Patent ID: 6652712
Filing Date: 2003-11-25
Classification: H01J

Abstract:
A plasma reactor for processing a semiconductor workpiece, said reactor comprising:a vacuum chamber with a sidewall and a ceiling enclosing said vacuum chamber; a workpiece support pedestal within said vacuum chamber; a process gas inlet to said vacuum chamber and a vacuum pump coupled to said vacuum chamber; an inductive antenna adjacent said vacuum chamber and an RF power source coupled to said inductive antenna, said inductive antenna comprising: an array of plural current conducting loops placed side-by-side and defining a surface, successive ones of said plural current conducting loops being wound so as to carry current from said F source in opposite directions, said current conducting loops comprising respective conductors, at least a portion of the conductor of one loop being adjacent at least a portion of the conductor of the next loop of said array, said portions carrying current in the same direction and defining a juncture sharing a common current path, said array having plural such junctures periodically spaced along at least one length thereof, said current conducting loops being arranged sequentially in an annulus of a non-zero inner radius and an outer radius, whereby said loops define a short spacing between successive ones of said junctures along said inner radius of said annulus and a long spacing between successive ones of said junctures along said outer radius of said annulus.