Patent ID: 7584714

Claim:
A surface wave plasma (SWP) source comprising: an electromagnetic wave launcher configured to couple EM energy in a desired EM wave mode to a plasma by generating a surface wave on a plasma surface of the EM wave launcher adjacent said plasma, the EM wave launcher including a slow wave plate disposed above and contacting a slot antenna plate having plurality of slots, and a resonator plate contacting the slot antenna and configured for a pre-determined EM frequency and to have dimensions ensuring the formation of a standing wave effective for radiating said EM energy to said plasma; a power coupling system coupled to said EM wave launcher, and configured to provide said EM energy to said EM wave launcher for forming said plasma; and a mode scrambler coupled to said plasma surface of said EM wave launcher, and configured to reduce mode jumping between said desired EM wave mode and another EM wave mode, the mode scrambler comprising a plurality of holes passing entirely through and out the upper surface of said resonator plate of said EM wave launcher, wherein said plurality of holes is coupled to one or more gas plenums formed above the slow wave plate, slot antenna and resonator plate with respect to the plasma surface, the gas plenums being formed in an outer conductor contacting an upper surface of the slow wave plate and the plurality of holes comprising the mode scrambler opening into the plasma space.