Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) RF discharge is excited by a current flowing through a water-cooled inductor (antenna). RF power applied to the inductor creates a vortex electric field in the vacuum chamber, which ensures the generation of plasma. In a low-pressure inductively coupled high-frequency discharge, the power of the high-frequency generator is distributed between the active resistance of the external circuit and the plasma, and the power enters the plasma through two channels: inductive, which exists due to the current flowing through the inductor (antenna), and capacitive, due to the presence of capacitive coupling between the antenna and plasma.

RF source is a plane (planar) or cylindrical system of electrodeless RF inductive discharge. Grids system can be applied for extraction (pulling out) of ions of necessary energy.

Application:

RF plasma sources are intended for initiation and maintaining of dense, low energy plasma or mono-energy ions with high homogeneity in vacuum technological systems.

Main tasks:

• anisotropic etching of sub micron structures in resist in microelectronics production;

• plasma chemical deposition of non-defect functional dielectric films in semiconductor and hybrid microelectronics production;

• synthesis of polymeric coatings and new materials;

• mass-spectrometer analysis with inductive-coupled plasma;

• dielectric surfaces modification for applying new properties (like hydrophilicity).

RF-plasma sources are used in Lidiz.

Technical data: