An adjustable radio frequency power supply and its control method

Abstract

This invention discloses an adjustable radio frequency (RF) power supply and its control method. The adjustable RF power supply includes: a signal generation circuit, an ATT circuit, an adjustable RF power amplifier module, an adjustable LC filter circuit, a signal sampling circuit, a power supply circuit, a signal processing circuit, and a control circuit. The frequency signal output from the signal generation circuit is amplified by the adjustable RF power amplifier module via the ATT circuit, filtered by the adjustable LC filter circuit, and then the amplitude and phase of the output signal are acquired by the signal sampling circuit. After conversion by the signal processing circuit, the control circuit controls the ATT circuit and / or the power supply circuit to output the required RF power signal. This invention can adjust the circuit matching parameters according to the frequency and output a high-efficiency RF signal. Simultaneously, it employs closed-loop gain control, solving the problem of narrow operating bandwidth of the RF power supply and significantly improving the product's response speed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of semiconductor equipment technology, specifically relating to an adjustable radio frequency power supply and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, with technological advancements, many high-power industrial, medical, and semiconductor processing equipment utilize transistor-based radio frequency (RF) power supplies as their driving source. These power supplies are characterized by high efficiency, long lifespan, and small size. However, transistor-based RF power supplies typically have narrow frequency bandwidths, and target power adjustments are generally implemented via software, resulting in response times typically in the millisecond or second range, leading to either excessively slow or excessively rapid responses. Furthermore, the output impedance of RF power supplies is generally a fixed 50 ohms, while the input impedance of a typical plasma chamber is mismatched with the output impedance of the RF power supply and varies depending on the characteristics of the gas within the plasma chamber. Therefore, a matching circuit is needed between the RF power supply and the plasma chamber to match the output impedance of the RF power supply with the input impedance of the plasma chamber. However, the matching circuit is limited by its capacitance adjustment range, only meeting impedance matching requirements in most cases. Therefore, to address the issues of narrow bandwidth, slow response speed, and incomplete output impedance matching in RF power supplies, this invention proposes a frequency- and power-adjustable RF power supply and its control method. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide an adjustable radio frequency power supply and its control method, which solves the problems of narrow bandwidth, slow response speed and full coverage of output impedance matching in current radio frequency power supplies.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides an adjustable radio frequency power supply, comprising: a signal generation circuit, an ATT circuit, an adjustable radio frequency power amplifier module, an adjustable LC filter circuit, a signal sampling circuit, a power supply circuit, a signal processing circuit, and a control circuit;

[0005] The input terminal of the signal generating circuit is connected to the first output terminal of the control circuit, and its output terminal is connected to the radio frequency input terminal of the ATT circuit, which is used to output a radio frequency signal of a set frequency to the radio frequency input terminal of the ATT circuit according to the instructions of the control circuit.

[0006] The control input terminal of the ATT circuit is connected to the second output terminal of the control circuit, and its RF output terminal is connected to the RF input terminal of the adjustable RF power amplifier module. It is used to adjust the amplitude and phase of the input RF signal based on the control circuit signal and then output it to the RF input terminal of the adjustable RF power amplifier module.

[0007] The RF output terminal of the adjustable RF power amplifier module is connected to the RF input terminal of the adjustable LC filter circuit, its power supply terminal is connected to the output terminal of the power supply circuit, and its control terminal is connected to the third output terminal of the control circuit. It is used to amplify the input RF signal based on the power supply voltage of the power supply circuit and the control circuit signal, and then output it to the RF input terminal of the adjustable LC filter circuit.

[0008] The control input terminal of the adjustable LC filter circuit is connected to the fourth output terminal of the control circuit, and its RF output terminal is connected to the RF input terminal of the signal sampling circuit. It is used to filter the input high-power RF signal based on the control circuit signal and output it to the RF input terminal of the signal sampling circuit.

[0009] The RF output terminal of the signal sampling circuit is the output terminal of this circuit. The input RF signal is output through its RF output terminal. The sampling output terminal of the signal sampling circuit is connected to the input terminal of the signal processing circuit. It is used to couple and sample the input RF signal and then output it to the signal processing circuit. The first and second output terminals of the signal sampling circuit are respectively connected to the two input terminals of the signal processing circuit.

[0010] The first input terminal of the power supply circuit is connected to an external AC input, and its second input terminal is connected to the fifth output terminal of the control circuit. The power supply circuit is used to convert the AC input voltage into DC voltage to provide the DC voltage required for operation of the active devices in the signal generation circuit, ATT circuit, signal processing circuit, and control circuit. At the same time, it supplies power to the adjustable RF power amplifier module based on the control circuit signal.

[0011] The output of the signal processing circuit is connected to the input of the control circuit, and is used to perform level conversion or analog-to-digital conversion on the input RF sampling signal before outputting it to the control circuit for processing.

[0012] The control circuit's external interface connects to external devices for communication and information exchange.

[0013] Preferably, the adjustable RF power amplifier module can be composed of a single power amplifier module or multiple power amplifier modules connected in parallel, and the connection method can be balanced connection or Doherty connection.

[0014] The power amplifier module is an amplifier circuit with radio frequency power amplification function, which is composed of a preamplifier, a driver amplifier and a final amplifier cascaded together.

[0015] Preferably, each stage of the adjustable RF power amplifier module has one or more adjustable capacitors installed in the matching circuit at the input and / or output of each amplifier stage. The adjustable capacitors can be installed in parallel or in series in the matching circuit.

