PLASMA SUPPLY DEVICE

• US 20090026968A1
• Filed: 07/02/2008
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hüttinger Elektronik GmbH + Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Hüttinger Elektronik GmbH + Co. KG
• Inventors: Knaus, Hanns-Joachim, Windisch, Hans-Juergen, Kirchmeier, Thomas, Glueck, Michael, Hintz, Gerd
• Granted Patent: US 8,129,653 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/161
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/06 by measuring current and voltage G01R21/08 - G01R21/133 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 23/02 Arrangements for measuring frequency, e.g. pulse repetition rate; Arrangements for measuring period of current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32045 Circuits specially adapted for controlling the glow discharge
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/5383 in a self-oscillating arrangement H02M7/538 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/40 Automatic matching of load impedance to source impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/2806 with semiconductor devices and specially adapted for lamps without electrodes in the vessel, e.g. surface discharge lamps, electrodeless discharge lamps
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/46 using applied electromagnetic fields, e.g. high frequency or microwave energy H05H1/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/00 Energy efficient lighting technologies, e.g. halogen lamps or gas discharge lamps

Abstract

A plasma supply device generates an output power greater than 500 W at an essentially constant basic frequency greater than 3 MHz and powers a plasma process to which is supplied the generated output power, and from which reflected power is returned to the plasma supply device. The plasma supply device includes at least one inverter connected to a DC power supply, which inverter has at least one switching element, and an output network. The output network is arranged on a printed circuit board. The output network can therefore be designed low priced and accurately.

Claims

1. A plasma supply device for generating an output power greater than 500 W at an essentially constant basic frequency of greater than 3 MHz and for powering a plasma process, to which the generated output power is supplied, and from which reflected power is returned to the plasma supply device the plasma supply device comprising:

at least one inverter connected to a DC power supply, wherein the at least one inverter has at least one switching element, and

at least one output network electrically coupled to the at least one inverter,

wherein the at least one output network is arranged on a printed circuit board.

2. The plasma supply device of claim 1, further comprising at least one input connection arranged on the printed circuit board for connection to the at least one inverter.

3. The plasma supply device of claim 1, wherein the at least one inverter is arranged on the printed circuit board.

4. The plasma supply device of claim 1, wherein at least one component of the plasma supply device is designed so that it at least partially absorbs power reflected from the plasma process at the basic frequency.

5. The plasma supply device of claim 1, wherein the at least one output network includes at least one inductance that has a planar technology.

6. The plasma supply device of claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board is produced from glass fiber reinforced epoxy resin.

7. The plasma supply device of claim 1, wherein the at least one output network includes at least one output transformer having a primary-side winding and a secondary-side winding.

8. The plasma supply device of claim 7, wherein the at least one output transformer is planar.

9. The plasma supply device of claim 7, wherein the printed circuit board is of multi-layer design.

10. The plasma supply device of claim 9, wherein the printed circuit board has four layers, and a turn of the at least one output transformer is formed in each of the four layers of the printed circuit board.

11. The plasma supply device of claim 9, further comprising through contacts formed on the printed circuit board for connecting conductor paths arranged in the layers.

12. The plasma supply device of claim 7, wherein the primary-side winding and the secondary-side winding of the at least one output transformer each have two turns.

13. The plasma supply device of claim 7, wherein the at least one output network includes at least one set of first inductances arranged between the input connection and the primary-side winding.

14. The plasma supply device of claim 7, wherein the at least one output network includes at least one impedance adapter element between the secondary-side winding and at least one output connection for the connection of a load, wherein the at least one impedance adapter element includes one or more of a second inductance and a capacitor.

15. The plasma supply device of claim 7, further comprising at least one magnetic field strengthening element assigned to one or more windings of the at least one output transformer.

16. The plasma supply device of claim 1, wherein the at least one output network includes at least one inductance, and the plasma supply device further comprises at least one magnetic field strengthening element assigned to one or more of the inductances.

17. The plasma supply device of claim 16, wherein the at least one magnetic field strengthening element is a ferrite.

18. The plasma supply device of claim 16, wherein at least one recess is formed on the printed circuit board for receiving the at least one magnetic field strengthening element.

19. The plasma supply device of claim 1, wherein the at least one output network includes at least one inductance having a value greater than 50 nH and a quality better than 200.

20. The plasma supply device of claim 1, further comprising a cooling plate connected to the printed circuit board.

21. The plasma supply device of claim 20, wherein the printed circuit board is separated from the cooling plate.

22. The plasma supply device of claim 20, wherein the printed circuit board is separated from the cooling plate by a distance that is in relationship to the thickness of a magnetic field strengthening element enclosing one or more of inductances and windings of an output transformer.

23. The plasma supply device of claim 20, further comprising one or more heat transmission elements between the printed circuit board and the cooling plate.

24. The plasma supply device of claim 23, wherein the heat transmission elements are in the vicinity of the at least one output transformer, and conductor paths of the printed circuit board are guided through the magnetic field strengthening element assigned to the at least one output transformer to the heat transmission elements.

25. The plasma supply device of claim 1, further comprising an earth connection on the printed circuit board.

26. The plasma supply device of claim 25, wherein the earth connection is a bore through the printed circuit board having an electrical contact.

27. The plasma supply device of claim 1, further comprising two output networks, each output network including at least a set of first inductances, an output transformer, and an impedance adapter element, wherein the output powers of the two output networks are combined to one total power with a coupler.

28. The plasma supply device of claim 1, wherein at least two output networks are present whose output powers are combined to one total power.

29. The plasma supply device of claim 28, wherein the output networks are connected to separate inverters.

30. The plasma supply device of claim 28, wherein the combination of the output powers is achieved by means of at least one coupler.

31. The plasma supply device of claim 30, wherein the at least one coupler is on the printed circuit board and is designed at least partially in a planar geometry.

32. A plasma supply system that generates an output power greater than 500 W at an essentially constant basic frequency of greater than 3 MHZ for powering a plasma process, the plasma supply system comprising:

at least two plasma supply devices, wherein each plasma supply device includes at least one inverter connected to a DC power supply, wherein the at least one inverter has at least one switching element, and at least one output network electrically coupled to the at least one inverter, wherein the at least one output network is arranged on a printed circuit board; and

at least one coupler that combines output powers of the at least two plasma supply devices.