Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.

Andrew Shabalin

Fernando Gustavo Tomasel

Juan Jose Gonzalez

Colin Quinn

Steven J Geissler

Justin Mauck

Michael Kishinevsky

Steve Dillon

Michael S Amann

Denis M Shaw

Michael Kishinevski

Disclosed are power supply systems and methods of operating the same. An exemplary power supply system includes a primary rectifier configured to rectify an AC voltage to produce a bus voltage on a DC bus and a voltage monitor configured to monitor the AC voltage. A capacitor is switchably coupled to the DC bus via a switch and a charger is configured to charge the capacitor with power from the DC bus. A switch controller is configured to close, in response to the voltage monitor indicating a sag in at least one phase of the AC voltage, the switch to enable the capacitor to discharge to the DC bus.

Power supply system with actively switched bus capacitor

A system and method for preventing formation of a plasma-inhibiting substance within a plasma chamber is provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus that includes a barrier component configured to be disposed within a plasma chamber. The barrier component includes a wall that defines a plasma formation region where a chemically-reducing species is formed from a fluid. A portion of the wall is formed of a substance that is substantially inert to the chemically-reducing species. The wall prevents the chemically-reducing species from interacting with an inner surface of the plasma chamber to form a conductive substance. The barrier component also includes an opening in fluid communication with the plasma formation region. The fluid is introduced into the plasma formation region via the opening.

Method and apparatus for preventing the formation of a plasma-inhibiting substance

In one aspect of the invention is a gas feed for injecting gas into a plasma-processing chamber that reduces the speed at which the gas interacts with the plasma discharge, so enhancing the stability of the plasma and the production of reaction products. In one embodiment, the gas feed comprises a gas speed reducer having apertures along its wall through which gas is distributed into the plasma chamber at a tangent to the chamber walls. In another embodiment, the gas feed comprises a gas speed reducer, which is made up of one or more channels such that, when traveling through the channels, the input and the output holes of the channels can only be connected by a broken line. In yet another embodiment, the gas speed reducer has a plurality of perforated sheaths, such that holes on one perforated sheath are not aligned with holes on another perforated sheath.

Reaction enhancing gas feed for injecting gas into a plasma chamber

An apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, an electrical transformer that surrounds the vacuum chamber to induce an electromagnetic field within the vacuum chamber, and an ignition circuit. The electrical transformer induces an electromagnetic field within the vacuum chamber. The transformer includes a primary winding and a plasma loop coupled to the vacuum chamber to perform as a secondary winding. The ignition circuit is coupled to an ignition core section of the vacuum chamber to ignite the vacuum chamber.

Transformer ignition circuit for a transformer coupled plasma source

There is provided by this invention a unique ion source for depositing thin films on a substrate in a vacuum chamber that neutralizes the positive electric charges that develop on the substrate and vacuum chamber apparatus that may cause arcing and degradation of the film deposition. A power supply with a reversing voltage waveform is utilized that neutralizes the electric charge on the substrate and the vacuum chamber apparatus. A power supply applies an ac voltage to the anode of the ion source and a rectified ac voltage to the cathode. The ground terminal of the power supply is connected to the vacuum chamber. The rectifying circuit is comprised of zener diodes that clamp the voltage in the circuit from spikes during plasma ignition and a capacitor connected to negatively bias the cathode when there is no plasma discharge.

Method and apparatus for neutralization of ion beam using AC ion source

The reaction rate of a feed gas flowed into a plasma chamber is controlled. In one embodiment a pulsed power supply repeatedly applies a high power pulse to the plasma chamber to increase the reaction rate of plasma within the chamber, and applies a low power pulse between applications of the high power pulses.

Pulsed excitation of inductively coupled plasma sources

In one aspect of the invention is a method to construct plasma chambers with improved wall resistance to deterioration. In one embodiment of the invention, a chamber is made of an aluminum alloy having low concentrations of elements that form non-soluble, intermetallic particles to address coating/substrate issues, has swaged-in cooling tubes to reduce thermal stress by improving thermal resistance, and has a plurality of dielectric gaps to decrease ion bombardment.

Deterioration resistant chambers for inductively coupled plasma production

In one aspect of the invention is a method to create a vacuum seal with extended lifetime to form a dielectric break in a vacuum chamber. The method includes the use of an elastic dielectric seal to form a high vacuum seal. It also includes the use of different means to protect the vacuum seal from direct exposure to the plasma and to reactive gases present inside the plasma chamber. Furthermore, it includes the use of elements to ensure a proper compression of the elastic seal, and to avoid its expansion or contraction when the pressures on both sides of the seal are different.

Vacuum seal protection in a dielectric break

According to one embodiment, an apparatus is described. An apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, an electrical transformer coupled to the vacuum chamber, and an ignition circuit. The electrical transformer induces an electromagnetic field within the vacuum chamber. The transformer includes a primary winding and a magnetic core. In addition, the transformer includes a secondary winding, to which the circuit used to ignite the vacuum chamber is coupled. The ignition circuit is used to establish a controlled capacitive discharge that is used to ignite the vacuum chamber.

Systems to achieve both more uniform and particle free DLC deposition is disclosed which automatically cycles between modes to effect automatic removal of carbon-based buildups or which provides barriers to achieve proper gas flow involves differing circuitry and design parameter options. One ion source may be used in two different modes whether for DLC deposition or not through automatic control of gas flow types and rates and through the control of the power applied to achieve maximum throughput or other desired processing goals. Arcing can be controlled and even permitted to optimize the overall results achieved.

Method of providing a material processing ion beam

According to one embodiment, an apparatus is described. The apparatus includes a metal vacuum chamber with two or more dielectric breaks. It also includes a number of excitation transformers located so as to distribute the total induced voltage in the chamber among the dielectric breaks. Distributing the total induced voltage among the breaks results in lower wall damage and, consequently, longer lifetimes for the plasma chambers.

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Fort Collins, CO, United States of America

Andrew Shabalin