A hollow cathode includes an insulation plate having cathode holes. Bottom electrodes are below the insulation plate. The bottom electrodes define first holes having a width greater than a width of the cathode holes. Top electrodes are at an opposite side of the insulation plate from the bottom electrodes. The top electrodes define second holes aligned with the first holes along a direction orthogonal to the upper surface of the insulation plate.

Systems and methods for material processing using wafer scale waves of precisely controlled electrons in a DC plasma is presented. The anode and cathode of a DC plasma chamber are respectively connected to an adjustable DC voltage source and a DC current source. The anode potential is adjusted to shift a surface floating potential of a stage in a positive column of the DC plasma to a reference ground potential of the DC voltage/current sources. A conductive plate in a same region of the positive column opposite the stage is used to measure the surface floating potential of the stage. A signal generator referenced to the ground potential is capacitively coupled to the stage to control a surface potential at the stage for provision of kinetic energy to free electrons in the DC plasma.

Systems and methods for material processing using wafer scale waves of precisely controlled electrons in a DC plasma is presented. The anode and cathode of a DC plasma chamber are respectively connected to an adjustable DC voltage source and a DC current source. The anode potential is adjusted to shift a surface floating potential of a stage in a positive column of the DC plasma to a reference ground potential of the DC voltage/current sources. A conductive plate in a same region of the positive column opposite the stage is used to measure the surface floating potential of the stage. A control loop can be activated throughout various processing steps to maintain the surface floating potential of the stage to the reference ground potential. A signal generator referenced to the ground potential is capacitively coupled to the stage to control a surface potential at the stage for provision of kinetic energy to free electrons in the DC plasma.

Techniques are disclosed for roll-to-roll (R2R) atomic layer deposition (ALD). R2R ALD is accomplished by arranging precursor nozzles in A/B pairs while a flexible web substrate moves underneath the A/B pairs at a uniform speed. Nozzles A of the A/B pairs continuously flow a precursor A into the process volume of the R2R ALD chamber. The plasma enhanced/activated ALD (PEALD/PAALD) embodiments utilize electron cyclotron rotation (ECR)-enhanced hollow cathode plasma sources (HCPS) where nozzles B flow activated neutrals of precursor B into the process volume. As the flexible web moves in an R2R motion, nucleates from precursor A deposited on the surface of the substrate, and neutrals of precursor B undergo a self-limiting reaction to deposit a single atomically sized ALD film/layer. In this manner, multiple ALD layers may be deposited by each successive A/B pair in a single pass of the web. There is also a heat source underneath the web to further facilitate the ALD reaction, or to support thermal ALD embodiments.

Apparatus for generating a plasma via the transient hollow cathode discharge effect is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a chamber comprising an inlet through which gas may enter the chamber and an outlet through which the gas may exit the chamber, a cathode electrode disposed in the chamber, the cathode electrode comprising a plurality of hollow cathodes, an anode electrode spaced apart from the cathode, a power supply, and a power supply controller configured to reduce a power level of the electrical power below a level required to maintain the plasma at the plurality of hollow cathodes, after electrical breakdown has occurred. Each hollow cathode comprises a through-thickness hole through which the gas may pass from one side of the cathode electrode to another side of the cathode electrode. A modular apparatus is also disclosed, comprising a plurality of plasma reactor modules arranged in series and/or in parallel.

A fabric substrate bears a carbon based coating. A hollow cathode plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process deposits a hydrophobic carbon based coating on fabric substrates. In certain embodiments, a wear resistant hydrophobic carbon based coating coats fabric substrates.

Methods and apparatus for reducing particle generation in a remote plasma source (RPS) include an RPS having a first plasma source with a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are symmetrical with hollow cavities configured to induce a hollow cathode effect within the hollow cavities, and wherein the RPS provides radicals or ions into the processing volume, and a radio frequency (RF) power source configured to provide a symmetrical driving waveform on the first electrode and the second electrode to produce an anodic cycle and a cathodic cycle of the RPS, wherein the anodic cycle and the cathodic cycle operate in a hollow cathode effect mode.

Deposition of adherent carbon coating(s) on insulator surface(s) can include pretreatment of the insulator surface(s) in a pretreatment plasma (15) generated by a second power generator (11) in an auxiliary magnetic field in a second gas (14), and deposition of carbon coatings onto pretreated insulator surface(s) with the aid of a hollow cathode. The deposition onto the pretreated insulator surface(s) can include deposition by PVD from the hollow cathode simultaneously with PE CVD in a hollow cathode plasma (16) generated in a second gas (13). The second gas 13 can comprise one or more hydrocarbons. The insulator surfaces can include glass or ceramics.

An assembly for cathodic arc deposition of a material onto an article. The assembly includes a chamber for receiving an article to be coated and a rotating target. The rotatable target has a surface from which a plasma material is ejected. An anode ring is positioned a first distance from the surface of the rotatable target. The anode ring has an opening with a central axis that is parallel to a rotational axis of the rotatable target and offset a second distance from the rotational axis. A spark device is disposed in the chamber for generating an arc on the surface of the rotatable target. The assembly configured to direct a stream of charged particles ejected from the surface of the target through the opening of the anode ring to the article to be coated.

The disclosure pertains to a capacitively coupled plasma source in which VHF power is applied through an impedance-matching coaxial resonator having a symmetrical power distribution.