JP-2026076357-A - Power generator and control method

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a power generator and a method for managing power that improve reliability, performance, and power efficiency. [Solution] The power generator includes a plurality of amplifier blocks and a combiner. Each amplifier block includes one or more amplifiers, and the combiner combines the modulated power signals output from the amplifier blocks to generate an RF power signal for the load. The amplifier blocks are controlled to out-of-phase the modulated power signals based on the phase angle. Some of the amplifier blocks can perform discrete modulation to generate each signal of the modulated power signal. Discrete modulation involves selecting different combinations of amplifiers from one or more of the amplifier blocks to vary the RF power signal in discrete steps. In embodiments, the amplifiers may be high-frequency power amplifiers. [Selection Diagram] None

Inventors

• ペロー，デイビッド・ジェイ
• アルバスターミー，アナス
• ザング，ハオクアン

Assignees

• マサチューセッツ インスティテュート オブ テクノロジー

Dates

Publication Date

20260511

Application Date

20260219

Priority Date

20200731

Claims (20)

1. Each of the amplifier blocks contains multiple amplifiers, The system includes a combiner for generating a high-frequency (RF) power signal for a load by combining the modulated signals output from the plurality of amplifier blocks, A power generator comprising a plurality of amplifier blocks configured to out-of-phase the modulated power signal based on at least one phase angle, each of the plurality of amplifier blocks configured to perform discrete modulation to generate the respective signals of the modulated power signal, wherein the discrete modulation includes selecting different combinations of the plurality of amplifiers and varying the RF power signal in discrete steps.
2. The power generator according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of amplifiers is configured to generate a fixed voltage.
3. The power generator according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of amplifiers is configured to operate in switch mode.
4. The power generator according to claim 1, wherein the different combinations of the plurality of amplifiers are configured to perform a predetermined sequence of discrete step changes in the RF power signal.
5. The power generator according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of amplifiers is configured to generate a corresponding of the modulated power signals based on at least one modulated power supply voltage.
6. The power generator according to claim 5, further comprising a discrete-drain modulator configured to modulate the power supply voltage via discrete-drain modulation.
7. The power generator according to claim 1, further comprising an impedance converter configured to change the output impedance of the combiner to match the impedance of the load.
8. The impedance converter includes a matching variable network, The power generator according to claim 7, wherein the matching variable network is configured to change the output impedance of the combiner in discrete steps to match the change in the impedance of the load.
9. The power generator according to claim 8, wherein the matching variable network is configured to vary one or more shunt reactances in discrete steps to match the output impedance of the combiner to the change in impedance of the load.
10. The output impedance of the combiner changes when different combinations of the plurality of power amplifiers are selected for each of the plurality of amplifier blocks. The power generator according to claim 7, wherein the impedance converter converts the changing output impedance of the combiner to match the impedance of the load.
11. The power generator according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of amplifier blocks is configured to operate in common mode.
12. The power generator according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of amplifier blocks is configured to receive a signal, and the signal controls the on or off state of at least one of the plurality of amplifier blocks to change the RF power signal in discrete steps.
13. The power generator according to claim 12, wherein the discrete step change of the RF power signal caused by selecting different combinations of the plurality of amplifiers is different from the discrete step change of the RF power signal caused by controlling the on state or off state of at least one of the plurality of amplifier blocks.
14. The power generator according to claim 1, wherein the load includes a plasma generator.
15. A method for managing electricity, The steps include generating a first modulated power signal from a first amplifier block, The steps include generating a second modulated power signal from at least a second amplifier block, Steps include out-of-phase steps for the first and second modulated power signals based on the phase angle, The process includes the step of generating an RF power signal for a load based on the out-phased first and second modulated power signals, A method comprising the step of generating the first modulated power signal, which includes the step of switching between different combinations of a plurality of power amplifiers in the first amplifier block, and the step of generating the second modulated power signal, which includes the step of switching between different combinations of a plurality of power amplifiers in the second amplifier block.
16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the different combinations include different numbers of switching amplifiers in the first amplifier block and different numbers of switching amplifiers in the second amplifier block.
17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the different combinations of the plurality of amplifiers are configured to perform a predetermined sequence of discrete step changes in the RF power signal.
18. The steps include inputting at least a first supply voltage to the first amplifier block, The further step is to input at least a second supply voltage to the second amplifier block, The method according to claim 15, wherein the first and second supply voltages are discrete drain modulated voltages.
19. The further step involves changing the output impedance of the combiner to match the impedance of the load, The method according to claim 15, wherein the combiner generates the RF power signal based on the out-phased first and second modulated power signals.
20. The further step includes changing the output impedance of the combiner to match it to an impedance load, The method according to claim 15, wherein the combiner generates the RF power signal based on the out-phased first and second modulated power signals and has an impedance that changes based on a change in the number of switching power amplifiers in the first amplifier block.

