# US 2018/0323040 A1 · Power Supply Systems and Methods for Generating Power with Multiple Amplifier Paths > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0323040 A1 - Document ID: US20180323040A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/025,030 - Filed: 2018-07-02 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2013-12-18 - Assignees: TRUMPF Huettinger GmbH + Co. KG - Applicants: TRUMPF Huettinger GmbH + Co. KG - Inventors: Alexander Alt; Andre Grede; Daniel Gruner; Anton Labanc - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180323040A1 ## CPC - H01J 37/32174: {Circuits specially adapted for controlling the RF discharge} - H01J 37/32082: {Radio frequency generated discharge (H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394 and H01J37/32403 take precedence)} - H10D 30/603: {having asymmetry in the channel direction, e.g. lateral high-voltage MISFETs having drain offset region or extended drain IGFETs [EDMOS]} - H10D 64/254: {for lateral devices wherein the source or drain electrodes extend entirely through the semiconductor bodies, e.g. via-holes for back side contacts} - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) - H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES ## Abstract A power supply system includes a power converter configured to generate a high-frequency power signal and be connected to a load to supply a plasma process or gas laser process with power. The power converter includes at least one amplifier stage having first and second amplifier paths each having an amplifier. The first and second amplifier path are connected to a phase-shifting coupler unit that is configured to couple phase-shifted output signals from the first and second amplifier paths to form the high-frequency power signal. At least one amplifier of the first and second amplifier paths includes a field effect transistor implemented in a semiconductor device with a semiconductor structure having a substantially layered construction, and the semiconductor device includes a channel, a current flowing in the channel substantially in parallel with layers of the semiconductor structure. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-20. (canceled) ### Claim 21 A power supply system comprising: a power converter configured to generate a high-frequency power signal and comprising: at least one amplifier stage having first and second amplifier paths each having an amplifier, the first amplifier path outputting a first amplifier path output signal and the second amplifier path outputting a second amplifier path output signal that, with respect to the first amplifier path output signal, has a phase shift greater than 0° and less than 180°, wherein the first and second amplifier paths are connected to a phase-shifting coupler unit that is configured to couple the first and second amplifier path output signals to form the high-frequency power signal, wherein at least one amplifier of the first and second amplifier paths comprises a field effect transistor implemented in a semiconductor device with a semiconductor structure having a substantially layered construction, wherein the semiconductor device comprises a channel, a current flowing in the channel substantially in parallel with layers of the semiconductor structure, and wherein inductors of the phase-shifting coupler unit are arranged at least in portions in a plane, the semiconductor device with the transistor being arranged in the same plane or in a parallel plane. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The power supply system of claim 21, wherein the semiconductor device is oriented such that the channel in which the current flows through the semiconductor device is oriented in the same plane or in the parallel plane. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The power supply system of claim 21, wherein the inductors define a plurality of conductor paths that are arranged in the same plane or in a parallel plane. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The power supply system of claim 23, wherein the inductors comprise first and second planar inductors that are thermally and capacitively coupled via a dielectric to an earth plane through which coolant flows and are simultaneously capacitively and inductively coupled to one another, and wherein the first and second planar inductors have conductor path widths narrower than a predetermined width, such that the capacitive coupling between the conductor paths and the earth plane is kept under a predetermined value. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The power supply system of claim 21, wherein the inductors have more than two windings and are formed without ferritic elements. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The power supply system of claim 21, wherein at least one of the amplifier paths has an output network between the corresponding amplifier and the phase-shifting coupler unit. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The power supply system of claim 26, wherein the output network has at least one planar inductor that is thermally and capacitively coupled via a dielectric to an earth plane through which coolant flows. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The power supply system of claim 26, wherein at least one inductor of the output network is arranged at least in portions in the same plane or in a parallel plane. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) The power supply system of claim 26, wherein at least one inductor of the phase-coupling coupler unit and at least one inductor of the output network are arranged at least in portions on a layer of a circuit board. ### Claim 30 (depends on 21) The power supply system of claim 21, wherein dimensions of the semiconductor device are configured such that a thickness of the semiconductor device is smaller than a wavelength of a signal to be amplified by more than two orders of magnitude, and a width or a depth of the semiconductor device or both is smaller than the wavelength of the signal to be amplified by more than one order of magnitude. ### Claim 31 (depends on 21) The power supply system of claim 21, wherein the phase-shifting coupler unit comprises at least one coupler having a thickness smaller than a wavelength of a signal to be amplified by more than two orders of magnitude. ### Claim 32 (depends on 21) The power supply system of claim 21, wherein the phase-shifting coupler unit comprises at least one coupler having a line length smaller than a wavelength of a signal to be amplified by more than one order of magnitude. ### Claim 33 (depends on 21) The power supply system of claim 21, wherein the phase-shifting coupler unit comprises an absorption resistor configured for rapid pulsing between two output powers or for modulating an output power if phases of the first and second amplifier paths are changed with respect to one another. ### Claim 34 (depends on 21) The power supply system of claim 21, wherein the semiconductor device has a first power terminal, a second power terminal, and a control terminal that are arranged on a first face of the semiconductor device, and wherein the power supply system further comprises a power source terminal arranged on a second face of the semiconductor device opposite to the first face and configured to be electrically conductively connected to the first power terminal through the semiconductor device. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The power supply system of claim 34, wherein the power source terminal is electrically conductively connected to the first power terminal by a heavily positively doped zone extending from the first face to the second face. ### Claim 36 (depends on 21) The power supply system of claim 21, wherein the semiconductor device has a weakly negatively doped drift zone between a power terminal and a control terminal on a face of the semiconductor device facing the terminals, and wherein the channel is below the control terminal, and a size of the weakly negatively doped drift zone is larger than a width of the channel. ### Claim 37 (depends on 21) The power supply system of claim 21, wherein at least one of the amplifiers is configured such that an output impedance of the at least one of the amplifiers changes when an impedance to which the at least one of the amplifiers supplies its power changes. ### Claim 38 (depends on 21) The power supply system of claim 21, wherein the transistor has a control input, to which a driving voltage is connected via a capacitive dissipative circuit unit that has a capacitive element including a resistor connected in parallel. ### Claim 39 A power supply system comprising: a power converter configured to generate a high-frequency power signal and comprising: at least one amplifier stage having first and second amplifier paths each having an amplifier, the first amplifier path outputting a first amplifier path output signal and the second amplifier path outputting a second amplifier path output signal that, with respect to the first amplifier path output signal, has a phase shift greater than 0° and less than 180°, wherein the first and second amplifier paths are connected to a phase-shifting coupler unit that is configured to couple the first and second amplifier path output signals to form the high-frequency power signal, wherein at least one amplifier of the first and second amplifier paths comprises a field effect transistor implemented in a semiconductor device with a semiconductor structure having a substantially layered construction, wherein the semiconductor device comprises a channel, a current flowing in the channel substantially in parallel with layers of the semiconductor structure, wherein at least one of the amplifier paths has an output network between the corresponding amplifier and the phase-shifting coupler unit, and wherein at least one inductor of the phase-coupling coupler unit and at least one inductor of the output network are arranged at least in portions on a layer of a circuit board. ### Claim 40 A high-frequency plasma system comprising: a plasma chamber in which at least one electrode is arranged; and a power supply system connected to the electrode and configured to supply high-frequency power to the electrode, the power supply system comprising: at least one amplifier stage having first and second amplifier paths each having an amplifier, the first amplifier path outputting a first amplifier path output signal and the second amplifier path outputting a second amplifier path output signal that, with respect to the first amplifier path output signal, has a phase shift within a range from 0° to 180°, wherein the first and second amplifier path are connected to a phase-shifting coupler unit that is configured to couple the first and second amplifier path output signals to form the high-frequency power signal, wherein at least one amplifier of the first and second amplifier paths comprises a field effect transistor implemented in a semiconductor device with a semiconductor structure having a substantially layered construction, wherein the semiconductor device comprises a channel, a current flowing in the channel substantially in parallel with layers of the semiconductor structure, and wherein inductors of the phase-shifting coupler unit are arranged at least in portions in a plane, the semiconductor device of the transistor being arranged in the same plane or in a parallel plane.