H01J37/32201

Plasma density monitor, plasma processing apparatus, and plasma processing method
11410835 · 2022-08-09 · ·

A plasma density monitor for monitoring a plasma density of surface wave plasma in a chamber accommodating a substrate and performs a plasma process on the substrate. The monitor includes: a monopole antenna installed to extend from a wall of the chamber toward an interior of the chamber and to be perpendicular to an inner wall surface of the chamber, and configured to receive a surface wave; a coaxial line configured to extract a detection value from a signal received by the monopole antenna; a length adjuster configured to adjust a length of the monopole antenna; and a controller configured to control the length adjuster so as to obtain a wavelength of the surface wave and the plasma density of the surface wave plasma from the wavelength of the surface wave.

METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR RECLAMATION OF LI-ION CATHODE MATERIALS USING MICROWAVE PLASMA PROCESSING
20220223379 · 2022-07-14 ·

Disclosed herein are embodiments of systems and methods for recycling used solid feedstocks containing lithium powders for use in lithium-ion batteries. The used solid feedstocks may be Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (NMC) materials. In some embodiments, the used solid feedstock can undergo a microwave plasma process to produce a newly usable, lithium supplemented solid precursor with augmented chemistries and physical properties.

SYSTEM FOR GROWTH OF ONE OR MORE CRYSTALLINE MATERIALS
20220084793 · 2022-03-17 ·

The invention provides a system for growth of one or more crystalline materials, specifically diamonds. The system comprises a microwave generator integrated with a pressure controller and an Optical Emission Spectrometer (OES) to form an Integrated Microwave Generator System (IMGS). The OES provides a real-time feedback loop to an IMGS controller based on microwave plasma input from a microwave plasma reactor, to control one or more parameters (power, pressure, power density, and pulsed power) in a closed loop and maintain required proposition of plasma constituents for the growth of diamonds in the microwave plasma reactor. The OES monitors real-time concentration of plasma constituents just above the growing surface of diamonds and feeds the real-time information to the IMGS controller to automatically adjust power density to maintain the concentration of plasma constituents on the growing surface of diamonds.

Multiple Chamber System for Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition of Diamond and Related Materials
20230392255 · 2023-12-07 · ·

A plasma chemical vapor deposition system for growing diamond and diamond-like materials includes a process chamber having an exhaust port that is coupled to an input of a vacuum pump. A plasma generator generates a plasma in the process chamber. A cooling stage is positioned in the process chamber with a substrate holder positioned on a top surface that is configured to mount one or more substrates so they are exposed to the plasma generated by the plasma generator. The substrate holder defines a plenum having one or more portions. One or more pressure controllers are each configured to control a pressure in one of the first and second portion of the plenum so as to control a relative temperature of adjacent portions of the substrate holder.

MODULAR HIGH-FREQUENCY SOURCE

Embodiments include a modular high-frequency emission source. In an embodiment, the modular high-frequency emission source includes a plurality of high-frequency emission modules, where each high-frequency emission module comprises and oscillator module, an amplification module, and an applicator. In an embodiment the oscillator module comprises a voltage control circuit and a voltage controlled oscillator. In an embodiment, the amplification module is coupled to the oscillator module. In an embodiment, the applicator is coupled to the amplification module. In an embodiment, each high-frequency emission module includes a different oscillator module.

MODULAR MICROWAVE SOURCE WITH LOCAL LORENTZ FORCE
20210287882 · 2021-09-16 ·

Embodiments include methods and apparatuses that include a plasma processing tool that includes a plurality of magnets. In one embodiment, a plasma processing tool may comprise a processing chamber and a plurality of modular microwave sources coupled to the processing chamber. In an embodiment, the plurality of modular microwave sources includes an array of applicators positioned over a dielectric plate that forms a portion of an outer wall of the processing chamber, and an array of microwave amplification modules. In an embodiment, each microwave amplification module is coupled to one or more of the applicators in the array of applicators. In an embodiment, the plasma processing tool may include a plurality of magnets. In an embodiment, the magnets are positioned around one or more of the applicators.

MICROWAVE HEATING DEVICE

What is provided here are: a radiation element provided at one of walls of a heating chamber, for radiating a microwave into the heating chamber; at least one hollow dielectric member in which a gas is sealed, the hollow dielectric member having electrodes at both end portions thereof; and a control unit having a plasma control unit for controlling the state of the hollow dielectric member and a current adjustment unit for adjusting a current to be applied to the electrodes of the hollow dielectric member, under the control of the plasma control unit, the current adjustment unit being connected to the electrodes; wherein the at least one hollow dielectric member is provided along one of the walls which is other than the wall at which the radiation element is provided; and wherein the plasma control unit controls the state of the hollow dielectric member so that it is put into one of states of: a plasma state in which the microwave is reflected by the gas; a plasma state in which the microwave is absorbed by the gas; and a gas state in which the microwave is allowed to be transmitted through the gas.

Modular high-frequency source

Embodiments include a modular high-frequency emission source. In an embodiment, the modular high-frequency emission source includes a plurality of high-frequency emission modules, where each high-frequency emission module comprises an oscillator module, an amplification module, and an applicator. In an embodiment the oscillator module comprises a voltage control circuit and a voltage controlled oscillator. In an embodiment, the amplification module is coupled to the oscillator module. In an embodiment, the applicator is coupled to the amplification module. In an embodiment, each high-frequency emission module includes a different oscillator module.

Plasma processing apparatus, plasma processing method, and ECR height monitor

A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber 101 where a wafer 114 is processed using plasma 111, a radio frequency power supply 106 configured to supply a radio frequency power for generating the plasma 111, a mechanism configured to form a magnetic field for forming ECR and to control a magnetic flux density thereof, and a sample stage 113 on which the wafer 114 is placed. The plasma processing apparatus further includes a control unit 107 configured to, based on image data of the plasma 111, monitor a height of ECR which is electron cyclotron resonance generated by an interaction between the radio frequency power and the magnetic field, and to control a frequency of the radio frequency power such that the monitored ECR height becomes a predetermined height.

COLD PLASMA GENERATING APPARATUS AND MULTI-COLD PLASMA ARRAY APPARATUS COMPRISING THE SAME
20210233746 · 2021-07-29 · ·

The present disclosure relates to a cold plasma generating apparatus that can efficiently ignite (initially discharge) cold plasma and easily match common impedance and that is optimized for use in applications related to sterilization because it can uniformly distribute power to multiple plasma sources through a single power supply in a multi-plasma array configuration and increase effective plasma volume, and a multi-cold plasma array apparatus comprising the same.