PLASMA IMPEDANCE MATCHING UNIT, SYSTEM FOR SUPPLYING RF POWER TO A PLASMA LOAD, AND METHOD OF SUPPLYING RF POWER TO A PLASMA LOAD

• Main Authors: GLAZEK,, WOJCIECH, BUGYI,, RAFAL
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 09.11.2016
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; BASIC ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY; ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS; ELECTRICITY; IMPEDANCE NETWORKS, e.g. RESONANT CIRCUITS; RESONATORS

A plasma impedance matching unit (13) for a plasma power supply system (10, 100) comprises a. a first power connector (40) for coupling the matching unit (13) to a power source (11), b. a second power connector (41) for coupling the matching unit (13) to a plasma load (20), c. a data link interface (45) for directly coupling the impedance matching unit (13) to another plasma impedance matching unit (14) of the plasma power supply system (10, 100) via a data link (48), d. a controller (42) configured to control the matching unit (13) in order to match the impedance from the first power connector (40) to the impedance at the second power connector (41), wherein e. the controller (42) is configured to operate as a master for at least one other impedance matching unit (14) and/or at least one RF power source (11, 12) of the plasma power supply system (10, 100), wherein the controller (42) communicates via the data link interface (45) with the other impedance matching unit(s) (14) and/or RF power source(s) (11, 12) of the plasma power supply system (10, 100).