Plasma ignition and sustaining methods and apparatuses

摘要

An apparatus for generating plasma including a plasma generating vessel and a coil having a coil length and a first set of partially enclosing, longitudinally oriented conductive (PELOC) fingers and a second set of PELOC fingers. The PELOC finger sets are oriented along a longitudinal axis of the vessel with each partially enclosing a periphery of the vessel. The two sets of PELOC fingers are oriented fingertips facing fingertips and separated by an inter-set distance that is less than the coil length.

主权项

1. An apparatus for generating plasma, comprising: a vessel within which said plasma is generated; and a coil configured to receive an RF driver signal to at least sustain said plasma, said coil having a coil length; a first spine and a plurality of fingers extending from said first spine and circumferentially spaced apart from each other, each of said plurality of fingers are oriented along a longitudinal axis of said vessel and said plurality of fingers of said first spine and said first spine partially enclose a periphery of said vessel, said plurality of fingers of said first spine being electrically coupled to a first end of said coil; and a second spine and a plurality of fingers extending from said second spine and circumferentially spaced apart from each other, each of said plurality of fingers are oriented along said longitudinal axis of said vessel and said plurality of fingers of said second spine and said second spine partially enclose said periphery of said vessel, said plurality of fingers of said second spine being electrically coupled to a second end of said coil, wherein tips of said plurality of fingers of said first spine and second spine are oriented directionally in a direction to face each other and are axially separated along the longitudinal axis by a distance that is less than said coil length; wherein the first spine, the second spine and the coil are located exterior to said vessel.