High frequency excitation system

• US 7,161,818 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2004
• Issued: 01/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Huettinger Elektronik GmbH + Company KG (TRUMPF SE + Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: TRUMPF Hüttinger GmbH + Co. KG (Trumpf GmbH + Company KG)
• Inventors: Kirchmeier, Thomas, Oestreicher, Wolfgang R. H.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, MATTHEW VAN
• Application Number:
  US10/868,535
• Publication Number:
  US 20050088855A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 363/16, 363/17, 363/56.01, 363/56.02, 363/97, 363/98, 363/131, 363/132
• US Class Current: 363/132
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/097 by gas discharge of a gas laser
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/0975 using inductive or capacitive excitation
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/4815 Resonant converters H02M7/4811 and H02M7/4826 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/53871 with automatic control of output voltage or current
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

A power module is adapted to be connected to a voltage source and to supply power to a load. The power module includes a switching bridge that includes a first power transistor and a second power transistor, a first gate controller for driving the first power transistor and a second gate controller for driving the second power transistor. The first gate controller includes a first gate transformer, and a leakage inductance of the first gate transformer forms a resonant circuit with an input capacitance of the first power transistor. The second gate controller includes a second gate transformer, and a leakage inductance of the second gate transformer forms a resonant circuit with an input capacitance of the second power transistor.

Claims

1. A power module adapted to be connected to a voltage source and to supply power to a load, the power module comprising:

a switching bridge that includes a first power transistor and a second power transistor;

a first gate controller for driving the first power transistor, wherein the first gate controller includes a first gate transformer and wherein a leakage inductance of the first gate transformer forms a resonant circuit with an input capacitance of the first power transistor; and

a second gate controller for driving the second power transistor, wherein the second gate controller includes a second gate transformer and wherein a leakage inductance of the second gate transformer forms a resonant circuit with an input capacitance of the second power transistor.

2. The power module of claim 1, wherein the switching bridge further includes a third power transistor and a fourth power transistor, and wherein the system further comprises:

a third gate controller for driving the third power transistor, wherein the third gate controller includes a third gate transformer and wherein a leakage inductance of the third gate transformer forms a resonant circuit with an input capacitance of the third power transistor; and

a fourth gate controller for driving the fourth power transistor, wherein the fourth gate controller includes a fourth gate transformer and wherein a leakage inductance of the fourth gate transformer forms a resonant circuit with an input capacitance of the fourth power transistor.

3. The power module of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first gate transformer and the second gate transformer includes a low frequency ferrite.

4. The power module of claim 1, wherein the first gate controller further includes a first impulse generator for creating pulses to the first power transistor, and wherein the second gate controller further includes a second impulse generator for creating pulses to the second power transistor.

5. The power module of claim 4,

wherein the first impulse generator includes a first capacitor in parallel with an first input capacitance of the first power transistor and a first switching element, and

wherein the second impulse generator includes a second capacitor in parallel with an second input capacitance of the second power transistor and a second switching element.

18. A method of supplying power from the power module of claim 1 to ignite a plasma in a load, the method comprising:

before the load includes an ignited plasma, providing power to the load at a frequency that is non-resonant with a characteristic frequency of the load; and

when the load includes an ignited plasma, providing power to the load at a frequency that is resonant with the characteristic frequency of the load.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising monitoring a voltage supplied to the load to determine when a plasma in the load is ignited.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising supplying power to the load in a chain of short pulse-width pulses to ignite the plasma.

21. A method of supplying power from the power module of claim 1 to a load, the method comprising:

controlling an input power to the power module by controlling a frequency of a signal supplied to the power module; and

controlling a load power supplied by the power module by controlling a duty cycle of pulses output from the power module.

6. A high frequency excitation system comprising:

a load;

a power module adapted to be connected to a voltage source and adapted to supply power to the load, the power module comprising;

a switching bridge that includes a first power transistor and a second power transistor,

a first gate controller for driving the first power transistor, wherein the first gate controller includes a first gate transformer and wherein a leakage inductance of the first gate transformer forms a resonant circuit with an input capacitance of the first power transistor, and

a second gate controller for driving the second power transistor, wherein the second gate controller includes a second gate transformer and wherein a leakage inductance of the second gate transformer forms a resonant circuit with an input capacitance of the second power transistor; and

a power transformer connected to the power module and connected to the load, wherein the power transformer is adapted to form a series resonant circuit with the load when the power module supplies power to the load.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the load is a gas in which a plasma can be created when the power module supplies power to the load.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the load is a laser-active gas medium of a gas laser.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the power transformer includes a tunable air-core coil.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the power transformer includes an autotransformer.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the power transformer includes rigid wire windings.

12. The system of claim 6, further comprising a voltage detector for detecting a voltage at the power transformer.

13. The system of claim 6, further comprising a strip line for connecting the power transformer to the power module.

14. The system of claim 6, wherein the switching bridge further includes a third power transistor and a fourth power transistor, and wherein the system further comprises:

a third gate controller for driving the third power transistor, wherein the third gate controller includes a third gate transformer and wherein a leakage inductance of the third gate transformer forms a resonant circuit with an input capacitance of the third power transistor; and

a fourth gate controller for driving the fourth power transistor, wherein the fourth gate controller includes a fourth gate transformer and wherein a leakage inductance of the fourth gate transformer forms a resonant circuit with an input capacitance of the fourth power transistor.

15. The power module of claim 6, wherein at least one of the first gate transformer and the second gate transformer includes a low frequency ferrite.

16. The power module of claim 6, wherein the first gate controller further includes a first impulse generator for creating pulses to the first power transistor, and wherein the second gate controller further includes a second impulse generator for creating pulses to the second power transistor.

17. The power module of claim 16,

wherein the first impulse generator includes a first capacitor in parallel with an first input capacitance of the first power transistor and a first switching element, and

wherein the second impulse generator includes a second capacitor in parallel with an second input capacitance of the second power transistor and a second switching element.