Plasma generating apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2026066242-A1
Application number	US-202519061081-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 24, 2025
Priority date	Sep 4, 2024
Publication date	Mar 5, 2026
Grant date	—

Abstract

A plasma generating apparatus according to an embodiment includes a plasma chamber, a pair of opposed electrodes installed inside the plasma chamber and forming an electric field to generate plasma by applying an AC voltage, and a solenoid coil surrounding a sidewall of the plasma chamber and supplying a DC current to form a magnetic field, wherein a part of the magnetic field formed by the solenoid coil penetrates the opposed electrodes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A plasma generating apparatus comprising:
a plasma chamber; a pair of opposed electrodes installed inside the plasma chamber and generating plasma by applying AC voltage to form an electric field; and a solenoid coil surrounding a sidewall of the plasma chamber and supplying DC current to form a magnetic field, wherein a part of the magnetic field formed by the solenoid coil penetrates the opposed electrode.

2 . The plasma generating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a direction of the part of the magnetic field formed by the solenoid coil, which penetrates the opposed electrodes, is parallel to a direction of the electric field formed by the opposed electrodes.

3 . The plasma generating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the plasma chamber has a cylindrical shape; and the sidewall of the plasma chamber forms a cylindrical surface.

4 . The plasma generating apparatus of claim 3 , wherein:
the pair of opposed electrodes includes a first electrode and a second electrode which are opposed to each other in parallel; and the first electrode and the second electrode have a circular disc shape.

5 . The plasma generating apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the solenoid coil is positioned on an outer surface of the sidewall of the plasma chamber.

6 . The plasma generating apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the solenoid coil is positioned on an inner surface of the sidewall of the plasma chamber.

7 . The plasma generating apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising:
a coil fixing member fixing the solenoid coil.

8 . The plasma generating apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising:
an AC voltage supply applying the AC voltage to the pair of opposed electrodes.

9 . The plasma generating apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
a DC current supply supplying the DC current to the solenoid coil.

10 . The plasma generating apparatus of claim 4 , wherein a minimum magnetic field strength required to magnetize electrons inside the plasma chamber is proportional to a pressure inside the plasma chamber.

11 . The plasma generating apparatus of claim 4 , wherein:
an inner surface of the sidewall of the plasma chamber is made of non-ferromagnetic material; and the opposed electrodes are made of non-ferromagnetic material.

12 . The plasma generating apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the solenoid coil is made of a conductor material having resistance.

13 . The plasma generating apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the solenoid coil includes a superconducting solenoid coil made of a superconducting material having no resistance at a specific temperature.

14 . The plasma generating apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising:
a gas supply supplying gas to the plasma chamber; a heater installed at the first electrode; and a shower head installed at the second electrode and spraying a gas onto a substrate.

15 . A plasma generating apparatus comprising:
a plasma chamber; a pair of opposed electrodes installed inside the plasma chamber and generating plasma by applying AC voltage to form an electric field; a solenoid coil surrounding a sidewall of the plasma chamber and supplying DC current to form a magnetic field; an AC voltage supply applying the AC voltage to the pair of opposed electrodes; and a DC current supply supplying the DC current to the solenoid coil, wherein a direction of a part of the magnetic field formed by the solenoid coil, which penetrates the opposed electrodes, is perpendicular to surfaces of the opposed electrodes.

16 . The plasma generating apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the direction of the part of the magnetic field formed by the solenoid coil, which penetrates the opposed electrodes, is parallel to the direction of the electric field formed by the opposed electrodes.

17 . The plasma generating apparatus of claim 16 , wherein:
the plasma chamber has a cylindrical shape; and the sidewall of the plasma chamber forms a cylindrical surface.

18 . A plasma generating apparatus comprising:
a plasma chamber; a pair of opposed electrodes installed inside the plasma chamber and generating plasma by applying AC voltage to form an electric field; and a solenoid coil surrounding a sidewall of the plasma chamber and supplying DC current to form a magnetic field, wherein an imaginary central axis of the solenoid coil is positioned on the same line as centers of the pair of opposed electrodes.

19 . The plasma generating apparatus of claim 18 , wherein a direction of a part of the magnetic field formed by the solenoid coil, which penetrates the opposed electrodes, is parallel to a direction of the electric field formed by the opposed electrodes.

20 . The plasma generating apparatus of claim 19 , wherein:
the pair of opposed electrodes includes a first electrode and a second electrode which are opposed to each other in parallel; and the first electrode and the second electrode have a circular disc shape.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jeong Seongyeop
• Kong Dae Wee
• Noh Youngsu
• Park Jingyu
• Byeon Mingyo
• Ahn Myung Mo
• Yoo Byeongsun

Classifications

• H01J37/3266

  Magnetic control means · CPC title

• H01J37/32091

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

• H01J37/32669 Primary

  Particular magnets or magnet arrangements for controlling the discharge · CPC title

• H01J2237/3323

  uniformity · CPC title

• H01J37/32568 Primary

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