Programmable ignition profiles for enhanced plasma ignition
AssigneeAdvanced Energy Industries, Inc.
InventorsMike Armstrong, John Accardo, Daryl Frost
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Generators and methods for igniting a plasma in a plasma chamber are disclosed. The generator includes an ignition profile generator that includes a data interface configured to receive a voltage value and a time value for each of N data points and an ignition data generator configured to create an ignition profile from the N data points. The generator also includes an ignition profile datastore to store the ignition profile and a waveform generator configured to apply a waveform with the ignition profile to an output of the generator.
Claims10
A generator for igniting a plasma in a plasma chamber, the generator comprising:
- an ignition profile generator comprising:
- a data interface configured to receive a voltage value and a time value for each of N data points;
- an ignition data generator configured to create an ignition profile from the N data points;
- an ignition profile datastore to store the ignition profile wherein the ignition profile datastore includes at least one test profile, and the ignition profile generator includes an ignition feedback module to identify an ignition voltage when the at least one test profile causes ignition;
- and
- a waveform generator configured to apply a waveform with the ignition profile to an output of the generator.
A generator for igniting a plasma in a plasma chamber, the generator comprising:
- a waveform generator configured to produce and apply voltage waveforms at an output of the generator;
- and
- an ignition profile generator configured to:
- identify an ignition voltage that is less than a maximum voltage of the plasma chamber;
- create an ignition profile based upon the ignition voltage using N data points, each of the N data points including a voltage value and a time value;
- and
- store the ignition profile in an ignition profile datastore for use by the waveform generator, wherein the ignition profile datastore includes at least one test profile, and the ignition profile generator includes an ignition feedback module to identify the ignition voltage when the at least one test profile causes ignition.
A non-transitory processor-readable medium encoded with instructions for igniting a plasma in a plasma chamber with a generator, the instructions including instructions to:
- receive a voltage value and a time value for each of N data points;
- create an ignition profile from the N data points, wherein the instructions to create the ignition profile include instructions to receive a voltage value and a time value for each of the N data points to create the ignition profile so that a resulting ignition waveform jumps to an ignition voltage and then dithers about the ignition voltage;
- store the ignition profile in an ignition profile datastore;
- and
- apply a waveform with the ignition profile to an output of the generator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.