Method and apparatus for plasma generation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12159765-B2
Application number	US-202217902208-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 2, 2022
Priority date	Sep 2, 2022
Publication date	Dec 3, 2024
Grant date	Dec 3, 2024

Abstract

A plasma source is provided that is configured to form a section of a wall of a vacuum component. The plasma source comprises a body including a dielectric member, a first surface exposed to an exterior region of the vacuum component, and a second surface exposed to an interior region of the vacuum component. The plasma source also comprises at least one electrode disposed in a receiving channel of the body with at least a portion of the dielectric member located adjacent to the at least one electrode in the receiving channel. The plasma source further comprise at least one discharge region adjacent to the receiving channel within the body. The at least one discharge region is exposed to the interior region of the vacuum component via an opening on the second surface of the body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A plasma source configured to form a section of a wall of a vacuum component, the plasma source comprising:
a body comprising a dielectric member, a first surface exposed to an exterior region of the vacuum component, and a second surface exposed to an interior region of the vacuum component, wherein the body is adapted to be disposed into an aperture of the wall of the vacuum component;
at least one electrode disposed in a receiving channel of the body with at least a portion of the dielectric member located adjacent to the at least one electrode in the receiving channel, the at least one electrode being electrically exposed to the exterior region of the vacuum component at the first surface for receiving a radio-frequency (RF) current; and
at least one discharge region adjacent to the receiving channel within the body, the at least one discharge region exposed to the interior region of the vacuum component via an opening on the second surface of the body, wherein a plasma is adapted to be formed within the at least one discharge region.

2. The plasma source of claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrode is a conductive flat rail buried into and substantially surrounded by the dielectric member.

3. The plasma source of claim 2 , wherein the flat rail is inserted into a slot formed in the dielectric member.

4. The plasma source of claim 2 , wherein a neighboring section of the wall of the vacuum component relative to the plasma source is grounded to generate the plasma within the discharge region of the plasma source.

5. The plasma source of claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrode comprises a plurality of conductive flat rails buried substantially parallel relative to each other within the dielectric member.

6. The plasma source of claim 1 , wherein the electrode comprises an electrically and thermally conductive cylindrical busbar embedded in the dielectric member.

7. The plasma source of claim 6 , further comprising a heat sink disposed in the receiving channel substantially surrounded by the electrode and the dielectric member.

8. The plasma source of claim 6 , further comprising a substantially cylindrical ground member radially surrounding the electrode, the dielectric member and the discharge region, wherein the ground member is adapted to be electrically grounded to generate the plasma within the discharge region.

9. The plasma source of claim 8 , wherein the discharge region is substantially ring-shaped and concentrically sandwiched between the ground member and the dielectric member having the electrode embedded therein.

10. The plasma source of claim 9 , wherein the plasma source is oriented such that a longitudinal axis of the plasma source, including the cylindrical electrode, the cylindrical ground member and the ring-shaped discharge region, extends substantially perpendicular to the wall of the vacuum component.

11. The plasma source of claim 6 , further comprising a ground member longitudinally encasing the electrode, the dielectric member and the discharge region, wherein the ground member is adapted to be electrically grounded to generate the plasma within the discharge region.

12. The plasma source of claim 11 , wherein the plasma source is oriented such that a longitudinal axis of the plasma source extends substantially parallel to the wall of the vacuum component.

13. The plasma source of claim 1 , further comprising a vacuum seal located between the body and the vacuum component for providing a fluid seal between the plasma source and the vacuum component.

14. The plasma source of claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrode and the dielectric member are joined by one of co-firing or bonding.

15. The plasma source of claim 1 , wherein the body defines a thickness extending between the first and second surfaces, the thickness of the body being at least same as a thickness of the wall of the vacuum component.

16. A method of manufacturing a plasma source for forming a section of a wall of a vacuum component, the method comprising:
providing at least one electrode with one or more electrical contacts;
disposing the at least one electrode in a receiving channel of a body, the body comprising a dielectric member, a first surface adapted to be exposed to an exterior region of the vacuum component, and a second surface adapted to be exposed to an interior region of the vacuum component;
locating at least a portion of the dielectric member adjacent to the at least one electrode in the receiving channel;
disposing the body into an aperture of the wall of the vacuum component such that the one or more electrical contacts of the at least one electrode is exposed to the exterior region of the vacuum component at the first surface of the body and the one or more electrical contacts being accessible from the exterior region of the vacuum component; and
forming at least one discharge region adjacent to the receiving channel within the body, the at least one discharge region exposed to an interior region of the vacuum component via an opening on the second surface of the body, wherein a plasma is adapted to be formed within the at least one discharge region.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising disposing a plurality of the plasma source bodies into respective ones of apertures along various sections of the wall of the vacuum component to create an array of discharge regions exposed to the interior region of the vacuum component.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising coupling a vacuum seal to the plasma source body such that the plasma source forms a fluid seal with the vacuum component when disposed in the aperture.

19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising employing one of co-firing or bonding to join the at least one electrode and the dielectric member.

20. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
providing a radio-frequency (RF) current to the one or more electrical contacts of the at least one electrode;
electrically grounding a ground element of the plasma source or a neighboring wall section of the vacuum component;
providing a gas to the interior region of the vacuum component that is adapted to flow into the discharge region of the plasma source via the opening on the interior surface of the body; and
generating the plasma in the at least one discharge region of the plasma source.

21. The method of claim 16 , wherein the at least one electrode is a conductive flat rail buried into and surrounded by the dielectric member.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the at least one electrode comprises a plurality of conductive flat rails buried substantially parallel relative to each other within the dielectric member.

23. The method of claim 16 , wherein the at least one electrode comprises an electrically and thermally conductive cylindrical busbar embedded in the dielectric member.

24. The method of claim 23 , further comprising embedding a heat sink in the receiving channel substantially surrounded by the electrode and the dielectric member.

25. The method of claim 23 , further comprising orienting the plasma source relative to the vacuum component such that a longitudinal axis of the plasma source extends substantially perpendicular to the wall of the vacuum component.

26. The method of claim 23 , further comprising orienting the plasma source relative to the vacuum component such that a longitudinal axis of the plasma sourc

Assignees

• Mks Instr Inc

Inventors

• Collins Ron
• Cowe Andrew
• Hill Gordon

Classifications

• H01J37/321 Primary

  the radio frequency energy being inductively coupled to the plasma · CPC title

• H01J37/32522

  Temperature · CPC title

• H01J37/32568

  Relative arrangement or disposition of electrodes; moving means · CPC title

• H01J37/32513 Primary

  Sealing means, e.g. sealing between different parts of the vessel · CPC title