Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/GB2072940A/en
Timestamp: 2018-05-25 04:10:54
Document Index: 700352069

Matched Legal Cases: ['arts 7', 'art 131', 'art 13', 'art 13', 'art 13', 'arts 7', 'art 131', 'arts 7', 'art 1311', 'arts 7', 'arts 7', 'arts 7', 'arts 7', 'arts 7']

GB2072940A - Dielectric hermetic seals in microwave discharge ion sources - Google Patents
Dielectric hermetic seals in microwave discharge ion sources Download PDF
GB2072940A
GB2072940A GB8109142A GB8109142A GB2072940A GB 2072940 A GB2072940 A GB 2072940A GB 8109142 A GB8109142 A GB 8109142A GB 8109142 A GB8109142 A GB 8109142A GB 2072940 A GB2072940 A GB 2072940A
GB8109142A
GB2072940B (en )
1 GB 2 072 940 A 1
Microwave Discharge Ion Source Background of the Invention
This invention relates to an ion source, and more particularly to improvements in a microwave discharge!on source which is suited to, for example, an ion implanter for implanting ions into a semiconductor wafer.
A microwave discharge ion source has the 75 great features that the lifetime is long and that ion beams of high currents can be produced. It is therefore used as an ion source of an ion implanter. The microwave discharge ion source Is described in detail in the specification of U.S.
Patent No. 4,058,748 issued November 15, 1977.
Figure 1 shows the fundamental construction of the prior-art microwave discharge ion source. 85 Referring to the figure, microwaves generated by a microwave generator 1 are propagated through a rectangular waveguide 2 and are introduced into a discharge chamber 5 via a rectangular waveguide 4 having ridged electrodes 3 and 3 90 The discharge chamber 5 is vacuum-sealed from the side of the rectangular waveguide 4 by a vacuum-sealing dielectric plate 6. The discharge chamber 5 is constructed of ridged electrodes 7 and 7, a discharge space 8 formed between the ridged 95 electrodes 7 and 7, a conduit (not shown) for introducing a gas to be ionized, and a dielectric (not shown) packed in the other space than the - discharge space 8. The microwaves introduced into the discharge chamber 5 generate an intense microwave electric field between the ridged electrodes 7 and 7. Further, an intense magnetic field is applied to the discharge chamber 5 in a direction (in Figure 1, the axial direction) intersecting orthogonally to the microwave electric field generated between the ridged electrodes 7 and 7. In order to generate this magnetic field, a solenoid 9 is disposed at the outer periphery of the discharge chamber 5. The sample gas to be ionized is introduced into the discharge space 8 by the gas conduit (not shown), 110 and a plasma of high density is produced in the discharge space 8 by the interaction between the microwave electric field and the magnetic field established within the discharge space 8. An ion 115 beam 10 is extracted by ion extraction electrodes 11 from the high-density plasma thus generated.
The extracted ion beam 10 irradiates a sample such as of a semiconductor. A vacuum chamber 14 is maintained in a vacuum state by a 120 vacuum system 15.
As stated above, in the construction of the prior-art microwave discharge ion source, the vacuum-sealing dielectric plate 6 through which the microwaves propagate and which also works 125 as a vacuum sealing for the discharge chamber 5 is disposed between the discharge chamber 5 and the rectangular waveguide 4 having the ridges electrodes 3 and 3. The vacuum-sealing dielectric plate 6 has the two functions as described above, one of which is to have the microwaves propagate through the rectangular waveguide 4 having the ridged electrodes 3 and 3, to the discharge chamber 5 without reflection and the other of which is to keep the interior of the discharge chamber 5 at a vacuum. To the end of fulfilling the first function, the sectional shape of the vacuum-sealing dielectric plate 6 needs to be similar either the sectional shape of that part of the rectangular waveguide 4 having the ridged electrodes 3 and 3 which lies in contact with the vacuum-sealing. dielectric plate 6, as shown in Figure 2A (section a-a in Figure 1), or the sectional shape of the discharge chamber 5 lying in contact with the vacuum-sealind dielectric plate 6, as shown in Figure 213 (section b-b in Figure 1). That is, the sectional shape of the vacuum- sealing dielectric plate 6 needs to be a rectangular plate which has metal parts corresponding to the ridge portions 3 and 3 of the rectangular waveguide 4 shown in Figure 2A and in which a part corresponding to the rest of the space 12 is filled with dielectric, or alternatively a circular plate 6' as shown in Figure 3A which has metal parts 7' and 7' corresponding to the ridged electrodes 7 and 7 of the discharge chamber 5 shown in Figure 213 and in which a part 131 corresponding to the rest of the space 13 is filled with a dielectric. To the end of fulfilling the second function, a dielectric having an excellent high-frequency