Abstract: There is provided a power supply apparatus which is easy in attempting to unify the thickness distribution of a thin film to be formed on the surface of a substrate even at the time of charging pulsed potential at a low frequency to targets that make respective pairs. The power supply apparatus of this invention has: a first discharge circuit which alternately charges predetermined potential to a pair of targets that are in contact with a plasma at a predetermined frequency; and a second discharge circuit which charges predetermined potential between the ground and the target, out of the pair of targets, that is not receiving output from the first discharge circuit.

Abstract: Provided is a power supply apparatus which can effectively restrict the current rise at the time of occurrence of arc discharge that is directly related to the occurrence of splashes or particles, and which is also capable of preventing the discharge voltage from getting excessive at the time of finishing the arc processing. The power supply apparatus has: a DC power supply unit which applies a DC voltage to a target which comes into contact with a plasma; and an arc processing unit which can detect arc discharge generated in the electrode by positive and negative outputs from the DC power supply unit, and also which can perform arc discharge suppression processing. An output characteristics switching circuit switches the outputs such that the output to the electrode has constant-current characteristics and that the output to the electrode has constant-voltage characteristics by the time of completion of the arc suppressing processing.

Abstract: A bipolar pulsed power supply which supplies power in a bipolar pulsed mode at a predetermined frequency to a pair of electrodes that come into contact with a plasma is arranged to reduce the switching loss of the switching elements in a bridge circuit, and also to attain a high durability without using high-performance switching elements. The bipolar pulsed power supply has: a bridge circuit constituted by switching elements SW1 through SW4 connected to positive and negative DC outputs from a DC power supply source; and a control means for controlling switching ON or OFF of each of the switching elements in the bridge circuit. An output-short-circuiting switching element SW0 is disposed between the positive and the negative DC outputs from the DC power supply source such that, in a short-circuited state of the output-short-circuiting switching element, each of the switching elements in the bridge circuit is switched by the control means.

Abstract: A bipolar pulsed power supply is provided in which, while effectively restricting the rise in current at the time of arcing which directly leads to the generation of splashes and particles, the occurrence of overvoltage at the time of polarity reversal is prevented. The power supply has a bridge circuit constituted by switching elements SW1 through SW4 connected to positive and negative DC outputs from a DC power supply source. The operation of the switching elements is controlled to output in a bipolar pulsed mode at a predetermined frequency to a pair of electrodes which come into contact with a plasma. There is provided an output-characteristics-switching circuit which switches the output such that, when outputting to the electrodes, the output to the electrodes has initially constant-voltage characteristics and subsequent output to the electrodes has constant-current characteristics.

Abstract: When sputtering method is performed by disposing a plurality of targets in parallel with each other, and by charging power to the targets through a plurality of bipolar pulsed power supplies, power can be charged with higher accuracy to the targets while being subject to less effect by the switching noises by a simple control. In a sputtering method in which, for each of targets making a pair, power is supplied in a bipolar pulsed mode by switching ON or OFF of each of the switching elements SW1 through SW4 in a bridge circuit that is connected to positive and negative DC output ends from the DC power supply source, and in which each of the targets is sputtered, switching ON or OFF of the switching elements is performed in a short-circuited state of an output-short-circuiting switching element SW0 which is disposed between positive and negative DC outputs from the DC power supply source.

Abstract: Provided is a power supply apparatus which can effectively restrict the current rise at the time of occurrence of arc discharge that is directly related to the occurrence of splashes or particles, and which is also capable of preventing the discharge voltage from getting excessive at the time of finishing the arc processing. The power supply apparatus has: a DC power supply unit which applies a DC voltage to a target which comes into contact with a plasma; and an arc processing unit which can detect arc discharge generated in the electrode by positive and negative outputs from the DC power supply unit, and also which can perform arc discharge suppression processing. An output characteristics switching circuit switches the outputs such that the output to the electrode has constant-current characteristics and that the output to the electrode has constant-voltage characteristics by the time of completion of the arc suppressing processing.

