Feedback control and coherency of multiple power supplies in radio frequency power delivery systems for pulsed mode schemes in thin film processing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9509266-B2
Application number	US-201414324540-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2014
Priority date	Feb 23, 2012
Publication date	Nov 29, 2016
Grant date	Nov 29, 2016

Abstract

A RF power supply system for delivering periodic RF power to a load. A power amplifier outputs a RF signal to the load. A sensor measures the RF signal provided to the load and outputs signals that vary in accordance with the RF signal. A first feedback loop enables control the RF signal based upon power determined in accordance with output from the sensor. A second feedback loop enables control the RF signal based upon energy measured in accordance with signals output from the sensor. Energy amplitude and duration provide control values for varying the RF signal. The control system and techniques are applicable to both pulsed RF power supplies and in various instances to continuous wave power supplies.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A radio frequency (RF) control system comprising:
a power amplifier, the power amplifier generating a RF signal to a load;
a sensor monitoring the RF signal and generating a sensor signal based on the RF signal;
an energy detection circuit determining an energy of the RF signal in accordance with the sensor signal;
a power amplifier energy adjustment circuit, the power amplifier adjustment circuit outputting a control signal for varying the RF signal in accordance with the energy determined by the energy detection circuit,
wherein the RF signal is one of a pulsed signal or a continuous wave signal.

2. The RF control system of claim 1 further comprising a power detection circuit determining a power of the RF signal in accordance with the sensor signal.

3. The RF control system of claim 2 further comprising a power amplifier power adjustment circuit generating a power compensation signal in accordance with the power determined by the power detection circuit.

4. The RF control system of claim 3 further comprising a power summer circuit receiving and summing and output signal from the power detection circuit and a power setpoint signal, wherein output of the power summer circuit is input to the power adjustment circuit and wherein the power compensation signal varies in accordance with the output of the power summer circuit.

5. The RF control system of claim 2 further comprising an energy summer circuit receiving and summing an output signal from the energy detection circuit and an energy setpoint signal, wherein the output of the energy summer circuit is input to the power amplifier energy adjustment circuit and wherein the control signal from the power amplifier energy adjustment circuit varies in accordance with the output of the energy summer circuit.

6. The RF control system of claim 5 wherein the energy summer circuit receives an external energy measurement signal, wherein the external energy measurement signal varies in accordance with a signal output by a sensor external to the RF control system.

7. The RF control system of claim 6 wherein the sensor external to the RF control system is positioned between a matching network and the load.

8. The RF control system of claim 1 wherein the sensor before a matching network connected to the load.

9. The RF control system of claim 1 wherein if the RF signal is a pulsed signal, the RF signal includes a sinusoidal signal and a modulation signal modulating the sinusoidal signal and wherein the energy detection circuit determines the energy of the modulation signal to determine the energy of the RF signal.

10. The RF signal of claim 9 wherein the energy detection circuit determines the energy of the modulation signal in blocks, wherein each block is a predetermined length of time, and the energy for the RF signal is determined by adding the energy determined for each block.

11. The RF signal of claim 9 wherein the modulation signal has the shape of at least one of a square wave, sawtooth, a sinusoidal signal, or a combination thereof.

12. A radio frequency (RF) control system comprising:
a power amplifier, the power amplifier generating a RF signal to a load;
an energy detection circuit determining an energy of the RF signal in accordance with a sensor signal output by the sensor and based on the RF signal;
a power detection circuit determining a power of the RF signal in accordance with the sensor signal; and
a power amplifier energy adjustment circuit generating a control signal for varying the RF signal in accordance with the energy determined by the energy detection circuit and the power determined by the power detection circuit,
wherein the RF signal includes a first signal and a first modulation signal modulating the first signal and wherein the energy detection circuit determines the energy of the first modulation signal to determine the energy of the RF signal.

13. The RF control system of claim 12 wherein the first modulation signal includes a first characteristic portion and a second characteristic portion.

14. The RF signal of claim 13 wherein the energy detection circuit determines the energy of the first modulation signal in blocks, wherein each block is a predetermined length of time, and the energy for the RF signal is determined by adding the energy determined for each block.

15. The RF signal of claim 14 wherein the first characteristic portion comprises a first number of blocks and wherein the energy determined for the first number of blocks is added to determine the energy for the first characteristic portion.

16. The RF signal of claim 15 wherein the second characteristic portion comprises a second number of blocks and wherein the energy determined for the second number of blocks is added to determine the energy for the second characteristic portion.

17. The RF signal of claim 12 wherein the RF signal further includes a second modulation signal modulating the first modulation signal to define a composite modulation signal, wherein the composite modulation signal modulates the first signal.

18. The RF control system of claim 17 wherein the composite modulation signal includes a first characteristic portion and a second characteristic portion.

19. The RF signal of claim 18 wherein the energy detection circuit determines the energy of the composite modulation signal in blocks, wherein each block is a predetermined length of time, and the energy for the RF signal is determined by adding the energy determined for each block.

20. The RF signal of claim 19 wherein the first characteristic portion comprises a first number of blocks and wherein the energy determined for the first number of blocks is added to determine the energy for the first characteristic portion.

21. The RF signal of claim 20 wherein the second characteristic portion comprises a second number of blocks and wherein the energy determined for the second number of blocks is added to determine the energy for the second characteristic portion.

22. A radio frequency (RF) control system comprising:
a plurality of power amplifiers, each power amplifier generating a respective RF signal to a load, each power amplifier including:
a power amplifier that outputs a RF signal to a load;
an energy detection circuit determining an energy of the RF signal in accordance with a sensor signal that varies in accordance with the RF signal; and
a power amplifier energy adjustment circuit generating a control signal for varying the RF signal in accordance with the energy determined by the energy detection circuit;
a RF delivery coordination module, the RF delivery coordination module controlling the phase between the respective RF power supplies.

23. The RF control system of claim 22 wherein at least one of the plurality of power amplifiers further comprises a power detection circuit determining a power of the respective RF signal in accordance with the respective sensor signal.

24. The RF control system of claim 23 wherein at least one power amplifier further comprises a power amplifier power adjustment circuit generating a power compensation signal in accordance with the power determined by the respective power detection circuit.

25. The RF control system of claim 24 wherein at least one power amplifier further comprises a power summer circuit receiving and summing in output signal from the respective power detection circuit and a power setpoint signal, wherein outp

Assignees

• Mks Instr Inc

Inventors

• Coumou David J
• Pham Richard

Classifications

• H03G1/00 Primary

  Details of arrangements for controlling amplification · CPC title

• H03F3/20

  Power amplifiers, e.g. Class B amplifiers, Class C amplifiers (H03F3/26 - H03F3/30 take precedence) · CPC title

• H03F1/56

  Modifications of input or output impedances, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• H03F3/189

  High-frequency amplifiers, e.g. radio frequency amplifiers · CPC title

• H03F1/0211

  with control of the supply voltage or current · CPC title