Patent ID: 6783629
Filing Date: 2004-08-31
Classification: H01J

Abstract:
A plasma treatment apparatus for treating the surface of an object comprising:a sealed housing having a gas supply port for supply of a working gas into said sealed housing and an evacuation port for connection of said sealed housing to a vacuum system; at least one MW antenna for propagation of microwave energy along said antenna in the form of waves having wavelengths and exciting an MW plasma in said sealed housing; a source of MW energy for connection to said at least one MW antenna; and an oscillation drive means for imparting to said at least one MW antenna oscillatory motions during treatment of the surface of said object with said plasma, said at least one MW antenna comprising an outer tube made from a non-conductive material, which sealingly passes through said housing and has ends projecting from said housing, an inner tube located in said outer tube and forming a space therewith, and a rod made from a conductive material, said rod passing through said inner tube and being connected thereto, said rod and said outer tube being connected to said oscillation drive means, said MW antenna having a working length, said inner tube having a plurality of through slits on the side of said inner tube that faces said object, the number of said wavelengths being a first multiple of the working length of said at least one antenna, and the number of said slits being a second multiple of the number of said wavelengths, said plasma treatment apparatus further comprising means for generating electron-cyclotron resonance conditions in said sealed housing for intensification of density of plasma generated by said MW antenna.