characteristic and being nonporous, such as forsterite ceramics and aluminous ceramics, is the most suitable for use as the dielectric material which fills the part 13' corresponding to the aforecited space 13. These materials, however, are sintered dielectrics and are quite unsuitable to be molded by machining. Further, where a plate in a complicated shape having corners as in the sectional shape of the dielectric part 13' illustrated byway of example in Figure 3A is fabricated with the aforecited dielectric material and by sintering, the finish accuracy of the dielectric part 13' is very inferior In order to enhance the finish accuracy even slightly, the sintering must be repeatedly performed by remaking dies. In addition, in order to achieve the second function of the vacuumsealing dielectric plate 6 or the vacuum sealing by the use of the circular plate 6' of such structure made of the composite consisting of the metal parts 7' and 7' and the dielectric part lX, metallizati ' on of and welding to the dielectric part 131 are required, and also the simultaneous machining of the metal parts 7' and 7' and the dielectric part lX, etc., so that the cost of the circular plate 6' is expensive. With the intention of solving these problems, a vacuum-sealing dielectric plate 611 as shown by way of example in Figure 313 was fabricated in which a dielectric part 1311 had a shape substantially corresponding to the shape shown in Figure 3A. Circular parts 7" 2 - --- - GB 2 072 940 A 2 and 7" corresponding to the ridged electrode parts 7' and 7' were formed merely by inserting discs which were separately fabricated of copper by machining. The vacuum sealing was effected by means of two 0-ring gaskets somewhat larger in diameter than the circular parts 7" and 7" and 70 one 0-ring gasket somewhat smaller in diameter than the vacuum-sealing dielectric plate C. A good result was obtained as to the vacuum sealing, but reflection of the microwaves from the vacuum-sealing dielectric plate 6" was caused. 75 This will be ascribable to the change of the shape and the mismatching of the impedance attributed to the fact that the ridged electrode parts 7' and 7' in Figure 3A were turned into the circular parts 7" and 7" as shown in Figure 3B. Regarding this problem of the mismatched impedance, since the 80 sectional shape of the vacuum-seaiing dielectric plate C is complicated as shown in Figure 3B, the calculation of the impedance is very difficult.
With such a sectional shape, accordirgly it is in effect impossible to achieve the matching of the 85 impedance in the vacuum-seaiing dielectric plate 6". Therefore, such problems occurred that the reflection of the microwaves from the vacuum sealing dielectric plate C developed, that the loss of the output of the microwave generator 1 increased due to the reflection, and that when a microwave generator 1 of high power was used in order to cover the output loss, abnormal sparks were incurred in the vicinity of the vacuum sealing dielectric plate 6".
According to this invention, a microwave discharge ion source consists of means for generating microwaves, a discharge chamber which has ridged electrodes for introducing the microwaves generated by the microwave generating means and establishing a microwave electric field and which is adapted to be maintained in a vacuum state, and a waveguide which guides said microwaves generated by said microwave generating means to said discharge chamber; said waveguide consisting of a section which has no ridged electrode and which is adapted to guide said microwaves generated by said microwave generating means to said discharge chamber without reflecting them, and a section which has ridged electrodes; a vacuum sealing dielectric plate being disposed in said section of said waveguide having no ridged electrode, said vacuum-sealing dielectric plate being adapted to maintain the vacuum state of said discharge chamber and also to propagate said microwaves without reflecting them; an insulating material being packed in a space in said waveguide between said vacuum-sealing dielectric plate and said discharge chamber, in order to prevent any discharge in the waveguide.
With this construction, the vacuum-seaiing dielectric plate may be disposed at an end part or an intermediate position of the waveguide having no ridged electrode, and hence, its sectional 125 shape can be very simple. As a result, the calculation of the impedance of the vacuumsealing dielectric plate becomes easy, and vacuum-sealing dielectric plates having geometries which scarcely cause reflection can be fabricated. In addition, since the sectional shape of the vacuum-sealing dielectric plate can be a very simple shape, the dielectric plate can be molded into the desired shape very simply and inexpensively even with a dielectric of the ceramics type, such as forsterite ceramics and aluminous ceramics, which are difficult to mold in a complicated shape.
