1. A charging device that charges a member to be charged, the charging device comprising:
a discharge electrode;
a housing that surrounds the discharge electrode and has an opening that faces the member to be charged;
a plate-shaped grid provided at the opening;
a cleaning member that cleans the grid by contacting a surface of the grid that faces the discharge electrode;
a pressing member that presses the grid against the cleaning member at a surface of the grid opposite the surface that faces the discharge electrode; and
a moving mechanism that moves the cleaning member and the pressing member in a longitudinal direction of the grid,
wherein the grid includes a base member, a first protective layer provided on a surface of the base member that faces the cleaning member, the first protective layer protecting the base member, and
a second protective layer provided on a surface of the base member that faces the pressing member, the second protective layer protecting the base member and being thicker than the first protective layer.
2. The charging device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a shutter that opens and closes the opening in a space between the member to be charged and the grid,
wherein the moving mechanism moves the shutter in association with the movement of the cleaning member and the pressing member.
3. The charging device according to claim 1,
wherein a frictional force applied between the pressing member and the grid is greater than a frictional force applied between the cleaning member and the grid.
4. The charging device according to claim 1,
wherein the pressing member is disposed at a position where the pressing member contacts an end portion of the grid in a lateral direction.
5. The charging device according to claim 4, further comprising:
a holder member that holds the cleaning member,
wherein the pressing member is integrated with the holder member.
6. The charging device according to claim 1,
wherein the first protective layer and the second protective layer contain diamond-like carbon, and
wherein a proportion of an sp3 structure is higher than a proportion of an sp2 structure in the carbon contained in the first protective layer and the second protective layer.
7. The charging device according to claim 1,
wherein the first protective layer has a thickness of 20 nm or more and 170 nm or less, and
wherein the second protective layer has a thickness of 30 nm or more and 170 nm or less.
8. The charging device according to claim 1,
wherein a thickness of the second protective layer is in the range of 1.15 to 2.00 times a thickness of the first protective layer.
9. The charging device according to claim 1,
wherein the first protective layer and the second protective layer have a volume resistance in the range of 1\xd7107 to 1\xd7109 \u03a9\xb7cm.
10. The charging device according to claim 1,
wherein the cleaning member is a brush.
11. The charging device according to claim 1,
wherein the first protective layer and the second protective layer are formed by vapor deposition.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a first RF power supply having frequency tuning;
a first matching network coupled to the first RF power supply; and
a first common sensor for reading reflected RF power reflected back to the first RF power supply, the first common sensor coupled to the first RF power supply and the first matching network.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a controller for tuning the first RF power supply and the first matching network based upon the reading from the first common sensor.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first matching network is embedded within the first RF power supply, and wherein the controller controls both tuning of the first matching network as well as a frequency with an RF cycle based on a common reading provided by the first common sensor as measured at an output of the first RF power supply.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a process chamber having an antenna assembly disposed proximate a lid of the process chamber and a cathode pedestal for supporting a substrate to be processed, wherein the first RF power supply is coupled to the antenna assembly; and
a second RF power supply having frequency tuning coupled to the cathode pedestal, a second matching network coupled to second RF power supply, and a second common sensor for reading reflected RF power reflected back to the second RF power supply, the second common sensor coupled to the second RF power supply and the second matching network.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:
a controller for tuning the first RF power supply and the first matching network based upon the reading from the first common sensor and for tuning the second RF power supply and the second matching network based upon the reading from the second common sensor.
6. The apparatus of claim 5:
wherein the first matching network is embedded within the first RF power supply and the controller controls both tuning of the first matching network as well as a frequency with an RF cycle of the first RF power supply based on a common reading provided by the first common sensor as measured at an output of the first RF power supply; and
wherein the second matching network is embedded within the second RF power supply and the controller controls both tuning of the second matching network as well as a frequency with an RF cycle of the second RF power supply based on a common reading provided by the second common sensor as measured at an output of the second RF power supply.
7. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:
a link coupling the first RF power supply and the second RF power supply to facilitate synchronizing the operation of one RF power supply to the other.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first RF power supply and the second RF power supply are configured to operate in perfect synchronization or in a desired phase difference.
9. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first RF power supply and the second RF power supply can operate in a pulse mode having a pulse frequency of between about 100 Hz to about 100 kHz.
10. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first RF power supply and the second RF power supply can operate at a duty cycle of between about 10 to about 90 percent.
11. A method for tuning a system operating a plasma process using a source RF power supply and a bias RF power supply, each capable of frequency tuning and respectively coupled to a process chamber via a source matching network and a bias matching network, the method comprising:
igniting a plasma in a process chamber using the source RF power supply and the bias RF power supply, each set in a continuous wave mode and in a fixed frequency mode, with the source matching network and the bias matching network each set in an automatic tuning mode;
changing the source matching network to hold mode while keeping the bias matching network in automatic mode after the matching networks adjust to reduce reflected power from both the source and the bias RF power supplies;
turning on frequency tuning for the source RF power supply while keeping it off for the bias RF power supply;
turning on a pulsing mode for the source RF power supply andor the bias RF power supply; and
placing the bias RF power supply in frequency tuning mode.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:
returning the source matching network to automatic mode after placing the bias RF power supply in frequency tuning mode.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein the source RF power supply and the bias RF power supply are in a masterslave arrangement to provide synchronized or embedded synchronized pulsing.
14. The method of claim 11, wherein the source RF power supply and the bias RF power supply are each in a master mode to operate the source RF power supply in pulsing mode with the bias RF power supply in continuous wave mode or the bias RF power supply in pulsing mode with the source RF power supply in continuous wave mode.
15. A method for tuning a system operating a plasma process using a source RF power supply and a bias RF power supply, each capable of frequency tuning and respectively coupled to a process chamber via a source matching network and a bias matching network, the method comprising:
(a) forming a plasma in a process chamber by providing RF power from the source RF power supply andor the bias RF power supply at a desired pulsing frequency and an initial duty cycle of between about 85 to about 95 percent in frequency tuning mode with the source matching network and the bias matching network in automatic tuning mode; and
(b) while the source RF power supply and the bias RF power supply are still on, changing the initial duty cycle to a desired duty cycle after the matching networks adjust to reduce reflected power from both the source and the bias RF power supplies.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the initial duty cycle is about 90 percent.
17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:
(c) switching the matching networks into hold mode after changing the initial duty cycle to a desired duty cycle.
18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:
(c) switching the matching networks into hold mode after the matching networks adjust to reduce reflected power from both the source and the bias RF power supplies but prior to changing the initial duty cycle to a desired duty cycle.
19. The method of claim 15, wherein the source RF power supply and the bias RF power supply are in a masterslave arrangement to provide synchronized or embedded synchronized pulsing.
20. The method of claim 15, wherein the source RF power supply and the bias RF power supply are each in a master mode to operate the source RF power supply in pulsing mode with the bias RF power supply in continuous wave mode or the bias RF power supply in pulsing mode with the source RF power supply in continuous wave mode.
21. A method for tuning a system operating a plasma process in a time resolved manner using a source RF power supply and a bias RF power supply, each capable of frequency tuning and respectively coupled to a process chamber via a source matching network and a bias matching network, the method comprising:
igniting a plasma in a process chamber using the source RF power supply and the bias RF power supply, each independently set in a first operational mode selected from either a continuous wave mode or a pulsing mode and in a first tuning mode selected from either a fixed frequency mode or a frequency tuning mode, with the source matching network and the bias matching network each independently set in a first match mode selected from either an automatic tuning mode or a hold mode;
upon expiration of a first period of time, switching the first operational mode of one or both of the source RF power supply and the bias RF power supply;
upon expiration of a second period of time, switching the first tuning mode of one or both of the source RF power supply and the bias RF power supply; and
upon expiration of a third period of time, switching the first match mode of one or both of the source matching network and the bias matching network;
wherein the first, second, and third periods of time are selected to reduce a reflected power reflected back to the source RF power supply and the bias RF power supply.