Abstract: The present invention provides a circuit interrupting device which is capable of providing protection against electrical surge through its innovative electrical discharge design; establishing or discontinuing electrical continuity among the input power source, output load, and user accessible load through its innovative contacts connection/disconnection design; automatic or manual testing of the condition of the key components in the circuit interrupting device by way of a simulated leakage current; and testing whether the device is properly wired by way of a reset switch.

Abstract: A circuit tests the health of a ground-neutral transformer within a ground fault circuit interrupter. This test can include testing both the ground-to-neutral detection circuitry and the differential current detection circuitry. The test circuit provides a conductive path through the respective cores of a differential transformer and the ground-neutral transformer of the GFCI device. A closed loop induces current from the differential transformer, which creates a current imbalance through the differential transformer. In a properly working device, the circuit breaker will trip, confirming the health of the ground-neutral transformer portion of the GFCI.

Abstract: A surge protection circuit utilizing direct current (DC) voltage on the information carrying coaxial cable of a receiving device with a surge protection device to suppress transient signal fluctuations over the coaxial cable and a diagnostic surge protection status indicator with on/off configurations to indicate the status of operation of the surge protection device. The visual indicator may be a light emitting diode or some other indicator device that when energized indicates normal operation of the surge protection circuit.

Abstract: A first switching unit and a second switching unit are connected in series to an electric power load. A voltage supply unit, which is connected between the first switching unit and the second switching unit, supplies a voltage to the second switching unit. A determining unit determines an occurrence of a malfunction in at least one of the first switching unit and the second switching unit.

Abstract: An ionization system for a predefined area includes a plurality of emitter modules spaced around the area, a system controller for individually addressing and monitoring the emitter modules and communication lines for electrically connecting the plurality of emitter modules with the system controller. Each emitter module has an individual address and including at least one electrical ionizer.

Abstract: Methods and techniques are disclosed for an intelligent GFCI device (IGFCI) having a microcontroller programmed to perform self-testing on a periodic basis and communicate the results of this testing to a remote monitoring device such as a remote central logging computer. In some implementations, with two-way (bidirectional) communication, a plurality of self-testing IGFCI devices can be tested and reset systematically from a remotely located device to reduce disruption to users. The IGFCI device can be configured to be automatically reset or manually reset upon the application of AC power to the device.

Abstract: For protecting a power system, two or three of over current, thermal and under voltage protection circuits are integrated as one protection circuit but operate independently, and one or more protection points thereof are adjusted dynamically in response to detected condition of the power system. Specifically, using voltage and current conditions in the power system to modify the over current protection and the thermal protection maximizes the performance of the power system and covers the process bias in the circuits.

Abstract: A substrate support has an electrostatic chuck comprising an electrostatic puck with a dielectric covering an electrode capable of being charged to energize a process gas. The chuck has a frontside surface to receive a substrate and a base plate having an annular flange. A spring loaded heat transfer plate contacts the base plate, and has a fluid channel comprising first and second spiral channels. A pedestal is below the heat transfer plate.

Abstract: In a method for drive controlling a micro machine device including two electrodes opposing each other and a dielectric layer sandwiched therebetween, a control voltage in a rectangular waveform in which positive and negative polarities are alternately inverted is applied between the two electrodes. A current passing through the micro machine device due to the application of the control voltage are detected with respect to positive and negative sides, and parameters related to a capacitance of the micro machine device are acquired with respect to the positive and negative sides on the basis of the detected current. The control voltage is controlled so that the parameters acquired with respect to the positive and negative sides accord with each other. Thus, variation of the capacitance between the positive side and the negative side can be suppressed in switching drive of a variable capacitance device.

Abstract: A power supply providing current interruption based on the energy from the supply over a sliding window of time is disclosed. The output current from the supply is periodically reestablished.

Abstract: A module hot swap circuit includes a low voltage-drop rectifier adapted to receive either positive or negative voltages of different absolute values. The rectifier is coupled to a power manager that provides dual startup/shutdown voltage thresholds and inrush current limiting. A detector prevents reverse current flow allowing the module to hold up during input voltage drop-outs.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck electrode sheet which allows the difference in capacitance between electrodes due to the presence or absence of a substrate to be increased to a level which can be accurately detected using a known substrate detection device, and allows an electrostatic chuck to exhibit an excellent attraction force, and an electrostatic chuck using the electrode sheet, are disclosed.

