Abstract: Determining a high frequency operating parameter in a plasma system including a plasma power supply device coupled to a plasma load using a hybrid coupler having four ports is accomplished by: generating two high frequency source signals of identical frequency, the signals phase shifted by 90° with respect to one another; generating a high frequency output signal by combining the high frequency source signals in the hybrid coupler; transmitting the high frequency output signal to the plasma load; detecting two or more signals, each signal corresponding to a respective port of the hybrid coupler and related to an amplitude of a high frequency signal present at the respective port; and based on an evaluation of the two or more signals, determining the high frequency operating parameter.

Abstract: In one aspect, operating a vacuum plasma process system including a plasma discharge chamber is accomplished by generating a main plasma in the discharge chamber in a first operating state, and generating an auxiliary plasma in the discharge chamber in a second operating state. Generating the main plasma includes generating a main plasma power with a first number of RF power generators, and generating an auxiliary plasma power with a second number of RF power generators, such that the second number is smaller than the first number.

Abstract: Determining a high frequency operating parameter in a plasma system including a plasma power supply device coupled to a plasma load using a hybrid coupler having four ports is accomplished by: generating two high frequency source signals of identical frequency, the signals phase shifted by 90° with respect to one another; generating a high frequency output signal by combining the high frequency source signals in the hybrid coupler; transmitting the high frequency output signal to the plasma load; detecting two or more signals, each signal corresponding to a respective port of the hybrid coupler and related to an amplitude of a high frequency signal present at the respective port; and based on an evaluation of the two or more signals, determining the high frequency operating parameter.

Abstract: In an impedance matching circuit selectively operable in a normal matching mode and a protection mode, the impedance matching circuit includes a set of reactances in a first reactance arrangement configured to transform an impedance of a load to an impedance within a range of a nominal impedance of an HF generator in the normal matching mode, and a PIN diode switch having a first invariable switching state in the normal matching mode and a second switchomg state that reconfigures the set of reactances into a second reactance arrangement in the protection mode, such that the second reactance arrangement is configured to transform the impedance of the load to prevent damage to the HF generator or to transmission circuitry arranged between the HF generator and the load.

Abstract: A plasma supply device generates an output power greater than 500 W at an essentially constant basic frequency greater than 3 MHz and powers a plasma process to which is supplied the generated output power, and from which reflected power is returned to the plasma supply device. The plasma supply device includes at least one inverter connected to a DC power supply, which inverter has at least one switching element, and an output network, wherein the at least one output network includes at least one inductance that has at least one magnetic field strengthening element that is a Perminvar ferrite.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Operation of a plasma supply device having at least one switching bridge with at least two switching elements, and configured to deliver a high frequency output signal having a power of >500 W and a substantially constant fundamental frequency >3 MHz to a plasma load is accomplished by determining at least one operating parameter, at least one environmental parameter of at least one switching element and/or a switching bridge parameter, determining individual drive signals for the switching elements taking into account the at least one operating parameter, the at least one environmental parameter and/or the switching bridge parameter, and individually driving the switching elements with a respective drive signal.

Abstract: For determining a wave running time between a RF source in a plasma power supply device and a load connected to the plasma power supply device, an RF pulse is transmitted forwards from the RF source to the load. The pulses are reflected by the load and transmitted backwards to the power source. A return time measured on arrival of the pulse(s) at the inverter is used to determine a wave running time.

Abstract: In a method for operating a plasma installation, an induction heating installation or a laser excitation installation in a pulsed power output operation, includes controlling at least one semiconductor switching element to produce a power loss in the at least one semiconductor switching element during a pulse pause time period in a pulse pause operation during which no power suitable for the ignition or the operation of the plasma process, the induction heating process, or the laser excitation process is produced at a power output of a power generator by the at least one semiconductor switching element of the power generator, and such that a reduction of a temperature of the at least one semiconductor switching element by more than a predetermined value is prevented.

Abstract: In a method for extinguishing an arc in a gas discharge chamber in which power is supplied to a gas discharge chamber and in which both with a current flow in a first direction and with a current flow in a second inverse direction there is produced a gas discharge, when an arc is identified, the power supply to the gas discharge chamber is interrupted, and residual energy which is in a supply line to the gas discharge chamber and/or in the gas discharge chamber is supplied to an energy store.

Abstract: A plasma supply device generates an output power greater than 500 W at an essentially constant basic frequency greater than 3 MHz and powers a plasma process to which is supplied the generated output power, and from which reflected power is returned to the plasma supply device. The plasma supply device includes at least one inverter connected to a DC power supply, which inverter has at least one switching element, and an output network, wherein the at least one output network includes at least one inductance that has at least one magnetic field strengthening element that is a Perminvar ferrite.