Abstract: A bipolar pulsed power supply which supplies power in a bipolar pulsed mode at a predetermined frequency to a pair of electrodes that come into contact with a plasma is arranged to reduce the switching loss of the switching elements in a bridge circuit, and also to attain a high durability without using high-performance switching elements. The bipolar pulsed power supply has: a bridge circuit constituted by switching elements SW1 through SW4 connected to positive and negative DC outputs from a DC power supply source; and a control means for controlling switching ON or OFF of each of the switching elements in the bridge circuit. An output-short-circuiting switching element SW0 is disposed between the positive and the negative DC outputs from the DC power supply source such that, in a short-circuited state of the output-short-circuiting switching element, each of the switching elements in the bridge circuit is switched by the control means.

Abstract: There is provided a power supply apparatus that is capable of suppressing the occurrence of anomalous electric discharge due to charge-up of a substrate and that is capable of forming a good thin film on a large-area substrate. The power supply apparatus of this invention has: a first discharge circuit that alternately charges predetermined potential at a predetermined frequency to a pair of targets that are in contact with a plasma; and a second discharge circuit that charges predetermined potential between the grounding and the electrode, out of the pair of electrodes, that is not charged with potential from the first discharge circuit. The second discharge circuit is provided with a reverse potential charging means for charging, at the time of polarity reversal, at least one of the electrodes with potential that is reverse to the output potential.

Abstract: There is provided a power supply apparatus which is easy in attempting to unify the thickness distribution of a thin film to be formed on the surface of a substrate even at the time of charging pulsed potential at a low frequency to targets that make respective pairs. The power supply apparatus of this invention has: a first discharge circuit which alternately charges predetermined potential to a pair of targets that are in contact with a plasma at a predetermined frequency; and a second discharge circuit which charges predetermined potential between the ground and the target, out of the pair of targets, that is not receiving output from the first discharge circuit.

Abstract: A bipolar pulsed power supply is provided in which, while effectively restricting the rise in current at the time of arcing which directly leads to the generation of splashes and particles, the occurrence of overvoltage at the time of polarity reversal is prevented. The power supply has a bridge circuit constituted by switching elements SW1 through SW4 connected to positive and negative DC outputs from a DC power supply source. The operation of the switching elements is controlled to output in a bipolar pulsed mode at a predetermined frequency to a pair of electrodes which come into contact with a plasma. There is provided an output-characteristics-switching circuit which switches the output such that, when outputting to the electrodes, the output to the electrodes has initially constant-voltage characteristics and subsequent output to the electrodes has constant-current characteristics.

Abstract: When sputtering method is performed by disposing a plurality of targets in parallel with each other, and by charging power to the targets through a plurality of bipolar pulsed power supplies, power can be charged with higher accuracy to the targets while being subject to less effect by the switching noises by a simple control. In a sputtering method in which, for each of targets making a pair, power is supplied in a bipolar pulsed mode by switching ON or OFF of each of the switching elements SW1 through SW4 in a bridge circuit that is connected to positive and negative DC output ends from the DC power supply source, and in which each of the targets is sputtered, switching ON or OFF of the switching elements is performed in a short-circuited state of an output-short-circuiting switching element SW0 which is disposed between positive and negative DC outputs from the DC power supply source.

Abstract: A vacuum apparatus which can easily regenerate plasma is provided. A matching box used in the vacuum apparatus can vary the impedance thereof by varying the magnitudes of the inductance of variable inductance elements. Controlling the magnitude of direct current makes it possible to control the magnitudes of inductance of the variable inductance elements so that it is possible to carry out matching operation at high speed.

Abstract: A vacuum apparatus which can easily regenerate plasma is provided. A matching box used in the vacuum apparatus can vary the impedance thereof by varying the magnitudes of the inductance of variable inductance elements. Controlling the magnitude of direct current makes it possible to control the magnitudes of inductance of the variable inductance elements so that it is possible to carry out matching operation at high speed.