# US 10,312,064 B2 · Extinguishing arcs in a plasma chamber > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,312,064 B2 - Document ID: US10312064B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/010,860 - Filed: 2018-06-18 - Published: 2018-10-18 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-18 - Assignees: TRUMPF Huettinger GmbH + Co. KG - Applicants: TRUMPF Huettinger GmbH + Co. KG - Inventors: Andre Grede; Daniel Krausse; Anton Labanc; Christan Thome; Alberto Pena Vidal - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10312064B2 ## CPC - H01J 37/32944: {Arc detection} - H01J 37/32064: {Circuits specially adapted for controlling the arc discharge (for plasma torches H01H1/36)} - H01J 37/3299: {Feedback systems} - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract A power supply system includes a digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) configured to generate an analogue signal and an amplifier path on which the analogue signal is amplified to generate a high-frequency power signal to be provided to a plasma chamber for supplying a plasma process with high-frequency power. The DAC is configured to be connected to an arc detection device that is configured to monitor the plasma chamber for arcs and be controlled by the arc detection device to modify the analogue signal in response to detecting an occurrence of an arc. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A power supply system comprising: a digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) configured to generate an analogue signal; and an amplifier path on which the analogue signal is amplified to generate a high-frequency power signal to be provided to a plasma chamber for supplying a plasma process with high-frequency power, wherein the DAC is configured to be connected to an arc detection device that is configured to monitor the plasma chamber for arcs and be controlled by the arc detection device to modify the analogue signal in response to detecting an occurrence of an arc. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The power supply system of claim 1, comprising a measuring device including the arc detection device, wherein the measuring device comprises: an analogue-to-digital converter (ADC); and a logic circuit configured to generate an arc detection signal in response to detecting the occurrence of an arc. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The power supply system of claim 2, wherein the arc detection device is configured to monitor the plasma system for arcs by recording a signal associated with at least one of: a first power supplied to the plasma, a second power reflected by the plasma, a current flowing into the plasma, and a voltage applied to the plasma. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The power supply system of claim 3, wherein the ADC is configured to convert the recorded signal into digitized values, and wherein the logic circuit is configured to: receive the digitized values supplied by the ADC, evaluate the digitized values, and generate the arc detection signal based on a result of the evaluation. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The power supply system of claim 4, wherein the ADC is configured to sample the recorded signal with a frequency of more than 1 MHz, and wherein the logic circuit is configured to be clocked with a clock signal with a frequency of more than 1 MHz. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The power supply system of claim 4, wherein the ADC and the logic circuit are configured to be clocked with a same clock signal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The power supply system of claim 1, further comprising an arc management circuit connected to the DAC, wherein the arc detection device is configured to control the DAC by controlling the arc management circuit that is configured to control the DAC. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The power supply system of claim 7, wherein the arc management circuit is configured to: receive a signal from the arc detection device when an arc is identified; and control the DAC depending on a determination of whether the arc has been extinguished or not. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The power supply system of claim 7, wherein the DAC comprises a digital signal input and a reference signal input, and wherein the arc management circuit is configured to: generate, dependent on an arc detection signal recorded by the arc detection device, at least one input signal to be output to the digital signal input of the DAC; and change a reference signal supplied to the reference signal input of the DAC. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the arc detection device is configured to control one or more DACs in response to detecting the occurrence of an arc. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the high-frequency power signal has a frequency of more than 1 MHz, and wherein the DAC is controllable to generate the analogue signal with the same frequency as the high-frequency power signal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The power supply system of claim 1, configured to supply the plasma chamber with an arc extinguishing power during an extinguishing operation, the arc extinguishing power being smaller than a plasma operating power during a plasma operation, wherein the plasma operating power and the arc extinguishing power are generated at least in part by: controlling the DAC based on monitoring the plasma system for arcs; and amplifying the analogue signal of the DAC on the amplifier path to provide at least a part of the plasma operating power or the arc extinguishing power. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The power supply system of claim 1, further comprising: one or more additional DACs configured to be controlled based on monitoring the plasma system for arcs; and one or more respective subsequent amplifier paths for the one or more additional DACs configured to amplify respective analogue signals of the one or more additional DACs to have at least a part of the plasma operating power or the arc extinguishing power. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The power supply system of claim 13, wherein the analogue signals of at least two of the DACs are differently amplified on the respective amplifier paths or amplified with different cycle times. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The power supply system of claim 1, comprising a direct digital synthesizer including the DAC and a logic circuit, wherein the logic circuit comprises: a digital data memory configured to store a plurality of signal data values; an amplitude data memory configured to store a plurality of amplitude data values, and a multiplier configured to generate a digital signal by multiplying a signal data value stored in the digital data memory and an amplitude data value stored in the amplitude data memory, and wherein the DAC is configured to generate the analogue signal from the digital signal. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The power supply system of claim 15, wherein the direct digital synthesizer is configured to: change the amplitude data values stored in the amplitude data memory to switch from generating a plasma operating power for a plasma operation to generating an arc extinguishing power for an arc extinguishing operation. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The power supply system of claim 16, wherein the DAC is supplied with a same series of digital values during the plasma operation and during the arc extinguishing operation. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the DAC is configured to generate a different analogue signal during an arc extinguishing operation than during a plasma operation. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The power supply system of claim 18, further comprising a controller configured to generate a reference signal to the DAC, wherein the DAC is configured to generate the analogue signal based on an influence of the reference signal, and wherein the reference signal is different during the plasma operation than during the arc extinguishing operation. ### Claim 20 The power supply system of 19, wherein the controller is configured to, in response to detecting the occurrence of an arc, control a voltage of the reference signal in one of a stepped way and a ramped way, such that a voltage of the analogue signal is decreased and a plasma operation power for the plasma operation is reduced to an arc extinguishing power in the one of the stepped way and the ramped way.