency power source.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
108 words
An ion beam processing apparatus according to claim 14, in which the ion beam neutralizer comprises an open ended plasma source chamber, means for admitting a plasma forming gas to the plasma source chamber, a radio frequency generating coil surrounding the plasma source chamber for generating a plasma therein, and an extraction grid structure across the open end of the plasma source chamber including a first grid arranged for connection to a negative voltage source and a second grid arranged for connection to a positive voltage source so as to produce an acceleration field for accelerating electrons towards and through the second grid of the extraction grid structure.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
An ion beam processing apparatus according to claim 14, in which the dielectric member is flat.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
An ion beam processing apparatus according to claim 14, in which the dielectric member is curved.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
An ion beam processing apparatus according to claim 14, in which the coil is positioned adjacent to the dielectric member.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
An ion beam processing apparatus according to claim 14, in which the coil is embedded within the dielectric member.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
35 words
An ion beam processing apparatus according to claim 14, in which the coil is coupled to a power source operating at a frequency in the range of from about 1 MHz to about 40 MHz.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
An ion beam processing apparatus according to claim 14, in which said wall means is constructed from an electrically conductive material.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
An ion beam processing apparatus according to claim 14, in which said wall means is constructed from a dielectric material.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
66 words
An ion beam processing apparatus according to claim 14, in which said primary magnet means comprises an array of magnets arranged to produce lines of magnetic flux within the plasma chamber which extend in a curve from the wall of the plasma chamber and return thereto so as to form an arch over a respective one of a plurality of wall regions of said plasma chamber.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
23 words
An ion beam processing apparatus according to claim 24, in which said wall regions extend longitudinally of the wall of said plasma chamber.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
75 words
An ion beam processing apparatus according to claim 24, in which said primary magnet means comprises an even number of magnets arranged in an array including at least one row extending around the periphery of said plasma chamber, each magnet in said array being disposed with its magnetic axis extending substantially in a lateral plane and having a pole of opposite polarity to that of the magnets adjacent to it facing towards the plasma chamber.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
57 words
An ion beam processing apparatus according to claim 26, in which the array of magnets comprises a plurality of rows of magnets extending around the periphery of said plasma chamber, with each magnet in a row having a pole of opposite polarity to that of any adjacent magnet in another adjacent row facing towards the plasma chamber.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
39 words
An ion beam processing apparatus according to claim 14, further including a secondary magnet means positioned adjacent to the radio frequency emitter means for producing a magnetic dipole field that penetrates the coil of the radio frequency emitter means.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-03-29 | 1996-09-28 | 1997-03-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-03-29 | 2000-09-28 | 2001-03-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-03-29 | 2004-09-28 | 2005-03-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |