METHOD FOR GENERATING SURFACE WAVE EXCITED PLASMA

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To properly enlarge reactive surface wave excited plasma. SOLUTION: This method for generating surface wave excited plasma has a constitution of simultaneously introducing gaseous oxygen gas or gaseous hydrogen as a main gas and a water vapor and/or gas of a rare gas group element as a catalyst gas for accelerating plasma generation into a chamber 1 and supplying a microwave power from a slot antenna 6 through a quartz plate window 4. By mixing the catalyst gas with gaseous oxygen gas in a chamber 1, the plasma density is increased. Consequently, the microwave supplied into the chamber 1 propagates as a surface wave and the plasma spreads in the plane direction promptly. The combination of the catalyst gas does not cause a temperature rise causing heat damage on the product to be processed and the surface wave excited plasma having a large area is realized in a proper form.