US 11,721,532 B2
Modular microwave source with local lorentz force
Philip Allan Kraus, San Jose, CA (US); Thai Cheng Chua, Cupertino, CA (US); and Mani Subramani, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Jun. 3, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/338,510.
Application 17/338,510 is a continuation of application No. 15/588,597, filed on May 6, 2017, granted, now 11,037,764.
Prior Publication US 2021/0287882 A1, Sep. 16, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H01J 37/32 (2006.01); H01J 27/18 (2006.01); H05H 1/46 (2006.01); C23C 16/511 (2006.01); C23C 14/35 (2006.01)
CPC H01J 37/32678 (2013.01) [C23C 14/357 (2013.01); C23C 16/511 (2013.01); H01J 27/18 (2013.01); H01J 37/3222 (2013.01); H01J 37/32192 (2013.01); H01J 37/32201 (2013.01); H01J 37/32238 (2013.01); H01J 37/32247 (2013.01); H01J 37/32266 (2013.01); H01J 37/32669 (2013.01); H01J 37/32935 (2013.01); H05H 1/46 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A plasma processing tool, comprising:
a processing chamber confining a processing volume; and
a plurality of modular microwave sources coupled to the processing chamber, wherein the plurality of modular microwave sources comprise:
an array of applicators positioned over a dielectric that forms a portion of an outer wall of the processing chamber, wherein each applicator of the array of applicators is in a first plane, and the dielectric is in a second plane, the second plane parallel with the first plane;
an array of microwave amplification modules, wherein each microwave amplification module is coupled to one or more of the applicators in the array of applicators; and
a plurality of magnets, wherein each of the plurality of magnets laterally surrounds a corresponding applicator of the array of applicators in the first plane, and wherein the plurality of magnets are electrically coupled to each other in series in the first plane.