Comet Technologies Usa, Inc.

Gary Russell

Anthony Oliveti

Dean Maw

Keith Rouse

Tigran Poghosyan

J Kirkwood Rough

Daniel Catalan

A method for homing a stepping motor having a plurality of full-step positions within each full rotation of a rotor of the stepper motor includes applying a first drive current to windings of the stepper motor to rotate the rotor at least one full rotation in a first direction away from an end-of-travel (EOT) position. Thereafter, the drive current is applied to the windings to rotate the rotor in a second direction toward the EOT position. Upon detection of EOT, the drive current is discontinued. Drive current is then applied to the windings to rotate the rotor of the stepper motor in micro-steps in the first direction to a closest full-step position of the stepper motor. Finally, a drive current is applied to drive the stepper motor a predetermined number of full steps away from the EOT position.

Method for repeatable stepper motor homing

A plasma generation system includes an impedance matching network calibrated to map desired matching network impedance values to closest available settings of impedance control components. The tuning controller defines a set of target impedance values spaced-apart throughout the tuning range and drives the matching network to generate a set of closest frame tuning values proximate to each target impedance value. The tuning controller computes interpolated tuning values between adjacent pairs of frame tuning values and stores a tuning database that maps available matching network impedance values to specific sets of settings for the impedance control components. After the calibration stage, the tuning controller automatically utilizes the tuning database to map desired matching network impedance values to available settings of the impedance control components on an ongoing basis. Representative embodiments include variable loading and tuning capacitors in series with a fixed or variable phase-shift inductor.

Plasma generation systems with multi-dimensional impedance matching networks

A variable capacitor includes an enclosure having first and second conductive collars separated by an intermediate electrically insulating element. A movable capacitor plate assembly is electrically coupled to the first conductive collar, and a fixed capacitor plate assembly is electrically coupled to the second conductive collar. An actuator extends into the enclosure for advancing and retracting the movable capacitor plate assembly relative to the fixed capacitor plate assembly. A hermetically sealed volume within the enclosure maintains a vacuum or a liquid serving as a dielectric between a capacitor plate of the movable capacitor plate assembly and a capacitor plate of the fixed capacitor plate assembly. At least one capacitor plate comprises a coiled cylindrical plate having a having a greater height at a center portion of the capacitor plate coil and a lower height at an outer portion of the capacitor plate coil.

Variable capacitor with linear impedance and high voltage breakdown

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for utilizing a variable gain algorithm for adjusting a capacitor in an automatic radio frequency (RF) impedance matching network. The apparatus may operate in a closed-loop feedback control system, with one or more error signals driving the capacitors within the system. To achieve a critically damped control system response, multiple operating regions for the matching network and its constituent elements may be identified and a set of gains (e.g., different per region) may be applied to the error signals in the control system when operating in those regions. An operating region may be defined by characteristics of the input signals measured by the apparatus, calculated by the apparatus, or the state of the apparatus itself. These features may be arranged in a look up table (or determined by calculation) for the apparatus to use to determine the variable gains in the system.

Systems and methods for variable gain tuning of matching networks

A method for repetitive tuning of a matching network in a radio frequency plasma processing device, the method including detecting a condition within the matching network and determining if the condition is a known condition for the matching network. Also, finding a prior solution and to the condition when the condition is the known condition for the matching network; and replicating the prior solution for the condition in the matching network.

Systems and methods for repetitive tuning of matching networks

The present disclosure may include a method for calibrating a capacitor in a matching network in a radio frequency plasma processing device, the method including. The method may include identifying the capacitor in the matching network, measuring the impedance of the matching network as a whole, and driving the capacitor from a zero step value to a predefined step value. The method may further include measuring impedance at each step between the zero step value and the predefined step value, identifying the measured impedance for each step value to a predefined impedance curve, and matching a capacitor position to a specific impedance based on the identifying the measured impedance for each step value to the predefined impedance curve. Calibration of matching networks may also be enhanced by optimizing the steps to percentage reported ratio in the range of capacitor values most frequently used.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Gary Russell