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.

The present invention relates generally to a plasma source utilizing a macro-particle reduction coating and method of using a plasma source utilizing a macro-particle reduction for deposition of thin film coatings and modification of surfaces. More particularly, the present invention relates to a plasma source comprising one or more plasma-generating electrodes, wherein a macro-particle reduction coating is deposited on at least a portion of the plasma-generating surfaces of the one or more electrodes to shield the plasma-generating surfaces of the electrodes from erosion by the produced plasma and to resist the formation of particulate matter, thus enhancing the performance and extending the service life of the plasma source.

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.

A processing method and system are provided for processing a substrate with a plasma in the presence of an electro-negative gas. A processing gas is injected into a processing chamber. The gas includes a high electron affinity gas species. A surface is provided in the plasma chamber onto which the gas species has a tendency to chemisorb. The gas species is exposed to the surface, chemisorbed onto it, and the surface is exposed to energy that causes negative ions of the chemisorbed gas species, that interact in the plasma to release secondary electrons. A neutralizer grid may be provided to separate from the chamber a second chamber in which forms a low energy secondary plasma for processing the substrate that is dense in electrons and contains high energy neutrals of the gas species and high energy positive ions of processing gas. Pulsed energy may be used to excite plasma or bias the substrate. A hollow cathode source is also provided.

A system for generating a plasma discharge in liquid utilizes first and second electrodes spaced apart in an interior space of a vessel holding the liquid. A channel can be defined in certain embodiments at least partially by at least one of the first and second electrodes, and an inlet in fluid communication with the interior space is configured to generate a vortical fluid flow in the vessel. A method for generating a plasma discharge in liquid is also provided.

In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a plasma etching system having direct and localized plasma sources in communication with a processing chamber. The direct plasma is operated to provide a direct plasma to the processing chamber for etching a semiconductor workpiece. The direct plasma has a high potential, formed by applying a large bias voltage to the workpiece. After etching is completed the bias voltage and direct plasma source are turned off. The localized plasma source is then operated to provide a low potential, localized plasma to a position within the processing chamber that is spatially separated from the workpiece. The spatial separation results in formation of a diffused plasma having a zero/low potential that is in contact with the workpiece. The zero/low potential of the diffused plasma allows for reactive ashing to be performed, while mitigating workpiece damage resulting from ion bombardment caused by positive plasma potentials.

A virtual cathode deposition apparatus utilises virtual plasma cathode for generation of high density electron beam to ablate a solid target. A high voltage electrical pulse ionizes gas to produce a plasma which temporarily appears in front of the target and serves as the virtual plasma cathode at the vicinity of target. This plasma then disappears allowing the ablated target material in a form of a plasma plume to propagate toward the substrate. Several virtual cathodes operating in parallel provide plumes that merge into a uniform plasma which when condensing on a nearby substrate leads to wide area deposition of a uniform thickness thin film.

A method of etching a wafer includes injecting a source gas mixture into a process chamber. The injecting includes injecting the source gas into multiple hollow cathode cavities in a top electrode, generating plasma in each of the cavities, and outputting the plasma from corresponding outlets of the cavities into a wafer processing region in the chamber, where the processing region is located between the outlets and a surface to be etched. An etchant gas mixture is injected into the processing region through injection ports in the top electrode such that the etchant gas mixes with the plasma output from the outlets. The etchant gas is prevented from flowing into the outlets of the cavities by the plasma flowing from the outlets. Mixing the etchant gas and the output from the cavities generates a desired chemical species in the processing region and thereby enables the surface to be etched.

Embodiments of the present technology may include a method of processing a semiconductor substrate. The method may include providing the semiconductor substrate in a processing region. Additionally, the method may include flowing gas through a cavity defined by a powered electrode. The method may further include applying a negative voltage to the powered electrode. Also, the method may include striking a hollow cathode discharge in the cavity to form hollow cathode discharge effluents from the gas. The hollow cathode discharge effluents may then be flowed to the processing region through a plurality of apertures defined by electrically grounded electrode. The method may then include reacting the hollow cathode discharge effluents with the semiconductor substrate in the processing region.

A device and method for generating an electrical discharge are described. A first electrode (30) is operated to be a cathode relative to a second electrode (16). A gas is introduced into the chamber (14) by the first electrode (30). The first electrode (30) has a closed antechamber (32) with a metal wall (34). A tube (36) consisting of a different material than the wall (34) is provided through which the gas from the antechamber (32) is conducted into the chamber (14). A front portion of the tube (36) is embedded in the wall (34) of the antechamber (32). In its rear portion, the tube (36) has a free end projecting into the antechamber (32). A stable electrical discharge can be generated thereby in a particularly easy manner.