Method and apparatus for producing an ion-ion plasma continuous in time

Abstract

An ion-ion plasma source, that features a processing chamber containing a large concentration of halogen or halogen-based gases. A second chamber is coupled to the processing chamber and features an electron source which produces a high energy electron beam. The high energy electron beam is injected into the processing chamber where it is shaped and confined by a means for shaping and confining the high energy electron beam. The high energy electron beam produced in the second chamber when injected into the processing chamber ionizes the halogen gas creating a dense, ion-ion plasma in the processing chamber that is continuous in time. A method for creating an ion-ion plasma continuous in time.

1. An ion-ion plasma source, comprising:
 a processing chamber comprising halogen based gas;  
 an electron source operable to provide an electron beam in said processing chamber, the electron beam having a current density of approximately 0.1 A/cm 2 ; and  
 an electron beam confiner operable to apply a magnetic field at the electron beam to generate a confined electron beam in said processing chamber, to ionize the halogen based gas to generate an ion-ion plasma that substantially comprises negative ions.  
 
   
   
     2. The ion-ion plasma source of  claim 1 , wherein said processing chamber is operable to maintain a gas pressure of approximately 50 mtorr. 
   
   
     3. An ion-ion plasma source, comprising:
 a processing chamber comprising halogen based gas;  
 an electron source operable to provide an electron beam in said processing chamber, the electron beam having a current density of approximately 0.1 A/cm 2 ; and  
 an electron beam confiner operable to apply a magnetic field at approximately 200 G, to generate a confined electron beam in said processing chamber, to ionize the halogen based gas to generate an ion-ion plasma that substantially comprises negative ions.