Power supply systems and methods for generating power with multiple amplifier paths

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10026593-B2
Application number	US-201615185290-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2016
Priority date	Dec 18, 2013
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

A power supply system includes a power converter configured to generate a high-frequency power signal and be connected to a load to supply a plasma process or gas laser process with power. The power converter includes at least one amplifier stage having first and second amplifier paths each having an amplifier. The first and second amplifier path are connected to a phase-shifting coupler unit that is configured to couple phase-shifted output signals from the first and second amplifier paths to form the high-frequency power signal. At least one amplifier of the first and second amplifier paths includes a field effect transistor implemented in a semiconductor device with a semiconductor structure having a substantially layered construction, and the semiconductor device includes a channel, a current flowing in the channel substantially in parallel with layers of the semiconductor structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power supply system comprising:
a power converter configured to generate a high-frequency power signal and comprising:
at least one amplifier stage having first and second amplifier paths each having an amplifier, the first amplifier path outputting a first amplifier path output signal and the second amplifier path outputting a second amplifier path output signal that, with respect to the first amplifier path output signal, has a phase shift greater than 0° and less than 180°,

wherein the first and second amplifier paths are connected to a phase-shifting coupler unit that is configured to couple the first and second amplifier path output signals to form the high-frequency power signal,
wherein at least one amplifier of the first and second amplifier paths comprises a field effect transistor implemented in a semiconductor device with a semiconductor structure having a substantially layered construction,
wherein the semiconductor device comprises a channel, a current flowing in the channel substantially in parallel with layers of the semiconductor structure,
wherein at least one of the amplifier paths has an output network between the corresponding amplifier and the phase-shifting coupler unit, and
wherein at least a portion of one inductor of the output network is planar and extends parallel to a plane containing the semiconductor device of the transistor.

2. The power supply system of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor device has a first power terminal, a second power terminal, and a control terminal, and
wherein the first power terminal, the second power terminal, and the control terminal are arranged on a first face of the semiconductor device.

3. The power supply system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a power source terminal arranged on a second face of the semiconductor device opposite to the first face and configured to be electrically conductively connected to the first power terminal through the semiconductor device.

4. The power supply system of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor device has a weakly negatively doped drift zone between a power terminal and a control terminal on a face of the semiconductor device facing the terminals.

5. The power supply system of claim 4 , where the channel is below the control terminal, and a size of the drift zone is larger than a width of the channel.

6. The power supply system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the amplifiers has an output impedance different from an input impedance of the phase-shifting coupler unit.

7. The power supply system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the amplifiers is configured such that an output impedance of the at least one of the amplifiers changes when an impedance to which the at least one of the amplifiers supplies its power changes.

8. The power supply system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the amplifiers comprises a laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) transistor.

9. The power supply system of claim 1 , wherein the output network has at least one planar inductor that is thermally and capacitively coupled via a dielectric to an earth plane through which coolant flows.

10. The power supply system of claim 1 , wherein the at least a portion of one inductor of the output network is arranged on a layer of a circuit board.

11. The power supply system of claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of one inductor of the phase-shifting coupler unit is arranged on the layer of the circuit board.

12. The power supply system of claim 1 , wherein the phase-shifting coupler unit has first and second planar inductors that are thermally and capacitively coupled via a dielectric to an earth plane through which coolant flows and are simultaneously capacitively and inductively coupled to one another.

13. The power supply system of claim 1 , wherein inductors of the phase-shifting coupler unit are arranged at least in portions in a plane, the semiconductor device of the transistor being arranged in the same plane or in a parallel plane.

14. The power supply system of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of amplifier stages each having two amplifier paths that are connected to a 90° hybrid coupler.

15. The power supply system of claim 1 , further comprising an adjustable voltage supply configured to supply the at least one amplifier with a voltage.

16. The power supply system of claim 1 , wherein the amplifiers are configured to convert power both in a linear range of their characteristic curve and in saturation.

17. The power supply system of claim 1 , wherein the transistor has a control input, to which a driving voltage is connected via a capacitive dissipative circuit unit that has a capacitive element including a resistor connected in parallel.

18. A method of generating high-frequency power, comprising:
supplying an analog signal to each of amplifier paths;
amplifying the analog signal into a high-frequency signal in each of the amplifier paths by at least one amplifier;
supplying the high-frequency signals from the amplifier paths to a phase-shifting coupler unit; and
generating the high-frequency power by coupling the high-frequency power signals with the phase-shifting coupler unit,
wherein the at least one amplifier comprises a field effect transistor implemented in a semiconductor device with a semiconductor structure having a substantially layered construction,
wherein the semiconductor device comprises a channel, a current flowing in the channel substantially in parallel with layers of the semiconductor structure,
wherein at least one of the amplifier paths has an output network between the corresponding amplifier and the phase-shifting coupler unit, and
wherein at least a portion of one inductor of the output network is planar and extends parallel to a plane containing the semiconductor device of the transistor.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the at least a portion of one inductor of the output network and at least a portion of one inductor of the phase-shifting coupler unit are arranged on a layer of the circuit board.

20. A high-frequency plasma system comprising:
a plasma chamber in which at least one electrode is arranged; and
a power supply system connected to the electrode and configured to supply high-frequency power to the electrode, the power supply system comprising:
at least one amplifier stage having first and second amplifier paths each having an amplifier, the first amplifier path outputting a first amplifier path output signal and the second amplifier path outputting a second amplifier path output signal that, with respect to the first amplifier path output signal, has a phase shift within a range from 0° to 180°,

wherein the first and second amplifier path are connected to a phase-shifting coupler unit that is configured to couple the first and second amplifier path output signals to form the high-frequency power signal,
wherein at least one amplifier of the first and second amplifier paths comprises a field effect transistor implemented in a semiconductor device with a semiconductor structure having a substantially layered construction,
wherein the semiconductor device comprises a channel, a current flowing in the channel substantially in parallel with layers of the semiconductor structure,
wherein at least one of the amplifier paths has an output network between the corresponding amplifier and the phase-shifting coupler unit, and
wherein at least a portion of one inductor of the output network is planar and extends parallel to a plane containing the

Assignees

• Trumpf Huettinger Gmbh Co Kg

Inventors

• Alt Alexander
• Grede Andre
• Gruner Daniel
• Labanc Anton

Classifications

• H01J37/32082

  Radio frequency generated discharge (H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394 and H01J37/32403 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01J37/32174 Primary

  Circuits specially adapted for controlling the RF discharge · CPC title

• H01L29/4175

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L29/7835

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H10D64/254

  for lateral devices wherein the source or drain electrodes extend entirely through the semiconductor bodies, e.g. via-holes for back side contacts · CPC title