Solid state plasma chamber tuner

A solid state tuner for adjusting a voltage standing wave ratio of a plasma processing system, the plasma processing system including an RF generator and a plasma chamber, the tuner comprising,

• an input coupled to an output of the RF generator,
• an output coupled to an input of the plasma chamber,
• a variable inductor constructed as a transformer having a primary and secondary winding and referencing a common ground of the network, the primary winding coupled intermediate the input and output of the tuner,
• individual selectable inductance means for varying the effective value of the variable inductor and including at least one selectable portion, the individual selectable inductance means coupled to the secondary winding of the transformer and referencing the common ground, and
• switching means for switching the at least one selectable portion of the individual selectable inductance means in and out of the secondary winding of the transformer and including at least one pin diode electrically coupled to at least one FET switch and a single voltage source electrically coupled to the FET switch to selectively forward bias the pin diode, the pin diode electrically coupled in series with the selectable portion of the individual selectable inductance means, the switching means referencing the common ground.

A solid state tuner for adjusting a voltage standing wave ratio of a plasma processing system, the plasma processing system including an RF generator and a plasma chamber, the tuner comprising,

• an input coupled to an output of the RF generator,
• an output coupled to an input of the plasma chamber,
• a variable inductor constructed as a transformer having a primary and secondary winding and referencing a common ground of the network, the primary winding coupled intermediate the input and output of the tuner,
• impedance step down means for providing an intermediate impedance to the tuner, the impedance step down means coupled to the variable inductor,
• individual selectable inductance means for varying the effective value of the variable inductor and including at least one selectable portion, the individual selectable inductance means coupled to the secondary winding of the transformer and referencing the common ground,
• switching means for switching the at least one selectable portion of the individual selectable inductance means in and out of the secondary winding of the transformer and including at least one pin diode electrically coupled to at least one FET switch and a single voltage source electrically coupled to the FET switch to selectively forward bias the pin diode, the pin diode electrically coupled in series with the selectable portion of the individual selectable inductance means, the switching means referencing the common ground, and
• control means for measuring the voltage standing wave ratio of the plasma processing system and for automatically controlling the at least one FET switch, the control means electrically coupled intermediate the RF generator and the at least one FET switch.