Description

Cross-reference of related applications [0001] This application claims the interests of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/059,532, filed on 31 July 2020, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/085,432, filed on 30 September 2020, under Section 119(e) of the U.S. Patent Act, the contents of those applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. [0002] One or more embodiments described herein relate to power generation. [0003] In many industrial applications, power amplifiers operate with variable load impedance, high frequency ranges, and high power levels and peak-to-average power ratios. One example of such an application is plasma generation used in semiconductor processing. Existing power generators cannot function in a way that does not limit or otherwise adversely affect the operation of the plasma generator or the operation of the power generator itself. For example, existing power generators sacrifice efficiency to meet other metrics. This increases size and power rating, resulting in particularly low peak and average power efficiencies among several limitations. [0004] One or more embodiments described herein provide a radio frequency (RF) power generator having a unique system configuration and power control method. [0005] According to one or more embodiments, the power generator includes a plurality of amplifier blocks, each block including one or more amplifiers and a combiner for combining the modulated power signals output from the plurality of amplifier blocks to generate an RF power signal for the load. The plurality of amplifier blocks are configured to out-of-phase the modulated power signals based on the phase angle. Each of the plurality of amplifier blocks is configured to perform discrete modulation to generate each of the modulated power signals. Discrete modulation involves selecting different combinations of power amplifiers to vary the RF power signal in discrete steps to correspond to changes in the power of the load. In embodiments, the amplifiers may be RF power amplifiers. [0006] According to one or more embodiments, a method for managing power includes the steps of: generating a first modulated power signal from a first amplifier block; generating a second modulated power signal from at least a second amplifier block; out-of-phase the first and second modulated power signals based on their phase angles; and generating an RF power signal for a load based on the out-of-phase first and second modulated power signals. The step of generating the first modulated power signal includes switching different combinations of multiple power amplifiers in the first amplifier block, and the step of generating the second modulated power signal includes switching different combinations of multiple power amplifiers in the second amplifier block. In embodiments, the amplifiers may be RF amplifiers. [0007] The aforementioned and other purposes, features, and advantages will become apparent from the following more detailed description of embodiments, as shown in the accompanying drawings where similar reference letters refer to the same parts through different figures. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and are rather focused on illustrating the principles of the embodiments. [0008] This is a block diagram of a radio frequency (RF) power generator.[0009] This is a block diagram of the RF power generator.[0010]This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an amplifier having an output section coupled via a single combiner.This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an amplifier having an output section coupled via a single combiner.This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an amplifier having an output section coupled via multiple combiners.[0011] This is a schematic diagram of a switched-mode power amplifier (PA).[0012] This figure shows a voltage-versus-time plot of the RF output voltage waveform for an example of a MIDB block, such as the Multi-Inverter Discrete Backoff (MIDB) block shown in Figure 2 or Figure 6.[0013] This is a block diagram of an RF power generator having two MIDB power amplifiers (PAs).[0014] This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of an impedance transformer.[0015]This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a discrete drain modulation circuit for PA.[0016]This flowchart shows a method for generating an RF power signal.This is a flowchart showing a method for generating RF power signals.This is a flowchart showing a method for generating RF power signals.[0017] This is a plot (voltage vector graph) of the MIDB block output voltage versus the load voltage.[0018] As an example of admittance for evaluating performance and power management, this figure shows a plot of the uncompensated load admittance curve observed in the MIDB block (Y A and Y B in Figure 6).[0019] This figure shows a plot of efficiency versus output power according to an embodiment of the MIDB system.[0020]This figure shows a vo