Huettinger Elektronik Gmbh & Co. Kg

Trumpf Huettinger Gmbh + Co. Kg

Gerhard Zaehringer

Peter Wiedemuth

Ulrich Richter

Moritz Nitschke

Alfred Trusch

Dieter Meier

In an ignition circuit for igniting a plasma fed with alternating power in a gas discharge chamber, having two line sections for connection to an alternating power source and at least one line section for connection to a housing earth of the gas discharge chamber, at least one series connection of a non-linear element and an energy store is connected between the line sections for connection to an alternating power source, and the line section for connection to a housing earth of the gas discharge chamber is connected to a connection node between an energy store and a non-linear element.

Ignition circuit for igniting a plasma fed with alternating power

For responding to an arc discharge in a plasma process (PP), a parameter of the plasma process is monitored to detect arc discharges occurring in the plasma. After detection of an arc discharge, a first countermeasure for the suppression of arc discharges is executed. After completion of the first countermeasure, a delay time period is allowed to elapse before the parameter is rechecked. In the event that after conclusion of the variable delay time period an arc discharge is detected, a second countermeasure for the suppression of arc discharges is executed.

Responding to arc discharges

To detect arc discharges occurring in a plasma, a parameter of the plasma process is determined, and after a first period of time following the detection of an arc discharge the parameter is again determined. In the event that after the first period of time no arc discharge is detected, a first arc suppression countermeasure for suppression of arc discharges is executed.

Detecting arc discharges

A plasma process machine includes at least two electrodes disposed in a processing chamber and in contact with targets, an alternating current source connected to supply power to the electrodes, and a power delivery controller adapted to control power delivered by the alternating current source to the electrodes. The power delivery controller is configured to determine a control value from a comparison between actual power delivery as detected by a detector and a desired power delivery, and to adjust power delivery based on the control value.

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Freiburg, Germany

Gerhard Zaehringer