Figure 1 is a vew of the fundamental construction of a prior-art microwave discharge ion source, Figures 2A and 213 are views of sections a-a and b-b in Figure 1, respectively, Figures 3A and 313 are sectional views of vacuum-sealing dielectric plates in Figure 1, Figure 4 is a view of the fundamental construction of a microwave discharge ion source according to this invention, Figure 5 is a view of a section c-c in Figure 4, Figure 6 is a view of an embodiment of the microwave discharge ion source according to this invention, Figures 7A to 7E are views of sections A-A to E-E in Figure 6, respectively, Figure 8 is a view of another embodiment of the microwave discharge ion source according to this invention, Figure 9 is a view of a section F-F in Figure 8, Figure 10 is a view of still another embodiment of the microwave discharge ion source according to this invention, and Figures 11 A to 11 D are views of sections 00 to R-R in Figure 10, respectively.
Figure 4 shows the fundamental construction of a microwave discharge ion source according to this invention. The point of difference between the construction of the microwave discharge ion source according to this invention shown in Figure 4 and that of the prior art shown in Figure
1 resides in the position of installation of the vacuum-sealing dielectric plate 6 0 6) as apparent by comparing Figures 1 and 4. More specifically, in the construction of the prior art illustrated in Figure 1, the vacuum-sealing dielectric plate 6 is installed between the rectangular waveguides 4 (which has the ridged electrodes 3 and 3) and the discharge chamber 5. In contrast, in the construction of this invention illustrated in Figure 4, the vacuum-sealing dielectric plate 16 is installed between the rectangular waveguide 4 with the ridged electrodes 3 and 3, and an end part of the rectangular waveguide 2, which has no ridged electrode. The vacuum-sealing dielectric plate 16 may well be disposed at an intermediate position of the rectangular waveguide 2 with no ridged 3 GB 2 072 940 A 3 electrode. When, in this manner, the vacuumsealing dielectric plate 16 is disposed at the end part or at an intermediate position of the rectangular waveguide 2 with no ridged electrode, the sectional shape (section c-c in Figure 4) of the dielectric plate 17 is rectangular as shown in Figure 5. Such rectangular dielectric plate 17 can be simply molded even with dielectric materials such as forsterite ceramics and aluminous ceramics which are difficult to mold in a complicated shape. In addition, since the vacuum-sealing dielectric plate 16 consists of a flange portion 20 and the rectangular dielectric plate 17, its impedance can be simply calculated, and hence, the dimensions necessary for establishing the matching can be readily calculated. With the construction of this invention shown in Figure 4, the discharge space 8 is not confined between the ridged electrodes 7 and 7, but it is in substance expanded to the space between the ridged electrodes 3 and 3 of the rectangular waveguide 4 having these ridged electrodes. In order to limit the discharge space 8 to between the ridged electrodes 7 and 7, therefore the whole space of the discharge space 90 8 except the part thereof between the ridged electrodes 7 and 7 is filled with a packed material 18 which is made of a dielectric such as sintered boron nitride. The fundamental operation of the microwave discharge ion source according to this invention thus constructed is that, as explained in connection with the prior-art microwave discharge ion source in Figure 1, microwaves generated by the microwave generator 1 propagate through the rectangular waveguide 2 having no ridged electrode and reach the vacuumsealing dielectric plate 16 disposed at the end part of the rectangular waveguide 2. The microwaves reaching the matched vacuum- sealing dielectric plate 16 propagate therethrough without being appreciably reflected here, to be led to the rectangular waveguide 4 having the ridged electrodes 3 and 3. Then the micowaves propagate through this rectangular waveguide 4, the whole space of which is filled with the packed material 18 and which has the ridged electrodes 3 and 3 formed with an inclination so as not to cause reflection, whereupon they are led to the discharge chamber 5 which has the ridged electrodes 7 and 7. The discharge chamber 5 is vacuum-sealed from the rectangular waveguide 2 having no ridged electrode by means of the vacuum- sealing dielectric plate 16. The structure - of the discharge chamber 5 and the process of 55- producing a plasma in the discharge chamber 5 are quite the same as explained in connection with the prior-art microwave discharge ion source. in Figure 1.
