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Adjustable non-dissipative voltage boosting snubber network

  • US 9,226,380 B2
  • Filed: 11/01/2012
  • Issued: 12/29/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A power system comprising:

  • a DC power supply supplying DC power to first and second rails having a voltage between the first and second rails;

    a switching circuit receiving the DC power via the first and second rails and converting the DC power to a pulsed DC voltage, the pulsed DC voltage configured for application to a plasma load; and

    a snubber circuit coupled to the first and second rails such that the voltage between the first and second rails falls across the snubber circuit, the snubber circuit comprising;

    a first unidirectional switch configured to allow current to pass from the first rail;

    a voltage multiplier coupled between the first unidirectional switch and the second rail, and configured to;

    absorb and store energy from the DC power supply via the first unidirectional switch when an impedance seen by the switching circuit increases;

    boost the voltage between the first and second rails by virtue of absorbing and storing the energy from the DC power supply;

    then apply at least a portion of the stored energy to the switching circuit when the impedance seen by the switching circuit decreases and thereby decrease the voltage between the first and second rails; and

    an electrical node between the first unidirectional switch and the voltage multiplier; and

    a current limiter coupled between the electrical node and the first rail and limiting rises in current that the voltage multiplier discharges to the switching circuit.

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