Arc-extinguishing circuit and arc-extinguishing method
US6483678B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 10, 1999 |
| Grant date | Nov 19, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 10, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J2237/0206
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An arc extinguishing circuit for use with glow discharges employed in manufacturing thin-film apparatus (such as, sputtering apparatus etc.), and is capable of more rapidly extinguishing arc discharges occurring within a glow discharge. The arc extinguishing circuit includes a voltage sense circuit, a secondary winding, a switch element, a positive output terminal, and a negative output terminal, the voltage sense circuit having a voltage sense capacitor and a primary winding. When the potential of the negative output terminal rapidly rises so that an arc discharge occurs while generating a glow discharge across the positive output terminal and the negative output terminal, a current flows from the voltage sense capacitor connected to the negative output terminal through the primary winding, and a voltage is induced at the secondary winding magnetically coupled to the primary winding and the switch element connected to the secondary winding conducts. The positive output terminal and the negative output terminal are therefore short-circuited and the arc discharge is extinguished.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.