Even when the rectangular waveguide 2 having no ridged electrode and the rectangular waveguide 4 having the ridged electrodes 3 and 3 are respectively replaced with a circular waveguide having no ridged electrode and a circular waveguide having ridged electrodes, a microwave discharge ion source according to this invention can be constructed. In this case, naturally the sectional shape of the vacuumsealing dielectric plate 16 is made circular.
Since, in this manner, the vacuum-sealing dielectric plate 16 is disposed at the intermediate position or at an end part of the rectangular or circular waveguide 2 having no ridged electrode, its sectional shape is allowed to be a simple shape. Further, owing to the simplicity of shape, the impedance in the case where the ion source is viewed as a microwave circuit can be precisely calculated, and a highly efficient microwave circuit having almost no reflection can be constructed.
By way of example, in a case where, in propagating microwaves of 2.45 GHz from the rectangular waveguide 4 having the ridged electrode to the rectangular waveguide 4 having the ridged electrodes 3 and 3, the dimensions of the entrance of the rectangular waveguide 4 having the ridged electrodes 3 and 3 are a=75 mm and b=26 mm, and boron nitride (Er=4j is used for thle packed material 18, the characteristic impedance Z is calculated by the following expression and its value is Z=71.62.
1 b Z=1 207r -7E-r ce where Z: characteristic impedance (9) A ?: guide wavelength (mm) 95 A ' free space wavelength (mm) -'r: relative dielectric constant a, b: dimensions of the length and width of the rectangular waveguide (mm) When the dimensions of the vacuum-sealing dielectric plate 16 are a=88 mm and b=40 mm and the material of the dielectric thereof is made of forsterite ceramics (E ' =6.2), the characteristic impedance of this vacuum-sealing dielectric plate 16 is Z=71.79, so that the impedances can be matched very precisely. Further, when the thickness of the vacuum-sealing dielectric plate 16 is set to be an odd multiple of A. /4 (in the case of the above example, A,=51.2 mm and therefore the thickness can be 12.8 mm), even a slight amount of reflection of the microwaves ascribable to the difference of the dimensions of the rectangular waveguldes before and behind the vacuum- sealing dielectric plate 16 can be suppressed. In the above example, both the length and the width are greater in the vacuumsealing dielectric plate 16 than in the rectangular waveguide 4 having the ridged electrodes 3 and 3, and hence, vacuum sealing can be effected with O-ring gaskets or the like by utilizing the surplus portion.
In order to facilitate still better understanding of the microwave discharge ion source according to this invention as described above, several concrete embodiments will be mentioned below.
4 GB 2 072 940 A 4 Embodiment 1 Figure 6 shows the first embodiment of the microwave discharge ion source according to this invention, the fundamental construction of which 5 is the same as the construction illustrated in Figure 4. That is, it is an example of concrete construction in which the vacuum-sealing dielectric plate 16 is disposed at the end part of a rectangular waveguide 19 having no ridged electrode. In the figure, numeral 1 designates a magnetron which produces a 2.45 GHz microwave of 840 W. Numeral 2 designates a copper-made rectangular waveguide having no ridged electrode, the horizontal section A-A of which is shown in Figure 7A. The dimensions of the length and width of the section of the rectangular waveguide 2 having no ridged electrode are 109.2 mm x 54.6 mm, and the characteristic impedance ZA of the rectangular waveguide is approximately 228Q. Numeral 19 indicates a rectangular waveguide made of stainless steel for impedance matching and the horizontal section B-B thereof is shown in Figure 7B. the dimensions of the length and width of the section of the impedance-matching rectangular waveguide 19 having no ridged electrode are 109.2 mm x30.6 mm, and the characteristic impedance ZB of the rectangular waveguide is approximately 1289. The length of the rectangular waveguide 19 is 111 mm and is an odd multiple of AJ4 (in this case, A.