Control arrangement, control system and high frequency power generating device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10354840-B2
Application number	US-201615355330-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 18, 2016
Priority date	May 19, 2014
Publication date	Jul 16, 2019
Grant date	Jul 16, 2019

Abstract

Techniques are described for controlling the power and/or matching the impedance of the output impedance of a high frequency power generator to the impedance of a load, in particular a plasma discharge. A control arrangement may include a control unit, to which a target value, an actual value, and a correction value is supplied, the control unit being set up to generate an adjustment value by taking into account the correction value. The control arrangement may also include a device for determining the correction value, to which a control value is supplied and which is set up to determine the correction value by taking into account the control value and a default value. In some embodiments, when the control value deviates from the default value, the correction value influences the control unit such that the actual value deviates from the target value in the adjusted state of the control unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A plasma discharge control system comprising:
a first control unit to which a first target value, a first actual value, and a correction value are supplied, wherein the first control unit is configured to generate a first adjustment value by taking into account the correction value, the first target value, and the first actual value; and
a first value determinator configured to determine the correction value, to which first value determinator a control value is supplied, the first value determinator being configured to determine the correction value by taking into account the control value and a default value, the first value determinator being coupled to the first control unit and configured to supply the correction value to the first control unit,
wherein the first value determinator and the first control unit are configured such that, when the control value deviates from the default value, the correction value influences the first control unit such that the first actual value deviates from the first target value in an adjusted state of the first control unit.

2. The plasma discharge control system according to claim 1 , wherein the first value determinator is further configured to determine the correction value such that a deviation of the control value from the default value is reduced.

3. The plasma discharge control system according to claim 1 , wherein the first control unit comprises an integrator, the correction value being added to or multiplied by an integral component of the integrator.

4. The plasma discharge control system according to claim 3 , wherein the integrator is a digital integrator.

5. The plasma discharge control system according to claim 1 , wherein the correction value is a function of the deviation from both the default value and the control value.

6. The plasma discharge control system according to claim 5 , wherein the function is a linear or quadratic function.

7. The plasma discharge control system according to claim 1 , wherein the first value determinator is a second control unit, the correction value being a further adjustment value.

8. The plasma discharge control system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second value determinator which is supplied with the first actual value or an actual variable related thereto, wherein the second value determinator is configured to generate a second adjustment value.

9. A high frequency generating system comprising:
a high frequency power generator;
a measuring sensor configured to determine a first actual value;
a first control unit to which a first target value, the first actual value, and a correction value are supplied, wherein the first control unit is configured to generate a first adjustment value by taking into account the correction value, the first actual value, and the first target value; and
a first value determinator configured to determine the correction value, to which first value determinator a control value is supplied, the first value determinator being configured to determine the correction value by taking into account the control value and a default value, the first value determinator being coupled to the first control unit and configured to supply the correction value to the first control unit,
wherein the first value determinator and the first control unit are configured such that, when the control value deviates from the default value, the correction value influences the first control unit such that the first actual value deviates from the first target value in an adjusted state of the first control unit.

10. The high frequency generating system according to claim 9 , wherein the first actual value influences a frequency of the high frequency power generator.

11. The high frequency generating system according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a second value determinator which is supplied with the first actual value or an actual variable related thereto, wherein the second value determinator is configured to generate a second adjustment value.

12. The high frequency generating system of claim 9 , wherein the control value is a frequency of an excitation signal of the high frequency power generator, and the default value is a desired fundamental frequency of the excitation signal.

13. A plasma excitation system comprising:
a high frequency power generator;
a plasma discharge, which is connected to the high frequency power generator such that the plasma discharge can be supplied with power generated by the high frequency power generator;
a measuring sensor configured to determine a first actual value;
a first control unit to which a first target value, the first actual value, and a correction value are supplied, the first control unit being configured to generate a first adjustment value by taking into account the correction value, the first actual value, and the first target value; and
a first value determinator configured to determine the correction value, to which first value determinator a control value is supplied, the first value determinator being configured to determine the correction value by taking into account the control value and a default value, the first value determinator being coupled to the first control unit and supply the correction value to the first control unit,
wherein the first value determinator and the first control unit are configured such that, when the control value deviates from the default value, the correction value influences the first control unit such that the first actual value deviates from the first target value in an adjusted state of the first control unit.

14. The high frequency generating system of claim 9 , wherein the first adjustment value is supplied to the high frequency power generator, such that the first actual value associated with the high frequency power generator is affected by the first adjustment value.

15. The high frequency generating system of claim 9 , wherein the control value is the first adjustment value.

16. The high frequency generating system of claim 9 , wherein the control value is a second actual value of a variable adjusted by the first adjustment value.

17. The high frequency generating system of claim 9 , wherein the first control unit is configured to:
determine a control deviation of the first actual value from the first target value, and
determine the first adjustment value by taking into account of the control deviation.

18. The plasma excitation system according to claim 13 , further comprising:
a second value determinator which is supplied with the first actual value or an actual variable related thereto, wherein the second value determinator is configured to generate a second adjustment value.

19. A method for plasma discharge control, the method comprising:
generating a first adjustment value of a first control unit from a first target value, a first actual value, and a correction value; and
determining the correction value from a control value associated with the first adjustment value and a default value, the correction value being supplied to the first control unit,
wherein the correction value is generated such that, when the control value deviates from the default value, the first actual value deviates from the first target value in an adjusted state of the first control unit.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein generating the first adjustment value and determining the correction value are performed by a first control arrangement, and wherein a second actual value or a value re

Assignees

• Trumpf Huettinger Gmbh Co Kg
• Trumpf Heuttinger Gmbh Co Kg

Inventors

• Bock Christian

Classifications

• H03H7/40

  Automatic matching of load impedance to source impedance · CPC title

• G05B11/06 Primary

  in which the output signal represents a continuous function of the deviation from the desired value, i.e. continuous controllers (G05B11/26 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01J37/32183 Primary

  Matching circuits · CPC title

• H05H1/46

  using applied electromagnetic fields, e.g. high frequency or microwave energy (H05H1/26 takes precedence) · CPC title