Patent ID: 6417626
Filing Date: 2002-07-09
Classification: H01J

Abstract:
A system for processing a substrate with a plasma, the system comprising:a vacuum chamber having a chamber wall which surrounds a vacuum processing space and a gas inlet for introducing a process gas into said vacuum processing space, said chamber wall having an annular opening therein; a substrate support positioned within said vacuum processing space, said substrate support adapted to receive and support the substrate; a radiofrequency (RF) energy source; an annular dielectric trough positioned in said annular opening in a vacuum-tight fashion, said trough comprising an inner dielectric wall and an outer dielectric wall; an inner deposition shield adjacent said inner dielectric wall and within said vacuum chamber; an outer deposition shield adjacent said outer dielectric wall and within said vacuum chamber; and an inductive element positioned within said trough, said inductive element operably connected to said RF energy source for coupling RF energy through said inner and outer dielectric walls of said trough and said inner and outer deposition shields to the plasma in said vacuum processing space.