=1 48 mm and the length is three times AJ4). Numeral 16 indicates the vacuum-sealing dielectric plate, the horizontal section C-C of which is shown in Figure 7C. The vacuum-sealing dielectric plate 16 100 is made of a dielectric plate 17 of forsterite ceramics (2M90.S'02) whose relative dielectric constant is approximately 6.2. The length and width dimensions of the dielectric plate 17 are 88 mmx40 mm, and the characteristic impedance Zc105 thereof is approximately 72Q.. The vacuumsealing dielectric plate 16 is mounted on a flange portion 20. Numeral 4 denotes a rectangular waveguide having ridged electrodes 3 and 3 and made of stainless steel, and the horizontal section 110 D-D thereof is shown in Figure 7D. The dimensions of the length and width of the entrance of the rectangular waveguide 4 having the ridged electrodes 3 and 3 are 75 mmx6 mm, and the characteristics impedance ZD of the 115 entrance (in the case of employing sintered boron nitride which has a relative dielectric constant of approximately 4 as a packed material 18) is approximately 72R That is, the rectangular waveguide 4 having the ridged electrodes 3 and 3 120 and the vacuum-sealing dielectric plate 16 are perfectly matched. The characteristic impedances ZA and Zc of the rectangular waveguide 2 having no ridged electrode and the vacuum-sealing dielectric plate 16 have the relation yl-ZAxcbl 289 and are therefore perfectly matched to the characteristic impedance ZB=1 28P of the rectangular waveguide 19. with the result that the reflection of microwaves does not occur. Shown at numeral 5 is a discharge chamber, the horizontal section E-E of which is depicted in Figure 7E. The discharge chamber 5 has ridged electrodes 7 and 7 which are made of stainless steel, a discharge space 8 which is formed between the ridged electrodes 7 and 7, a packed material 21 which is made of sintered' boron nitride and which is packed in the rest of the space apart from the discharge space 8, a conduit 23 which serves to introduce a gas to'be ionized into the discharge space 8, and a solid material vaporizer 22 which serves to supply the discharge space 8 with the vapors of substances to be ionized. Where the microwave discharge ion source is used as an ion implanter, the gaseous samples to be ionized are PH3, BF3 etc., while the solid samples to be ionized are Sb, As P etc. The solid material vaporizer 22 has its core 27 constructed of a body 24 of sintered boron nitride, and has a tungsten heater 25 wound round the outer periphery of the body 24. Further, several folds of a heat shielding plate 26 made of Ta or Mo are disposed outside the heater 25, to enhance the heat efficiency of the solid material vaporizer 22.
11 a, 11 b and 11 c represent extraction electrodes, and typically, voltages of +40 M -2 kV and 0 kV arp respectively applied to the electrodes 11 a, 11 b and 11 c. Numeral 28 denotes an insulator which is made of aluminous ceramics or the like. Numerals 29 and 30 denote O-ring gaskets for effecting the vacuum sealing. Athough not shown a solenoid for establishing a magnetic field in the discharge space 8 is disposed outside the insulator 28. Furthermore, the matching rectangular waveguide 19 having no ridged electrode can be omitted by properly selecting the dimensions of the rectangular waveguide 2 with no ridged electrode, the dimensions of the entrance and the kind of the packed material of the rectangular waveguide 4 with the ridged electrodes 3 and 3, and the dimensions and material of the dielectric plate 17 of the vacuum-sealing dielectric plate 16 respectively.
Besides the feature stated before, the present embodiment brings forth the advantages that since the distance from the discharge chamber 5 to the vacuum-sealing dielectric plate 16 can be made long, it becomes possible to dispose the solid material vaporizer 22 as shown, and that since the distances from the solid matrerial vaporizer 22 to the O-ring gaskets 29 and 30 stated above can be made long, heat generated from the solid material vaporizer 22 affects the 0ring gaskets 29 and 30 less adversely.
