A novel large-area surface-wave slot antenna (slan) 2.45-GHz microwave plasma source

In this research a large-area surface-wave slot antenna microwave plasma source was designed and fabricated. Using a slot antenna excitation configuration, the design procedure of such source was based on producing flat uniform cylindrical plasma by launching a microwave at fixed frequency of 2.45GHz with a variable power up to 850W on a dielectric window. The Large time-stable plasma could be sustained in a relatively large surface (500??????) with an approximated plasma density of almost 2??10??????????. A new tuning system for matching the impedance of the microwave coupler to the plasma chamber with the impedance of the waveguide was devised and utilized. Furthermore, on the basis of its equivalent circuit the algorithm for impedance matching is obtained. In addition, the vacuum (plasma) chamber has a totally uniform gas distribution system with circular symmetry to ensure the uniformity of the plasma, and also a movable substrate holder with a water cooling system that would make diverse wafer processes in plasma processing technology possible. The configuration was simulated with CST Microwave Studio and FDTD code. The fabricated mechanical model and results of simulations are presented.