Microwave Plasma Systems for Plasma Processing at Reduced Pressures

Abstract

This chapter describes several microwave systems tested in the plasma processing. The high electron densities microwave plasmas, particularly in the electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) and other magnetoactive plasmas, enable efficient control of particle energies and tuning these for selected reactions in the plasma processing. The chapter deals with the reduced- and low pressure plasma systems. The plasma generated without any auxiliary magnetic field can be considered as an isotropic plasma because no specific force affects the plasma parameters. The chapter also describes the plasma oxidation and anodization in more details for silicon substrates, based on the authors' experimental experience. It examines an example of the high-quality silicon nitride films deposited by PE chemical vapor deposition process on the 20 cm diameter substrate table. The microwave ECR systems generate high-density plasmas, but due to the high frequency, the main energy receivers are electrons.