Description:
Widely used in a variety of products and processes, plasmas are
generated by applying a voltage between electrodes to facilitate gas ionization.
The voltage may be static (DC) or varying at a fixed rate that can be in the RF
range (<100 KHz) or as high as tens of MHz in frequency. Typical plasmas have
a characteristic physical dimension on the order of 40 to 80 cm. Smaller plasmas
can be generated via waveguide or cavity structures and exciting frequencies in
the microwave regime (>1 GHz). However, the necessary electrode structures
become increasingly small and more difficult to fabricate as the target size of
the discharge is reduced.
Description
MSU’s invention is a method for using stripline microwave applicators
for the creation of plasma discharges with a characteristic physical dimension
between a millimeter and tens of microns. The microstripline conductors that
couple the microwave energy (at 300 MHz to 30 GHz) are transverse to the
microwave discharge.
Benefits
·
Small size: The
plasma can be as small as 10 to 20 microns.
·
Volume
expansion: A surface wave created in the plasma can extend the plasma far
outside the excitation region in one dimension.
·
Low power: RF
power as low as 1 to 2 watts is sufficient to excite the
plasma.
·
Ease of
manufacturing: Well known, mature, and easily fabricated microstripline
technology is used for the actuator structure. These structures can be easily
integrated with MEMS technology to create system-on-a-chip (SOC)
structures.
·
High density:
The high density plasmas
Applications
Miniature plasmas can be used in a wide variety of
applications:
·
Chemical/biological lab-on-a-chip devices
·
Small spectrometers, lights, ion pumps, and gas flow
controllers
·
Localized semiconductor processing
·
Cleaning, sterilization, or coating of MEMS
structures
·
Manufacturing of highly uniform nanoparticles from gas
precursors
·
Functionalized polymers, tunable plasma antennas, and paint
removal
IP Protection Status
US
6,759,808