Abstract: A power supply controller having final test and trim circuitry. In one embodiment, a power supply controller for switched mode power supply includes a selector circuit, a trim circuit, a shutdown circuit and a disable circuit. The trim circuit includes a programmable circuit connection that can be selected by the selector circuit by toggling a voltage on an external terminal such as for example a power supply terminal, a control terminal or a function terminal of the power supply controller. The programmable circuit connection in the trim circuit can be programmed by applying a programming voltage to the external terminal. The shutdown circuit shuts down the power supply controller if the temperature rises above an over temperature threshold voltage. The shutdown circuit includes adjustment circuitry that can be used to test the shutdown circuit. The adjustment circuitry can adjust and reduce the over temperature threshold of the power supply controller.

Abstract: Pilot switch circuitry coupled across first and second terminals of a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) switch is provided to reduce or eliminate arcing between a cantilever contact and a terminal contact when the MEMS switch is opened or closed. The pilot switch circuitry establishes a common potential at the first and second terminals prior to, and preferably until, the cantilever contact and terminal contact come into contact with one another when the MEMS switch is closed. The pilot switch circuitry may also establish a common potential at the first and second terminals prior to, and preferably after, the cantilever contact and terminal contact separate from one another when the MEMS switch is opened.

Abstract: A circuit includes: an input of shunt circuitry to couple with an output of detection circuitry that provides a protection signal; an output of the shunt circuitry to couple with an input of power amplification circuitry; and the shunt circuitry configured to reduce a gain of the power amplification circuitry responsive to the protection signal, the shunt circuitry including a delay stage configured to continue shunting of an input signal of the power amplification circuitry for a time period corresponding to a turn on time of the power amplification circuitry. In addition, a method includes: receiving a protection signal from detection circuitry; responsive to the protection signal, shunting an input signal of power amplification circuitry to reduce a gain of the power amplification circuitry; and continuing the shunting for a time period corresponding to a turn on time of the power amplification circuitry.

Abstract: A processing system and method. The processing system includes a processing tool, an electrostatic chuck (ESC) arranged within the processing tool, and a system that at least one of detects at least one of an ESC bias spike and an ESC current spike of the ESC and determines when an ESC bias voltage is zero or exceeds a threshold value. The method includes at least one of detecting at least one of an ESC bias spike and an ESC current spike of the ESC, and determining when an ESC bias voltage is zero or exceeds a threshold value. The system and method can be used in real time ESC and plasma processing diagnostics to minimize yield loss and wafer scrap.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a protective device that includes a detection circuit, a fault detection circuit, and a circuit interrupter assembly contacts configured to be driven into a tripped state in response to the trip actuation and driven into a reset state in response to a reset actuation. A reset mechanism is configured to provide the reset actuation in response to a user reset input. A test assembly includes a test circuit configured to generate a simulated electrical perturbation exceeding the predetermined level in response to a user test input and a test timing mechanism configured to drive the circuit interrupter into the tripped state and disable the reset mechanism if any one of the detection circuit, fault detection circuit, actuation assembly, or circuit interrupter assembly fail before a predetermined time elapses such that the device is permanently inoperable.

Abstract: One aspect of the present invention is directed to a power supply controller that includes a switching element disposed between a power source and a load, a current detecting element connected to the switching element and capable of outputting a detection signal in the form of a load current to the switching element, a voltage generator circuit capable of supplying an output voltage between the switching element and the load, an anomaly detecting circuit capable of outputting an abnormal signal when the load current exceeds a threshold current such that the threshold current corresponds to the output voltage.

Abstract: The photoelectron generating plate includes on a substrate a photoelectron emission layer for emitting photoelectrons by the illumination of the light and having a barrier property. A diffusion of a material of an underlying base member into the photoelectron emission layer is blocked by the barrier layer and thus the surface of the photoelectron emission layer is prevented from being coated by the material of the base member. As a result, temporal reduction in the number of generated negative ions can be considerably ameliorated. In other words, the charge removing device attains a good durability for a long time.

Abstract: A semiconductor module is provided which includes a beat heat spreader, at least two semiconductors thermally coupled to the heat spreader, and a plurality of electrically conductive leads electrically connected to the semiconductors. At least one of the electrically conductive leads is common to both of the semiconductors. The semiconductor module also includes a termination resistor electrically coupled to at least one of the semiconductors. A method of making a semiconductor module is also taught, whereby a plurality of electrically conductive leads are provided. At least two semiconductors are electrically coupled to the plurality of electrically conductive leads, where at least one of the electrically conductive leads is common to both of the semiconductors. The semiconductors are then thermally coupled to a heat spreader. Subsequently, a termination resistor is electrically coupled to at least one of the semiconductors.