Patent ID: 7863582

Claim:
An ion-beam source comprising a plasma generation unit operable to generate a plasma and an ion-extraction unit operable to extract ions from the generated plasma, wherein: the ion-extraction unit comprises at least one grid operable to be maintained under a negative potential relative to ground; and the plasma generation unit comprises: a working chamber comprising a working gas supply channel, a working gas outlet port, a side wall, and a top wall, the chamber being operable to be sealed and evacuated, an antenna cell deeply immersed into the working chamber, an RF power supply operable to supply RF power having a frequency selected from the range consisting of 0.1 to 50 MHz, a matching network connected between the RF power supply and the antenna cell, the matching network being operable to sufficiently match an impedance of the RF power supply with an impedance of the antenna cell to generate plasma in the working chamber; and wherein the antenna cell comprises: a ferromagnetic core, an induction coil wound onto the ferromagnetic core, and a cap made from a dielectric material operable to sealingly cover the ferromagnetic core and the induction coil; and wherein the induction coil comprises: a first inductive coil winding and a second inductive coil winding wound on the aforementioned ferromagnetic core, each of the inductive coil windings having a first inductive coil winding end and a second inductive coil winding end; the first end of the first inductive coil winding being electrically connected to a first output terminal of the matching network, the second end of the first inductive winding being electrically connected to the first end of the second inductive winding and to a ground, and a second output terminal of the matching network being electrically connected to the ground.