Embobiment 2 Figure 8 shows the second embodiment of the microwave discharge ion source according to this invention, and fundamental construction thereof consists in that the vacuum-sealing dielectric plate 16 is disposed between and impedance matching rectangular waveguide 19 having no ridged electrode and a rectangular waveguide 31 similarly having no ridged electrode. The GB 2 072 940 A 5 horizontal sections B-B and C-C of the waveguide 19 and dielectric plate 16 are the same as shown in Figure 7B and 7C respectively, the length and width dimensions and the characteristic impedances are the same as in Embodiment 1. Accordingly, the characteristic impedance Z, of the vacuumsealing dielectric plate 16 is approximately 7252. Numeral 31 indicates a copper-made rectangular waveguide having no ridged electrode, the horizontal section F-F of which is shown in Figure 9. The length and width dimensions of the section of the rectangular waveguide 31 with no ridged electrode are 75 mmx26 mm, and the characteristic impedance ZF in the case of employing sintered boron nitride exhibitive of a relative dielectric constant of approximately 4 as a packed material 18 is approximately 7251 As stated in Embodiment 1, numeral 4 indicates a rectangular waveguide having ridged electrodes 3 and 3, and the characteristic impedance Z. at the entrance thereof is approximately 72S2. That is the respective characteristic impedances Zc, 4 and ZD (at the entrances) of the vacuum-sealing dielectric plate 16, the rectangular waveguide 31 having no ridged electrode and the rectangular waveguide 4 having the ridged electrodes 3 and 3 can be made equal, so that the reflection of microwaves does not occur. Numerals 32 and 33 indicate cooling holes. As shown in Figure 9, the cooling hole 32 encircles the rectangular waveguide 31 with no ridged electrode. A cooling medium (water, air, Freon, or the like) is led in through an inlet 34, circulated through the cooling hole 32 and led out of an outlet 35. This serves to prevent the 0- ring gasket 29 from being 100 adversely affected by heat produced when the solid material vaporizer 22 is operated. For the same reason, a flanqe 36 is provided with the cooling hole 33 so as to protect the 0-ring gasket from heat.
Besides the feature described before, the present embodiment brings forth the advantage that since the distance between the solid material vaporizer 22 and the vacuum-seaUng dielectric plate 16 can be made long and moreover these constituents can be thermally cut off by the cooling medium, the 0-ring gaskets 29, etc. can be reliably protected from heat.
Embodiment 3 Figure 10 show the third embodiment of the microwave discharge ion source according to this invention. It has the same fundamental construction as the construction shown in Figure 4, and it is a concrete example 120 which is constructed by substituting a circular waveguide for the rectangular waveguide in Embodiment 1. In the figure, symbol 191 represents the circular waveguide having no ridged electrode and made of copper, and the horizontal section 0---0thereof is shown in Figure 11 A. Symbol 161 represents a vacuum-sealing dielectric plate, the horizontal section P-P of which is shown in Figure 11 B. The vacuumsealing dielectric plate 161 is constructed of a dielectric plate 1 7'which is a disc made of aluminous ceramics, and a flange portion 201. Shown at 4' is the circular waveguide having ridged electrodes 3 and 3 and made of copper, and the horizontal section Q-Q thereof is shown in Figure 11 C. The space part of the circular waveguide 4' having the ridged electrodes 3 and 3 is filled with sintered boron nitride as a packed material 18. Here, letting ZO denote the characteristic impedance of the circular waveguide 19', Z P the characteristic impedance of the vacuum-sealing dielectric plates 16, ZQ the characteristic impedance of the entrance of the circular waveguide 4' having the ridged electrodes 3 and 3, and t the thickness of the dielectric plate 16, either the relationship ZO=Zp=Za or the relationship Zp---A/-ZxZ,, and t=an odd multiple of AV4 may hold in order to match the impedances. When the respective diameters of the circular waveguide 19', the vacuum-sealing dielectric plate 16' and the circular waveguide 4' with the ridged electrodes 3 and 3 are determined so as to satisfy such relationship, the reflection of microwaves does not occur.
Alternatively, it is possible for a circular waveguide having no ridged electrode, which has a characteristic impedance ZX and a length equal to an odd multiple of AV4 to be disposed before the circular waveguide 19, with the respective diameters of the circular waveguides determined so as to satisfy the relationship Z6=x =ZxZ. and Z=Z,. In this case, the circular wav;guide'l 9' functions as a waveguide for impedance matching.
Numeral 5' indicates a discharge chamber, the horizontal section R-R of which is shown in Figure 11 D. Although a solid material vaporizer is not shown in the discharge chamber 5, it can be installed as in the other embodiments. It goes without saying that the vacuum-sealing clielectrice plate 161 can be disposed, not only at the end part of the circular waveguide 19' with no ridged electrode, but also at an intermediate position thereof.
