Patent ID: 7947966
Filing Date: 2011-05-24
Classification: H01J

Abstract:
1. An ion source, comprising: a first plasma chamber including a plasma generating component and a first gas inlet for receiving a first gas such that said plasma generating component and said first gas interact to generate a first plasma including electrons within said first plasma chamber, wherein said first plasma chamber further defines an aperture for extracting electrons from said first plasma; and a second plasma chamber including a second gas inlet for receiving a second gas, wherein said second plasma chamber further defines an aperture in fluid communication with the aperture of said first plasma chamber, for receiving electrons extracted therefrom, such that the electrons and the second gas interact to generate a second plasma within said second plasma chamber, said second plasma chamber further defining an extraction aperture for extracting ions from said second plasma chamber, wherein said first plasma chamber further defines a pumping aperture forming a passageway into a high vacuum region that is not the second plasma chamber, wherein the pumping aperture has an area dimension greater than an area dimension associated with the aperture of the first plasma chamber for extracting electrons from said first plasma chamber.