Abstract: There is provided by this invention an apparatus and method for controlling a dc magnetron plasma processing system that automatically adjusts the control signal to the power supply based upon the dynamic impedance of the load to control the output power to the plasma. The output voltage and the output current of the power supply that supplies power to the plasma is sampled over at a sampling frequency at least four to five times higher than the switching frequency and the dynamic impedance of the plasma is calculated based upon the sampled voltage and current from the algorithm R plasma = ? ? ? V n ? ? ? I n wherein ?Vn and ?In is the maximum difference among samples on one switching cycle. If the dynamic impedance seen is negative in nature then the control signal is compensated accordingly.

Abstract: There is provided by this invention an apparatus and method of supplying to ignite a plasma wherein in the event of an arc a shunt switch is used to divert the power away from the plasma that is incorporated into an over-voltage protection circuit that controls the shunt switch to act as a boost switch when the arc is extinguished such that the stored inductor energy is used to boost the ignition voltage for reigniting the plasma if it is extinguished. When the arc is extinguished, the inductor current is diminished, and the plasma is ignited, then the switch S1 is turned OFF and the inductor energy goes to the plasma and the power supply operates in its normal operating mode.

Abstract: There is provided by this invention soft switching interleaved power converters that are suitable for high power and high voltage applications such as plasma processing. They have greatly reduced switching losses and diode reverse-recovery losses which allows operation at high switching frequencies. The peak values of the reverse-recovery currents of the diodes are substantially less then their peak forward operating currents. The power converters incorporate power converter cells that comprise a plurality of switching assemblies that are operated with an interleaved switching pattern, and that are each connected to an input terminal of an inductor assembly that also has a common terminal. The inductance between each pair of input terminals is less than the inductance between each input terminal and the common terminal of the inductor assembly.

Abstract: There is provided by this invention a novel apparatus and method of operating a dc plasma process that diverts the power supply current from the plasma at the initiation of an arc, thereby inhibiting energy from flowing from the power supply to the plasma, and then to allow energy to flow again when the power supply re-enables energy flow to the plasma. The diverting means is connected to the output of the power supply to divert current away from the plasma at the initiation of an arc wherein the diverting means is actuated when the arc is detected on the output and diverts the current for a first pre-determined time. The diverting means is released at the end of the first pre-determined time before the current reaches zero wherein current is redirected to the plasma and the diverting means is reactivated at the end of a second pre-determined time in the event the arc is not extinguished.