Systems and methods for obtaining information about a plasma load
AssigneeAdvanced Energy Industries, Inc.
InventorGideon Van Zyl
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A power generation system and method for identifying characteristics of a plasma load are disclosed. The power generation system may include a power source configured to apply a primary power signal at a primary frequency to an output and one or more secondary power signals at one or more secondary frequencies to the output. A sensor is arranged to monitor a characteristic of the power delivered to the plasma load, and an identification module analyzes the monitored characteristic to extract characteristics of the plasma load.
Claims24
A power generation system configured for identifying characteristics of a plasma load, the power generation system comprising:
- a power source configured to apply a primary power signal at a primary frequency to an output, the output configured for coupling to a plasma load, either directly or through a matching network, the power source concurrently applying one or more secondary power signals at one or more secondary frequencies to the output wherein power produced at the secondary frequencies is lower than power produced at the primary frequency;
- a sensor arranged to monitor a characteristic of the power delivered to the plasma load;
- at least one circuit in communication with the sensor, the at least one circuit implementing;
- an identification module that analyzes the monitored characteristic to extract characteristics of the plasma load.
A power generation system configured for identifying characteristics of a plasma load, the power generation system comprising:
- a power source to apply a primary power signal to an output, the output configured for coupling to a plasma load, either directly or through a matching network, the power source is configured to apply one or more secondary power signals at one or more secondary frequencies to the plasma load, wherein power produced at the secondary frequencies is lower than power produced at the primary frequency;
- a sensor arranged to sense power delivered to the plasma load;
- and identification module to provide information about the plasma load, the identification module including:
- a non-transitory, tangible machine readable storage medium, encoded with instructions to perform a method for providing the information about the plasma load, the method comprising:
- applying the primary power signal at a primary frequency to the plasma load;
- concurrently applying the one or more secondary power signals at the one or secondary frequencies to the plasma load;
- and
- analyzing the monitored characteristic to extract characteristics of the plasma load.
A power generation system configured for identifying characteristics of a plasma load, the power generation system comprising:
- means for applying a primary power signal primarily at a primary frequency to a plasma load, either directly or through a matching network;
- means for concurrently applying one or more secondary power signals at one or more or a continuum of secondary frequencies to the plasma load;
- means for monitoring a characteristic of the power delivered to the plasma load;
- and
- means for analyzing the monitored characteristic to extract characteristics of the plasma load.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.