Power distributor for defined sequential power distribution

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10074976-B2
Application number	US-201314439815-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 29, 2013
Priority date	Nov 1, 2012
Publication date	Sep 11, 2018
Grant date	Sep 11, 2018

Abstract

A power distributor that is capable of distributing the high power from a DC generator to more than two targets sequentially and without the power output of the DC generator being interrupted. Furthermore, the invention relates to a sputter source that includes the power generator described above.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A power distributor suited for distributing a power of a DC generator sequentially and without interruption of power delivery to more than two targets of a coating apparatus, comprising:
circuitry including:
a first ohmic resistance; and
a plurality of first switches, each one of the first switches corresponding to a respective one of the targets,

the circuitry being configured to connect one output of the DC generator to one end of each of the targets,
the first ohmic resistance having one end and another end, the one end of the first ohmic resistance being configured to connect to another output of the DC generator, the another end of the first ohmic resistance being connected to the first switches,
each of the first switches being configured to connect to another end of the respective one of the targets, and
the first switches being configured to distribute the power to one of the targets selectively,
wherein
the circuitry further includes a second ohmic resistance and a second switch,
the second ohmic resistance being configured to connect to the one output and the another output of the DC generator via the second switch.

2. The power distributor according to claim 1 , wherein
the circuitry further includes a third switch,
wherein the third switch is connected to the one end of the first ohmic resistance, and is configured to connect to the another output of the DC generator.

3. The power distributor according to claim 2 , wherein
the circuitry further includes a fourth switch, wherein
the fourth switch is configured to connect between the one output and the another output of the DC generator.

4. The power distributor according to claim 3 , wherein
the circuitry further includes an RC element and a fifth switch,
the RC element is configured to connect to the one output and the another output of the DC generator via the fifth switch, and
the RC element includes a third ohmic resistance and a first capacitor, the first capacitor is connected to the third ohmic resistance in series.

5. The power distributor according to claim 4 , wherein
the circuitry further includes a fourth ohmic resistance, a second capacitor, and a sixth switch,
the fourth ohmic resistance and the second capacitor are mutually connected in parallel, and
the fourth ohmic resistance and the second capacitor are configured to connect to the one output and the another output of the DC generator via the sixth switch.

6. The power distributor according to claim 5 , wherein
the circuitry further includes a protective diode, and
the protective diode is configured to connect between the one output and the another output of the DC generator.

7. The power distributor according to claim 6 , wherein at least one of the first switches is constituted of IGBT.

8. A coating apparatus comprising:
the DC generator;
the more than two targets as sputtering cathodes; and
the power distributor according to claim 1 ,
wherein the targets are connectable to the DC generator via the power distributor.

Assignees

• Oerlikon Surface Solutions Ag Trubbach
• Oerlikon Surface Solutions Ag Pfaeffikon

Inventors

• Lendi Daniel

Classifications

• H01J37/3467 Primary

  Pulsed operation, e.g. HIPIMS · CPC title

• H01J37/3444 Primary

  Associated circuits · CPC title

• C23C14/3485

  using pulsed power to the target · CPC title

• C23C14/35

  by application of a magnetic field, e.g. magnetron sputtering {(C23C14/3457 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• C23C14/3464

  using more than one target (C23C14/56 takes precedence) · CPC title