Operating a plasma process
AssigneeHUETTINGER Elektronik GmbH + Co. KG
InventorMoritz Nitschke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for operating one or more plasma processes in a plasma chamber, with at least two power supplies, the method comprising the following process steps: a. carrying out an arc detection for at least one of the power supplies; b. generating at least one signal relating to the arc detection and/or data relating to the arc detection; transferring the at least one signal and/or the data to a plasma process-regulating device and/or to one or more other power supplies or to one or more of the arc diverter devices associated with the other power supplies.
Claims20
A method of operating at least one plasma process with at least two power supplies, the method comprising:
- carrying out an arc detection for a first power supply;
- generating a signal relating to the arc detection;
- transferring the signal to a second power supply, a plasma process regulating device, an arc diverter device associated with the second power supply, or a combination thereof;
- determining a fewer number or shorter duration of counter-measures carried out for the second power supply relative to a number or duration of counter-measures carried out for the first power supply;
- and
- responsive to the number or duration falling below a pre-defined value, increasing the number or duration of counter-measures carried out for the second power supply.
A method of operating at least one plasma process with at least two power supplies, the method comprising:
- carrying out an arc detection for a first power supply;
- generating a signal relating to the arc detection;
- transferring the signal to a second power supply, a plasma process regulating device, an arc diverter device associated with the second power supply, or a combination thereof;
- determining counter-measures carried out for the second power supply are of a smaller number, shorter duration, or a combination thereof relative to counter-measures carried out for the first power supply;
- and
- responsive to the determination, increasing the number, duration, or a combination thereof of counter-measures carried out for the second power supply when a corresponding threshold is crossed.
A plasma system comprising:
- at least two power supplies;
- a plasma chamber;
- and
- at least one arc detection device assigned to one of the power supplies, the power supplies being connected via one of a signal link and a data link to one of another power supply and a plasma regulating device, and each of the power supplies having an arc interface unit, in which data relating to the arc detection selected from the group consisting of:
- information about counter-measures implemented and a frequency of detected arcs is generated and is output therefrom;
- wherein the system is configured such that for at least one power supply there is a check as to whether a lower number or shorter duration of counter-measures than for other power supplies was carried out, and, when a pre-defined number or duration, respectively, is fallen below, measures to increase the number or duration, respectively, are implemented.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.