Power supply ignition system and method

A method of supplying power to a plasma chamber comprising,

• applying voltage at a first voltage level from a power generator to a plasma chamber, the first voltage level corresponding to a first power level;
• storing the first power level in a memory device;
• reducing the voltage applied to the plasma chamber from the first voltage level to a second voltage level corresponding to a second power level;
• increasing the voltage to a new voltage level;
• measuring a new power level corresponding to the new voltage level;
• determining whether the measured power level is less than a threshold power level;
• one of (i) increasing the voltage from the measured voltage level to higher voltage level when the measured power level is less than the threshold power level, and (ii) modulating the voltage until the voltage level returns to the first voltage level when the measured power level is not less than the threshold power level.

A power supply for applying power to a plasma processing chamber, the power supply comprising:

• a power generator configured to generate the power applied to the plasma processing chamber;
• a feedback component comprising at least one of hardware, firmware, and software configured to provide a signal indicative of a power level that the power generator applies to the plasma chamber;
• and
• a controller comprising at least one of hardware, firmware, and software configured to control the power generator to,
• apply power at a particular power level and a particular voltage level for a particular processing application,
• reduce or remove the power from the plasma processing chamber,
• increase, subsequent to the power being reduced or removed, the voltage level applied to the plasma chamber until the voltage level reaches a threshold level, and
• modulate, subsequent to the threshold level being reached, the voltage until the voltage level returns to the particular voltage level again.