Patent ID: 8449731
Filing Date: 2013-05-28
Classification: C23C,H01J

Abstract:
1. A method of generating a plasma, the method comprising: (a) positioning a wafer substrate within a process chamber, wherein the process chamber is configured for generating a plasma; (b) within the process chamber, generating a plasma comprising electrons and positively charged ions, said plasma having a first plasma density in a first plasma region at a first elevation above the substrate and a second plasma density in a second plasma region at a second elevation above the substrate, wherein the second elevation is closer to the substrate than the first elevation, and wherein the plasma is shaped by a first magnetic field at the first elevation and by a second magnetic field at the second elevation; and (c) applying a positive DC bias to an ion extractor located proximate the second elevation to thereby extract electrons from the region of the first plasma density to the region of the second plasma density and to increase plasma density in the region of the second plasma density, wherein the ion extractor is configured to generate an electric field, characterized by an E vector configured to cross with a B vector generated by the second magnetic field.