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US 10,304,669 B1Granted
Adaptive counter measure control thwarting IMD jamming impairments for RF plasma systems
AssigneeMKS Instruments, Inc.
InventorsDavid J. Coumou, Dennis M. Brown, Eldridge M. Mount, IV
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An RF generator in a dual frequency RF generation system. The RF generator detects IMD components resulting from interaction of the two frequencies. The IMD is reduced by adjusting the phase of the RF signal output by the RF generator. In various configurations, the IMD may also be reduced by applying a power adjustment value.
Claims35
A radio frequency (RF) generator, comprising:
- a power amplifier, the power amplifier generating a first RF signal applied to a non-linear load in accordance with an input control signal, the input control signal varying in accordance with a commanded operating signal;
- an intermodulation distortion (IMD) module, the IMD module determining at least one IMD component in a signal reflected from the non-linear load, the at least one IMD component generated in accordance with interaction between the first RF signal and a second RF signal applied to the non-linear load from a second RF generator, the IMD module generating an IMD component signal;
- and
- a phase adjustment module, the phase adjustment module receiving the commanded operating signal and the IMD component signal, the phase adjustment module generating an IMD adjustment signal to reduce the at least one IMD component, the phase adjustment module varying a phase between the commanded operating signal and the IMD component signal to generate the IMD adjustment signal, the phase adjustment module combining the commanded operating signal and the IMD adjustment signal to vary the input control signal.
1 more element
An apparatus for reducing IMD, comprising:
- an intermodulation distortion (IMD) module configured to determine an IMD component received from a non-linear load in response to a first RF signal and a second RF signal applied to the non-linear load via respective first and second RF generators, the IMD component generated in accordance with interaction between the first RF signal and the second RF signal, the IMD module generating an IMD component signal;
- and
- a phase adjustment module configured to receive a commanded operating signal and the IMD component signal, the phase adjustment module further configured to generate an IMD adjustment signal, the phase adjustment module varying a phase between the commanded operating signal and the IMD component signal to generate the IMD adjustment signal, the phase adjustment module combining the commanded operating signal and the IMD adjustment signal to reduce the IMD component and to vary an input control signal,
- wherein one of the first RF signal or the second RF signal introduces the IMD component, and the input control signal is input to a power amplifier of a RF generator generating the other of the first RF signal or the second RF signal.
1 more element
A method for reducing IMD, comprising:
- determining IMD reflected from a non-linear load in response to a first RF signal and a second RF signal applied to the non-linear load via a respective first RF generator and second RF generator, the IMD generated in accordance with interaction between the first RF signal and the second RF signal, and generating an IMD signal;
- applying a phase adjustment between a commanded operating signal and the IMD signal and generating an IMD adjustment signal;
- combining the commanded operating signal and the IMD adjustment signal to generate an input control signal to reduce the IMD;
- and
- wherein one of the first RF signal or the second RF signal output by the selected one of the first RF generator or the second RF generator introduces the IMD, and applying the input control signal to a power amplifier of the RF generator generating the other of the first RF signal or the second RF signal,
- wherein the commanded operating signal is associated with the other of the first RF signal or the second RF signal.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.