Patent ID: 7976674

Claim:
A plasma source for a plasma processing apparatus for use in a plasma processing apparatus having a processing chamber that encloses a plasma processing volume, the source comprising: an RF generator; a chamber component configured to mount in the processing chamber of the plasma processing apparatus, the chamber component having a surface thereof facing the plasma processing volume and having a plurality of openings therein; a plurality of cells embedded in the chamber component, each cell containing a cell volume communicating through a different one of the openings in said surface of the chamber component with the plasma processing volume; the openings in said surface of the chamber component being arranged in an array so that primary plasma formed in the cell volumes will be introduced through the openings from the cell volumes into the plasma processing volume at a plurality of spaced apart locations; and each cell having an antenna coupled to the RF generator and inductively coupled to the cell volume thereof, the antennas being configured to form a primary inductively coupled plasma in the cell volume of each respective cell when energized with RF energy from the RF generator; the chamber component being an electrode having an electrode body with said surface thereon configured and arranged to capacitively couple energy to plasma in the plasma processing volume; the cells being embedded in the electrode body with the cell volumes forming cavities in the main electrode body and the openings communicate between the cavities and the plasma processing volume through said surface; the antennas each forming an RF series circuit with the RF generator and the electrode body, the cells each having geometries that produce primary inductively coupled plasma in the cell volumes to propagate through the openings into the plasma processing volume; and each cell comprising: an electrically-conductive outer wall enclosing the cell volume of the respective cell and having an end capacitively coupled to said surface of the electrode; and an axial conductor in the cell volume capacitively coupled to said outer wall at said surface at said end of the outer wall, the conductor being inductively coupled to the cell volume, the outer wall forming a return path from said end parallel to the axial conductor.