Plasma technologies for meters‐scale flat‐panel‐display (FPD) processing have been developed using multiple low‐inductance antenna (LIA) modules to drive inductively coupled plasmas (ICPs), in which RF‐power‐deposition profiles can be controlled in plasma reactors with a scale as large as meters. The LIA module consisted of a U‐shaped internal antenna with dielectric isolation, each of which was coupled to an RF power system for independent power control of driving ICP. Our new proposal of the unique source configuration is based on the principle of multiple operation and integrated control of LIA modules, which allow low‐voltage high‐density plasma production with active control of power deposition profiles. Multiple LIA modules mounted on the wall of a discharge chamber were independently controlled to attain the desired plasma profiles. Experiments with a meter‐scale rectangular reactor resulted in stable source operation to attain high densities >1011 cm−3. Plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition of amorphous hydrogenated carbon films showed an excellent control capability of film‐thickness distributions to achieve the film‐thickness uniformity of 8.6%, which was defined as the value of (maximum thickness − minimum thickness) divided by the average thickness over the substrate area of 410 mm × 520 mm. The obtained results indicate that the plasma production and/or control technologies with the LIA modules are quite attractive as a high‐density low‐potential plasma source for a variety of FPD processes.

We have developed a cylindrical RF plasma source by the inductive coupling of multiple low-inductance antenna (LIA) units and analyzed the plasma density profile of this source using fluid simulation. Experiments using four LIA units showed a stable source operation even at 2000 W RF power, attaining plasma densities as high as 1011–1012 cm-3 in an argon pressure range of 0.67–2.6 Pa. The amplitude of antenna RF voltage was measured to be less than 600 V, which is considerably smaller than those obtained using conventional ICP antennas. The radial distribution of plasma density sustained using four LIA units showed excellent agreement with profiles numerically predicted using a fluid-simulation code.

We have characterized the ion energy distribution in argon plasmas sustained by multiple internal antenna units as a function of Ar pressure. The distribution has been measured using an ion energy analyzer with a mass separator. The peak of ion energy distribution depended more strongly on pressure and corresponded to the magnitude of plasma potential. The full width at half maximum of the distributions decreased with decreasing antenna RF voltage caused by a decrease in Ar pressure.

We have developed cylindrical RF plasma sources sustained with multiple low‐inductance antenna (LIA) units and have measured plasma parameters for argon plasmas. The plasma source could be operated at 2 000 W RF powers to attain plasma densities as high as 1012 cm−3. The plasma potential as low as 13–14 V in high‐density plasmas has been achieved and the potential drop from plasma potential to floating potential was almost constant at 10 V. Kinetic energy distributions of Ar ions were measured at argon pressures around 1.3 Pa in an RF power range of 200–2 000 W, which have peaks which almost correspond to the magnitude of the plasma potential.

This article reports characteristics of plasmas sustained with LIA modules and profile control capabilities. Experiments with a meter-scale reactor demonstrated uniform plasma production to attain densities as high as 5x1011 cm-3 at an argon pressure of 1.3 Pa and an RF power of 4 kW. Design issues for large-area plasma sources with a scale-size of 3 m were also presented to exhibit the feasibility of novel large-area plasma sources to meet the requirements of the next-generation meters-scale processing.