Apparatus for frequency tuning in a RF generator
US9748076B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 20, 2016 |
| Grant date | Aug 29, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 20, 2036 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J37/3299
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A radio-frequency (RF) generator is provided that includes an exciter, a power amplifier, a filter, a sensor, and a frequency-tuning subsystem. The frequency-tuning subsystem includes a non-transitory, tangible, machine-readable medium containing instructions to perform a method that includes receiving an impedance trajectory of the plasma load; receiving a reference point in a complex-reflection-coefficient plane, the reference point lying on a reference vector passing through the reference point and the origin; receiving, from the sensor, a measured impedance of the plasma load; determining a measurement angle between a reference vector and a line passing through the reference point and a point in the complex-reflection-coefficient plane corresponding to the measured impedance; scaling the measurement angle by a predetermined constant to produce a frequency step; adding the frequency step to the initial frequency to produce an adjusted frequency; and causing the exciter to generate a signal oscillating at the adjusted frequency.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.