RF isolation for power circuitry

• US RE47,276 E1
• Filed: 06/15/2016
• Issued: 03/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Benjamin, Neil
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Minh
• Application Number:
  US15/183,726
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 363 34, 363 37, 307 2, 307 3, 336 84 R, 336 84 C, 336 84 M, 21912143, 21912158
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/335 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/44 by static converters

Abstract

System and method for providing isolated power to a component that is also subject a set of RF signals that includes at least a first RF signal having a first RF frequency is provided. There is included providing a DC voltage signal and modulating the DC voltage signal into an isolated power signal using an isolation transformer. The isolated power signal has an intermediate frequency that is higher than 60 Hz and lower than the first RF frequency. There is included supplying the DC voltage signal to the primary winding and obtaining the isolated power signal from the secondary winding; and delivering the isolated power to the component using the isolated power signal.

Claims

1. A method for providing isolated power to a component heater of an RF chuck of a plasma processing chamber-that, the RF chuck of the plasma processing chamber is also subject to a set of RF signals, said set of RF signals including at least a first RF signal having a first RF frequency, comprising:

providing a DC voltage signal;

modulating said DC voltage signal into an isolated power signal using an isolation transformer, said isolated power signal having an intermediate frequency that is higher than 60 Hz and lower than said first RF frequency, wherein said set of RF signals includes a plurality of RF signals having different RF frequencies, said first RF frequency representing the lowest RF frequency among said different RF frequencies, said isolation transformer having a primary winding that is not electrically connected to a secondary winding, including;

supplying said DC voltage signal to said primary winding, and

obtainingtransferring said isolated power signal from said secondary winding to said heater of said RF chuck, therebysaid isolation transformer is configured to substantially blockingblock capacitive coupling of said first RF frequency provided to said RF chuck;

and

delivering said isolated power to said component using said isolated power signal;

wherein said isolation transformer transfers said isolated power signal from said primary winding to said secondary winding via mutual inductance, and

wherein said secondary winding is wound with a larger diameter, around a core of said isolation transformer resulting in an air gap between said secondary winding and that is over said core for reducing the capacitive coupling between said secondary winding and said core, than a diameter with which said primary winding is wound around said core.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining an AC line signal having a frequency in the range of 50 Hz to 60 Hz; and

rectifying said AC line signal to obtain said DC voltage signal.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing an electrostatic shield between said secondary winding and said core.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing an electrostatic shield between said secondary winding and said primary winding.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said secondary winding is wound over said primary winding.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising providing an electrostatic shield between said secondary winding and said primary winding.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said intermediate frequency is between about 500 Hz and about 2 MHz.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said core is formed of a core material having a mu value between about 10 and about 5000.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a low-side control circuit for controlling at least one of an amplitude of said DC voltage signal and a turn ratio of said isolation transformer.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a modulation circuit for modulating said isolated power signal.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising providing a high-side control circuit for controlling said modulation circuit.

12. A system for providing isolated power to a component that heater element of a chuck of a plasma processing chamber, the chuck is also subject to a set of RF signals, said set of RF signals including at least a first RF signal having a first RF frequency, comprising:

first and second terminals for providing a DC voltage signal; and

a modulating circuit to modulate said DC voltage signal into an isolated power signal using an isolation transformer, said isolated power signal having an intermediate frequency that is higher than 60 Hz and lower than said first RF frequency, wherein said set of RF signals includes a plurality of RF signals having different RF frequencies, said first RF frequency representing the a lowest RF frequency among said different RF frequencies, said isolation transformer having a primary winding that is not electrically connected to a secondary winding, wherein said DC voltage signal is supplied to said primary winding and said isolated power signal is obtained from said secondary winding thereby and provided to said heater element, the primary winding is physically spaced apart from secondary winding to facilitate substantially blocking capacitive coupling of said first RF frequency provided to said chuck via the heater element, wherein said isolated power is delivered via mutual inductance through said isolation transformer to said component heater element using said isolated power signal,

wherein said secondary winding is wound with a larger diameter, around a core of said isolation transformer resulting in an air gap between said secondary winding and that is over said core for reducing the capacitive coupling between said secondary winding and said core, than a diameter with which said primary winding is wound around said core.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising an electrostatic shield between said secondary winding and said primary winding.

14. The system of claim 12 further providing an electrostatic shield between said secondary winding and said core.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein said secondary winding is wound over said primary winding.

16. The system of claim 15 further providing an electrostatic shield between said secondary winding and said primary winding.

17. A method for providing isolated power to a component load of a chuck of a plasma processing chamber that, the chuck is also subject to a plurality of RF signals, said plurality of RF signals including at least a first RF signal having a first RF frequency, said method comprising:

providing an AC line signal having a frequency in the range of 50 Hz to 60 Hz;

rectifying said AC line signal to obtain a quasi-DC voltage signal;

modulating said quasi-DC voltage signal into an isolated power signal using an isolation transformer, said isolated power signal having an intermediate frequency that is higher than 60 Hz and lower than said first RF frequency, said first RF frequency representing the a lowest RF frequency among all RF frequencies of said plurality of RF signals, said isolation transformer having a primary winding that is not electrically connected to a secondary winding, including;

supplying said quasi-DC voltage signal to said primary winding, and

obtainingtransferring said isolated power signal from said secondary winding, therebyto said load of said chuck, said isolation transformer is configured to enable substantially blocking capacitive coupling of said first RF frequency provided to said chuck;

wherein said isoaltion transformer transfers said isolated power signal from said primary winding to said secondary winding via mutual inductance;

wherein said secondary winding is wound with a larger diameter, around a core of said isolation transformer resulting in an air gap between said secondary winding and that is over said core for reducing the capacitive coupling between said secondary winding and said core, than a diameter with which said primary winding is wound around said core; and

delivering said isolated power to said component of said plasma processing chamber using said isolated power signal.