Microwave plasma apparatus and methods for processing materials using an interior liner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12261023-B2
Application number	US-202318320655-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2023
Priority date	May 23, 2022
Publication date	Mar 25, 2025
Grant date	Mar 25, 2025

Abstract

The embodiments disclosed herein are directed to systems, methods, and devices for processing a material using a microwave plasma apparatus with an interior liner. In some embodiments, the liner comprises a reduction resistant material layer in direct contact with a hydrogen-containing plasma of a plasma processing apparatus. In some embodiments, the liner may comprise a sleeve disposed between a plasma and one or more concentric tubes of a plasma processing apparatus. In some embodiments, the liner may comprise a coating of material applied to the one or more concentric tubes. In some embodiments, the liner may comprise a flexible ceramic material, such as a ceramic ribbon that is coiled or wrapped in a helix shape spiraling around the interior of the one or more concentric tubes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A microwave plasma apparatus for processing a material, comprising:
a quartz tube in communication with at least one microwave radiation source, a reaction chamber, and a material feeding system; and
a liner disposed within the quartz tube, the liner comprising a material resistant to H 2 , CO 2 , or CH 4 gasses;
wherein the liner is disposed between the quartz tube and a plasma generation zone of the microwave plasma apparatus;
wherein the liner comprises a coating of the material resistant to H 2 , CO 2 , or CH 4 gasses applied to the quartz tube.

2. The microwave plasma apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of concentric quartz tubes.

3. The microwave plasma apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the microwave radiation source is configured to provide power to the plasma generation zone to generate a microwave plasma within the plasma generation zone upon contact with a plasma gas.

4. The microwave plasma apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an extension tube extending from the quartz tube into the reaction chamber;
wherein the liner extends into the extension tube from the quartz tube.

5. The microwave plasma apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the liner comprises alumina, zirconia, or refractory material.

6. A method for processing a material, the method comprising:
feeding the material to a plasma generation zone of a microwave plasma apparatus through a material feeding system;
feeding a hydrogen-containing gas to the plasma generation zone;
applying microwave power to the plasma generation zone to form a plasma from the hydrogen-containing gas; and
contacting the material with the plasma,
wherein the plasma generation zone is located within a liner disposed within a quartz tube of the microwave plasma apparatus, the liner comprising a material resistant to H 2 , CO 2 , or CH 4 gasses;
wherein the liner comprises a coating of the material resistant to the H 2 , CO 2 , or CH 4 gasses applied to the quartz tube.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the microwave plasma apparatus comprises a plurality of concentric quartz tubes.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the plasma gas comprises H 2 or CH 4 .

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the microwave plasma apparatus further comprises an extension tube extending from the quartz tube into a reaction chamber.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the liner extends into the extension tube from the quartz tube.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein the liner comprises alumina, zirconia, or refractory material.

12. An interior liner disposed in a microwave plasma apparatus, the liner comprising a material resistant to H 2 , CO 2 , or CH 4 gasses and positioned between a quartz tube and a plasma generation zone of the microwave plasma apparatus, wherein the interior liner is a continuous coating of the material applied to the quartz tube.

13. The liner of claim 12 , wherein the reduction resistant material is a ceramic material.

14. The liner of claim 12 , wherein the reduction resistant material comprises alumina, zirconia, or refractory material.

Assignees

• 6K Inc

Inventors

• Holman Richard K
• Ullal Saurabh

Classifications

• H01J37/32201

  Generating means · CPC title

• H01J2237/0268

  Liner tubes · CPC title

• H01J37/32495

  Means for protecting the vessel against plasma · CPC title

• H01J37/32192

  Microwave generated discharge (H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394, H01J37/32403 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01J37/3244 Primary

  Gas supply means · CPC title