Phase and frequency control of a radio frequency generator from an external source

• US 8,110,991 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2009
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MKS Instruments Incorporated
• Original Assignee: MKS Instruments Incorporated
• Inventors: Coumou, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Tung X
• Application Number:
  US12/552,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20090315463A1
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 315/111.21, 315/111.41, 315/261, 315/326, 219/121.43, 219/121.54, 118/723.I, 118/723.R
• US Class Current: 315/111.21
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32082 Radio frequency generated discharge H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394 and H01J37/32403 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32174 Circuits specially adapted for controlling the RF discharge
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 31/26 Influencing the shape of arc discharge by gas blowing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/46 using applied electromagnetic fields, e.g. high frequency or microwave energy H05H1/26 takes precedence

Abstract

Controlling a phase and/or a frequency of a RF generator. The RF generator includes a power source, a sensor, and a sensor signal processing unit. The sensor signal processing unit is coupled to the power source and to the sensor. The sensor signal processing unit controls the phase and/or the frequency of a RF generator.

Claims

1. A radio frequency (RF) generator comprising:

a RF power source;

a sensor coupled to the RF power source;

a sensor signal processing unit including a controller coupled to a derivative function component and coupled to the power source and to the sensor, the sensor signal processing unit adapted to receive an input from an external RF generator and to generate a control signal to control at least one of phase or frequency of the RF generator, the signal processing unit being operable to generate the control signal,

wherein the sensor signal processing unit includes a field programmable gate array (FPGA) unit and a digital signal processing unit and wherein the FPGA unit is operable to receive a phase and frequency input signal.

2. The RF generator of claim 1, wherein the input is one of a phase set point or a mix frequency set point.

3. The RF generator of claim 2, wherein the external RF generator includes a user defined input.

4. The RF generator of claim 1, wherein the controller generates the control signal and wherein the control signal is a RF signal.

5. The RF generator of claim 4, wherein the control signal generated from the controller depends on a plurality of inputs to the controller.

6. The RF generator of claim 5, wherein the plurality of inputs include a phase error signal, a frequency error signal, and a phase and frequency input signal.

7. A radio frequency (RF) generator system comprising:

a first RF generator generating an output; and

a second RF generator, the second RF generator including;

a RF power source;

a sensor coupled to the power source; and

a sensor signal processing unit coupled to the power source and to the sensor, the sensor signal processing unit adapted to receive the output from the first RF generator and to generate a control signal to control at least one of phase or frequency of the second RF generator.

8. The RF generator system of claim 7, wherein the output is one of a phase set point or a mix frequency set point.

9. The RF generator of claim 8, wherein the output is defined by the user.

10. The RF generator of claim 7, wherein the sensor signal processing unit comprises a field programmable gate array (FPGA) unit and a digital signal processing unit.

11. The RF generator of claim 10, wherein the FPGA unit is operable to receive a phase and frequency input signal.

12. The RF generator of claim 10, wherein the signal processing unit is operable to generate the control signal.

13. The RF generator of claim 12, wherein the signal processing unit comprises a controller coupled to a derivative function component.

14. The RF generator of claim 13, wherein the controller generates the control signal and wherein the control signal is a RF signal.

15. The RF generator of claim 14, wherein the control signal generated from the controller depends on a plurality of inputs to the controller.