Techniques for Efficient Wide-Range Radio-Frequency Power Generation System

Abstract

Industrial radio-frequency (rf) power applications, e.g. plasma generation for semiconductor processing, are often characterized by the delivery of rf power, at a specific frequency or within a narrow band, with high peak power levels and wide overall power ranges, into loads with varying impedances.

To meet the evolving demands in the industry, typical goals for the power generation system include operation over a wide load impedance range and wide output power range, while exhibiting very fast dynamic responses and maintaining high peak and average efficiencies. However, meeting all of these metrics simultaneously has not been possible to date, and efficiency is often sacrificed in order to meet the other requirements, yielding solutions with high electricity costs, low thermal robustness, and excessive power ratings.

This work explores a rf power generation system based on switched-mode power amplifiers (PAs), with associated PA system architecture, control techniques, and implementation optimizations, to achieve both high performance and good efficiency for the target applications.