Abstract: In one aspect, protecting high frequency (HF) amplifiers of a plasma supply device configured to deliver >500 W at a substantially constant fundamental frequency >3 MHz is accomplished by: driving two HF amplifiers with two drive signals having a common frequency and a predetermined phase shift with respect to one another; generating two HF source signals using the HF amplifiers, the HF source signals coupled in a coupler to form a HF output signal; transmitting the HF output signal to the plasma load; measuring electrical variables related to the load impedances seen by the two HF amplifiers; determining whether the load impedance seen by one of the HF amplifiers lies outside a predetermined range; and adjusting the phase shift of the two drive signals, wherein neither of the load impedances seen by the HF amplifiers lies outside the predetermined range.

Abstract: A plasma supply arrangement for supplying power to a plasma load has a quadrature coupler which has at least one capacitance and at least one inductivity and which is suitable for coupling together two HF power signals of the same frequency which are phase-shifted relative to each other by 90°, an HF power signal being supplied respectively at a first useful signal connection and at a second useful signal connection of the quadrature coupler as a useful signal, to form a coupled HF power which can be output as a useful signal at a third useful signal connection, at least one useful signal connection being configured for a first impedance. The quadrature coupler has a fourth useful signal connection which is configured for a second impedance which is higher than the first impedance, or has only three useful signal connections.

Abstract: A sealing device for inductive sealing of containers is provided. The sealing device includes at least one induction coil made from an at least partially flexible conductor. The induction coil has two coil halves arranged at a distance (d) apart between which the containers can be moved, in which the conductor in each case extends essentially parallel to a direction of motion (B) of the containers. The coil halves are connected to the induction coil via at least one flexible conductor loop, which extends perpendicular to the direction of motion (B) of the containers.

Abstract: A plasma supply device includes a full bridge circuit that is connected to a DC power supply and that has two half bridges each with two series connected switching elements. The plasma supply device further includes a primary winding of a power transformer connected to centers of the half bridges between the switching elements. The primary winding includes a tapping connectable to an alternating current center between the potentials of the DC power supply.

Abstract: In a method for operating a plasma installation, an induction heating installation or a laser excitation installation in a pulsed power output operation, includes controlling at least one semiconductor switching element to produce a power loss in the at least one semiconductor switching element during a pulse pause time period in a pulse pause operation during which no power suitable for the ignition or the operation of the plasma process, the induction heating process, or the laser excitation process is produced at a power output of a power generator by the at least one semiconductor switching element of the power generator, and such that a reduction of a temperature of the at least one semiconductor switching element by more than a predetermined value is prevented.

Abstract: A high frequency power supply, in particular a plasma supply device, for generating an output power greater than 1 kW at a basic frequency of at least 3 MHz with at least one switch bridge, which has two series connected switching elements, wherein one of the switching elements is connected to a reference potential varying in operation, and is activated by a driver, and wherein the driver has a differential input with two signal inputs and is connected to the reference potential varying in operation.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention includes a directional coupler having a coupling factor in the forward direction determined from the equation Cf=Cf·ej?Cf, a coupling factor in the reverse direction determined from the equation Cr=Cr·ej?Cr, an isolation in the forward direction determined from the equation If=If·ej?If, and an isolation in the reverse direction determined from the equation Ir=Ir·ej?Ir, wherein at least one condition is met from among the group consisting of: (1) the absolute value of ??=?Cr+?Cf?(?Ir+?If) being less than or equal to 20°, K = C f C r * I r I f ( 2 ) is less than or equal to 1.6, and (3) Cf=Cr and If=Ir.

Abstract: A plasma process power delivery system includes one or more event-ascertaining devices within the plasma process power delivery system, a controller in communication with the one or more event ascertaining devices, a first memory, a second memory, a data transmission connection, and a plasma process monitoring system. The data transmission connection is between the first memory and the second memory and is configured to transmit data relating to the plasma process power delivery system between the first memory and the second memory in response to an occurrence of a predefined event ascertained by one or more event-ascertaining devices. The plasma process monitoring system is in communication with the second memory and analyzes circumstances associated with the event that triggers the storage in the second memory using the data stored in the second memory.

Abstract: In some aspects, a power supply system for a plasma application and/or an induction heating system includes at least two controllable power generators of different types. Each controllable power generator includes an associated identifier, and at least one operating unit for controlling at least one of the power generators, the operating unit includes an operating application to import the respective identifiers from the power generators that are connected to the operating application, and based on generator-specific configuration data that are stored for each power generator and the identifiers, the operating application constructs a graphic user interface on a display device of the operating unit.