With the embodiments described above, the sectional shape of the vacuum-sealing dielectric plate can be a very simple shape, with the result that even a dielectric of the ceramics type, such as forsterite ceramics and aluminous ceramics which are difficult to mold in a complicated shape can be molded at an expense of about 1/5 of that in the prior art. Further, since the sectional shape of the vacuum-sealing dielectric plate is simplified, the calculation of the characteristic impedance thereof is easy, and the matching of impedances can be precisely established. Yet further, since the spacing between the discharge chamberand the vacuum-sealing dielectric plate can be made increased, a countermeasure against heat for O-ring gaskets etc. is easy even when a solid material vaporizer is installed, and microwave discharge ion sources for gases and for solids can be realized by an identical device, with the result that the standardization of
6 GB 2 072 940 A 6 microwave discharge ion sources becomes possible.
Regarding waveguides, besides rectangular and circular waveguides, elliptic waveguides can be employed to construct the microwave discharge ion source according to this invention. As packed materials for preventing discharge, even when the forsterite ceramics or aluminous ceramics other than sintered boron nitride is employed, a similar effect can of course be obtained. However, boron nitride is the most suitable because, in spite of a sintered compact, it possesses an excellent machinability not existing in the other dielectrics. Further, although in none of the foregoing embodiments is the packed dielectric material inserted in the waveguide with no ridged electrode which extends from the vacuum- sealing dielectric plate to the microwave generator, this waveguide may well be wholly or partly filled with the packed material for the purposes of adjustments of impedances, etc.
1. A microwave discharge ion source comprising means for generating microwaves, a discharge chamber which has ridged electrodes for introducing the microwaves generated by the microwave generating means and establishing a microwave electric field and which is adapted to be maintained in a vacuum state, and a waveguide which guides said microwaves generated by said microwave generating means to said discharge chamber; said waveguide consisting of a section which has no ridged electrode and which is adapted to guide said microwaves generated by said microwave generating means to said discharge chamber without reflecting them, and a section which has ridged electrodes; a vacuum-sealing dielectric plate being disposed in said section of said waveguide having no ridged electrode, said vacuum- sealing dielectric plate being adapted to maintain the vacuum state of said discharge chamber and also to propagate said microwaves without reflecting them; an insulating material being packed in a space in said waveguide between said vacuum-sealing dielectric plate and said discharge chamber, in order to prevent any discharge in the waveguide.
2. A microwave discharge ion source according to claim 1, wherein said waveguide is constructed of a first waveguide having no ridged electrode and a second waveguide having ridged electrodes, and said first waveguide is provided with said vacuum-sealing dielectric plate.
3. A microwave discharge ion source according to claim 2, wherein said vacuum-sealing dielectric plate is disposed at the end part of said first waveguide which is closest to the second waveguide.
4. A microwave discharge ion source according to claim 2, wherein said vacuum-sealing dielectric plate is disposed at an intermediate position of said first waveguide.
5. A microwave discharge ion source according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said waveguide is a rectangular waveguide.
6. A microwave discharge ion source according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said waveguide is a circular waveguide.
7. A microwave discharge ion source according to claim 1, wherein said vacuum-sealing dielectric plate is made of a forsterite ceramic or an aluminous ceramic.
8. A microwave discharge ion source according to claim 1, wherein said insulating packed material is sintered boron nitride.
9. A microwave discharge ion source substantially as any described herein with reference to Figs. 4 to 11 of the accompanying drawings.
Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by the Courier Press, Leamington Spa. 1981. Published by the Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A l AY, from which copies maybe obtained.
GB8109142A 1980-03-24 1981-03-24 Dielectric hermetic seals in microwave discharge ion sources Expired GB2072940B (en)
GB2072940A true true GB2072940A (en) 1981-10-07
GB2072940B GB2072940B (en) 1984-02-29
GB8109142A Expired GB2072940B (en) 1980-03-24 1981-03-24 Dielectric hermetic seals in microwave discharge ion sources
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GB2187336A (en) * 1986-02-28 1987-09-03 English Electric Valve Co Ltd High frequency windows for waveguides etc.
EP0101867A3 (en) * 1982-07-30 1985-08-14 Hitachi, Ltd. Plasma ion source
EP0164715A3 (en) * 1984-06-11 1987-04-15 Nippon Telegraph And Telephone Corporation Microwave ion source
NL8101360A (en) 1981-10-16 application
US4658143A (en) 1987-04-14 Ion source
US4049940A (en) 1977-09-20 Devices and methods of using HF waves to energize a column of gas enclosed in an insulating casing
2001-04-18 PE20 Patent expired after termination of 20 years