| US 7,554,053 B2 | ||
| Corrugated plasma trap arrangement for creating a highly efficient downstream microwave plasma system | ||
| Mohammad Kamarehi, Gaithersburg, Md. (US); and Ing-Yann Albert Wang, Moraga, Calif. (US) | ||
| Assigned to Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, Calif. (US) | ||
| Filed on Dec. 23, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/317,874. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2007/0145020 A1, Jun. 28, 2007 | ||
| This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer. | ||
| Int. Cl. C23C 16/00 (2006.01); H05H 1/00 (2006.01); H05B 6/76 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 219—121.41 [219/699; 219/742; 118/723 ME; 118/723 MR; 118/723 MW; 156/345.35] | 52 Claims |
| 1. A plasma system comprising:
a microwave waveguide assembly; and
a plasma tube assembly intersecting said microwave waveguide assembly, said plasma tube assembly having a plasma-sustaining
region defined by an upstream plurality of plasma traps and a downstream plurality of plasma traps,
wherein a first plasma trap among at least one of said upstream plurality of plasma traps and said downstream plurality of
plasma traps includes a first downstream corrugated outer surface and a first upstream corrugated outer surface disposed at
an opposite side to said first downstream corrugated outer surface, said first plasma trap further including a first plurality
of corrugated peaks protruding, in a first direction parallel to said plasma tube assembly, outward from said first downstream
corrugated outer surface thereby forming said first downstream corrugated outer surface, said first plasma trap further including
a second plurality of corrugated peaks protruding, in a second direction parallel to said plasma tube assembly and said first
plurality of corrugated peaks, outward from said first upstream corrugated outer surface thereby forming said first upstream
corrugated outer surface, and
a second plasma trap among at least one of said upstream plurality of plasma traps and said downstream plurality of plasma
traps includes a second upstream corrugated outer surface and a second downstream corrugated outer surface disposed at an
opposite side to said second upstream outer surface, said second plasma trap further including a third plurality of corrugated
peaks protruding, in said first direction parallel to said plasma tube assembly, outward from said second downstream corrugated
outer surface thereby forming said second downstream corrugated outer surface, said second plasma trap further including a
fourth plurality of corrugated peaks protruding, in said second direction parallel to said plasma tube assembly and said third
plurality of corrugated peaks, outward from said second upstream corrugated outer surface thereby forming said second upstream
corrugated outer surface, said second upstream corrugated outer surface facing said first downstream corrugated outer surface.
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