	US 12,394,594 B2
	Inductive coil structure and inductively coupled plasma generation system
Sae Hoon Uhm, Gyeonggi-do (KR); and Yun Seong Lee, Daejeon (KR)
Assigned to EN2CORE TECHNOLOGY INC., Daejeon (KR)
Filed by EN2CORE technology, Inc., Daejeon (KR)
Filed on Jan. 19, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/417,503.
Application 18/417,503 is a continuation of application No. 18/050,655, filed on Oct. 28, 2022, granted, now 11,935,725.
Application 18/050,655 is a continuation of application No. 17/122,930, filed on Dec. 15, 2020, granted, now 11,521,829, issued on Dec. 6, 2022.
Application 17/122,930 is a continuation of application No. 16/703,618, filed on Dec. 4, 2019, granted, now 10,896,806, issued on Jan. 19, 2021.
Application 16/703,618 is a continuation of application No. 15/836,388, filed on Dec. 8, 2017, granted, now 10,541,114, issued on Jan. 21, 2020.
Application 15/836,388 is a continuation of application No. PCT/KR2017/012040, filed on Oct. 30, 2017.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2016-0146058 (KR), filed on Nov. 3, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2024/0162004 A1, May 16, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H01J 37/32 (2006.01); H05H 1/46 (2006.01)

CPC H01J 37/3211 (2013.01) [H01J 37/32137 (2013.01); H05H 1/46 (2013.01); H05H 1/4652 (2021.05)]

8 Claims

1. A plasma generating apparatus comprising:

a dielectric tube providing a space for inductively coupled plasma (ICP); and

a first antenna structure having (i) a first end and (ii) a second end opposite to the first end;

a second antenna structure having (i) a third end and (ii) a fourth end opposite to the third end,

wherein the first antenna structure and the second antenna structure surround an outer side wall of the dielectric tube; and

a Radio Frequency (RF) generator providing an AC power to the first antenna structure and the second antenna structure,

wherein the RF generator is interposed between the first end and the second end and the first antenna structure is electrically connected to the RF generator in series,

wherein the RF generator is interposed between the third end and the fourth end and the second antenna structure is electrically connected to the RF generator in series,

wherein the first antenna structure is electrically connected to the second antenna structure in parallel,

wherein the first antenna structure and the second antenna structure co-operate with each other to induce the ICP by receiving the AC power from the RF generator,

wherein the first antenna structure comprises a first layer antenna, a second layer antenna and a first inter-layer capacitor,

wherein the first layer antenna has a first arc having a first radius and a second arc having a second radius greater than the first radius, and is disposed in a plane among a plurality of planes,

wherein the second layer antenna has a third arc having the first radius and a forth arc having the second radius, and is disposed in a plane, different the plane in which the first layer antenna disposed, among the plurality of planes, and

wherein the first inter-layer capacitor is electrically interposed between the second arc and the third arc,

wherein the second antenna structure comprises a third layer antenna, a fourth layer antenna and a second inter-layer capacitor,

wherein the third layer antenna has a fifth arc having the first radius and a sixth arc having the second radius, and is disposed in a plane among a plurality of planes,

wherein the fourth layer antenna has a seventh arc having the first radius and an eighth arc having the second radius, and is disposed in a plane, different the plane in which the third layer antenna disposed, among the plurality of planes, and

wherein the second inter-layer capacitor is electrically interposed between the sixth arc and the seventh arc,

wherein the plurality of planes are perpendicular to a center axis of the dielectric tube.