Patent attributes
Methods and apparatus for improved inductively coupled plasma sources are disclosed. A remote linear plasma source can have a plurality of coil segments operable to power intense localized radiofrequency plasma current channels along inner surfaces of a chamber. A plurality of localized intense plasma current channels within a single chamber provides a relatively large active plasma volume, improves efficiency, and provides for favorable residence time and feed gas distribution in a plasma source. In various embodiments, a remote plasma source operable to generate active species is useful for applications such as chamber cleaning, processing materials, ion, electron, and/or neutral beam sources, gaseous discharge lamps, fluorescent lighting, gaseous lasers, and others.
