Importance

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Abstract

A first aspect of the present invention is an improved microwave vacuum feed-through device for coupling microwave energy from a microwave wave guide in a substantially atmospheric pressure region into an elongated linear microwave applicator in a sub-atmospheric pressure region. The improved feed-through is designed to match the impedance of the microwave wave guide in the atmospheric pressure region and the improved linear microwave applicator. A second aspect of the present invention is an improved linear microwave applicator for uniformly coupling 95% or more of the microwave energy input thereto into an elongated plasma zone. The applicator includes curved microwave reflector panels which are used to tune the uniformity of the radiated microwave energy along the length of the linear applicator. A third aspect of the present invention is a microwave enhanced chemical vapor deposition method for depositing thin film material. The method includes a step of intensifying the kinetic/thermal energy of the electrically neutral species in the plasma by intensifying the kinetic/thermal energy of the ions in the plasma and thereby, through ion-neutral collisions, intensifying the kinetic/thermal energy of the electrically neutral species. The step of intensifying the kinetic/thermal energy of the ions in the plasma includes subjecting the plasma to either a very low frequency alternating current electrical bias or an alternating polarity magnetic field, the frequency of thereof being less than about 100 kHz.

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First Claim