NEUTRAL PARTICLE BEAM GENERATING APPARATUS WITH INCREASED NEUTRAL PARTICLE FLUX

摘要

The present invention relates to an apparatus for generating neutral particle beam with enhanced neutral particle flux. The apparatus of the present invention comprises a plasma discharging space inside which processing gases are converted into plasma ions through a plasma discharge, a metal plate which converts the plasma ions into neutral particles through collisions with the plasma ions, a plasma limiter which prevents the plasma ions and electrons from passing through and allows the neutral particles produced by collisions of the plasma ions with the metal plate to pass through, and a magnetron unit which applies magnetic field to the plasma discharging space, wherein the plasma discharging space is sandwiched between the metal plate and the plasma limiter, and the magnetron unit applies the magnetic field across the metal plate to the plasma discharging space to control plasma distribution. Preferably, the magnetron unit comprises a central pole and a side pole having a race track arrangement. The magnetic field applied across the metal plate increases density of the plasma ions near the metal plate. This improves the conversion efficiency of the plasma ions into the neutral particles to increase neutral particle flux.