System and method for managing power supplied to a plasma chamber

• US 7,514,935 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2006
• Issued: 04/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AES Global Holdings Pte Ltd. (Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. (China))
• Original Assignee: Advanced Energy Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Pankratz, Joshua Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Gutierrez; Diego
• Assistant Examiner(s): He; Amy
• Application Number:
  US11/531,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20080061794A1
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 324/536
• US Class Current: 324/536
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/0206 Extinguishing, preventing or controlling unwanted discharges
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32064 Circuits specially adapted for controlling the arc discharge for plasma torches H01H1/36
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32935 Monitoring and controlling tubes by information coming from the object and/or discharge
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/46 using applied electromagnetic fields, e.g. high frequency or microwave energy H05H1/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 2242/22 DC, AC or pulsed generators

Abstract

A system and method for managing power delivered to a processing chamber is described. In one embodiment power is delivered to the processing chamber with a power cable, the power cable storing energy and including a first and second conductors, the first conductor having a first voltage polarity relative to the second conductor. The voltage polarity of the first conductor is reversed relative to the second conductor and at least a portion of the stored energy in the power cable is provided to the plasma chamber while the polarity of the first power cable is reversed.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first and second output terminals;

a power module configured to provide a voltage with a first polarity to the first and second output terminals, each of the first and second output terminals adapted to couple with a corresponding one of two conductors of a plasma-chamber-supply cable; and

an arc-management module connected to the first and second output terminals, the arc-management module configured to provide, using energy stored in the plasma-chamber-supply cable, a reverse voltage across the first and second output terminals, the reverse voltage having a polarity that is opposite of the first polarity;

a shunt switch connected between the first and second output terminals and arranged in parallel with the power module so as to be capable of shunting current from the power module when closed;

a voltage-reversing module arranged in series with the first conductor, the voltage-reversing module configured to carry current with a series switch from the power module to the first conductor while the first and second output terminals have the first polarity and receive energy stored in the plasma-chamber-supply cable while the series switch is open so as to be capable of generating the reverse voltage; and

a control module configured to close the shunt switch and open the series switch so as to enable the voltage-reversing module to generate the reverse voltage.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the arc-management module is configured to shunt current from the power module while providing the reverse voltage to the first and second output terminals.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the arc-management module is configured to provide the reverse voltage to the first and second output terminals in response to receiving an arc-indication signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the arc-management module is configured to periodically provide the reverse voltage to the first and second output terminals.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the voltage-reversing module includes a capacitor arranged in parallel with the series switch and configured to build a charge in response to receiving the energy stored in the plasma-chamber-supply cable, the charge placing the reverse voltage across the first and second output terminals.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, including a diode in series with the capacitor, the diode configured to enable the capacitor to peak charge when the series switch is opened.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a first and second input terminals adapted to receive a voltage, the received voltage characterized by a first polarity across the first and second input terminals;

a first and second output terminals, the second output terminal connected to the second input terminal, the first output terminal adapted to couple with a first conductor of a plasma-chamber-supply cable and the second output terminal adapted to couple with a second conductor of the plasma-chamber-supply cable;

a shunt switch disposed so as to be capable of shunting current away from the at least two output terminals when closed;

a voltage-reversing module connected between the first input terminal and the first output terminal, the voltage-reversing module configured to carry current from the first input terminal to the first output terminal while operating in a first operating mode so as to provide the voltage with the first polarity across the first and second output terminals, and wherein the voltage-reversing module is configured, in a second operating mode, to generate, using energy from the plasma-chamber-supply cable, a reverse voltage across the first and second output terminals while the shunt switch is closed, the reverse voltage having a polarity that is opposite of the first polarity; and

a control portion configured to close the shunt switch and prompt the voltage-reversing module to operate in the second operating mode so as to enable the voltage-reversing module to generate the reverse voltage across the first and second output terminals

a series switch arranged in series between the first input terminal and the first output terminal and configured, during the first operating mode, to be closed so as to carry the current from the first input terminal to the first output terminal; and

a capacitor configured to receive, while the series switch is opened in the second operating mode, energy from the first plasma-chamber-supply cable so as to build a charge, the charge placing the reverse voltage across the first and second output terminals.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the control portion is configured to close the shunt switch and prompt the voltage-reversing module to operate in the second operating mode in response to an arc being detected across the first and second conductors of the plasma-chamber-supply cable.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the control portion is configured to periodically close the shunt switch and prompt the voltage-reversing module to operate in the second operating mode.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, including an inductor connected between the shunt switch and the first input terminal, the inductance of the inductor enabling the shunt switch to close without short-circuiting a power supply that provides the voltage to the first and second input terminals.