[0016] The adjustment terminals of one or more adjustable capacitors are connected to one or more control output terminals of the control circuit. The control circuit can configure the control level of the adjustable capacitors according to preset parameters. It can also adjust the level of the adjustable capacitors after analyzing and processing the signals input by the signal processing circuit, thereby adjusting the input and / or output matching of each amplifier stage and realizing the adjustment of the amplifier's frequency-amplitude characteristics, frequency-power characteristics and efficiency. This allows for the adjustment of the frequency, power and efficiency of the adjustable RF power amplifier module.

[0017] Preferably, the adjustable LC filter circuit can be a broadband LC filter circuit composed of fixed capacitors and inductors, or it can be an LC filter circuit composed of an inductor and one or more adjustable capacitors, whose frequency, bandwidth, input impedance and output impedance are adjustable based on the control level signal of the control circuit.

[0018] In the adjustable LC filter circuit composed of an inductor and an adjustable capacitor, the control terminal of one or more adjustable capacitors is connected to another or more control output terminals of the control circuit. The control circuit adjusts the voltage of the corresponding adjustable capacitor by adjusting the control terminal of at least one adjustable capacitor, thereby adjusting the capacitance value of the adjustable capacitor based on the formula C = Q / U, where Q is the charge capacity of the capacitor and U is the control voltage of the capacitor.

[0019] Preferably, the signal sampling circuit includes forward power sampling and reverse power sampling circuits. The forward power sampling circuit is used to acquire the RF signal output from the adjustable RF power amplifier module and filtered by the adjustable LC filter circuit. The reverse power sampling circuit is used to acquire the RF signal reflected to the output terminal of the RF power supply. Specifically, the forward power sampling circuit acquires the RF signal input from the RF input terminal of the signal sampling circuit without distortion, and the forward sampled signal is output to the first input terminal of the signal processing circuit via the first output terminal of the signal sampling circuit. The reverse power sampling circuit acquires the RF signal reflected from the RF output terminal of the signal sampling circuit without distortion, and the reverse sampled signal is output to the second input terminal of the signal processing circuit via the second output terminal of the signal sampling circuit. The forward power sampling and reverse power sampling circuits can be one or any combination of microstrip coupling, capacitive coupling, and cavity coupling, respectively.

[0020] Preferably, the signal processing circuit converts the input forward power sampling signal and the reverse sampling signal into level signals or digital signals, respectively, and then outputs them to the control circuit for analysis and processing; the signal processing circuit includes, but is not limited to, any one or any combination of diode detection circuit, integrated IC chip detection circuit, and high-speed ADC analog-to-digital conversion circuit.

[0021] Preferably, the adjustable RF power amplifier module, adjustable LC filter circuit, signal sampling circuit, signal processing circuit, first error amplifier circuit and power supply circuit in the control circuit can form an automatic gain control module A to achieve microsecond-level fast response and adjustment of the set power value of the RF power supply; wherein, the first input terminal of the first error amplifier circuit in the control circuit is connected to the output terminal of the signal processing circuit, its second input terminal is connected to the reference level signal corresponding to the frequency and output power inside the control circuit, and the output terminal of the first error amplifier circuit is connected to the control input terminal of the power supply circuit;

[0022] The automatic gain control method of the automatic gain control module A is as follows: After receiving the target frequency and power setpoint, the control circuit controls the signal generation circuit to emit a signal with the target frequency and corresponding amplitude. After adjustment by the ATT circuit, the signal is output to the adjustable RF power amplifier circuit. At the same time, the control circuit outputs a reference level corresponding to the frequency and output power to the other input terminal of the first error amplifier circuit. The output terminal of the first error amplifier circuit outputs a corresponding level signal to the input terminal of the power supply circuit. The power supply circuit outputs a corresponding voltage to the adjustable RF power amplifier circuit according to the input signal. The adjustable RF power amplifier circuit amplifies the input RF signal according to the corresponding gain under the corresponding supply voltage. After passing through the adjustable LC filter circuit and the signal sampling circuit, the RF signal with the target frequency and target power is output.

[0023] Preferably, the ATT circuit, adjustable RF power amplifier module, adjustable LC filter circuit, signal sampling circuit, signal processing circuit, and the second error amplifier circuit in the control circuit can form an automatic gain control module B to achieve microsecond-level rapid response and adjustment of the set power value of the RF power supply; wherein, the first input terminal of the second error amplifier circuit in the control circuit is connected to the output terminal of the signal processing circuit, its second input terminal is connected to the reference level signal corresponding to the frequency and output power inside the control circuit, and the output terminal of the second error amplifier circuit is connected to the control input terminal of the ATT circuit;

[0024] The automatic gain control method of the automatic gain control module B is as follows: After receiving the target frequency and power setpoint, the control circuit controls the signal generation circuit to emit a signal with the target frequency and corresponding amplitude. At the same time, the control circuit outputs a reference level corresponding to the frequency and output power to another input terminal of the second error amplifier circuit. The output terminal of the second error amplifier circuit outputs a corresponding level signal to the input terminal of the ATT circuit. Then, the ATT circuit adjusts the signal output by the signal generation circuit according to the corresponding level, amplifies it through the adjustable RF power amplifier circuit, and outputs the RF signal with the target frequency and target power after passing through the adjustable LC filter circuit and the signal sampling circuit.

[0025] Preferably, a switching circuit can be added to the circuits of automatic gain control module A and automatic gain control module B. The input terminal of the switching circuit is connected to the output terminal of the signal processing circuit, and the two output terminals of the switching circuit are respectively connected to the first input terminals of error amplifier circuit A and error amplifier circuit B, while other connections remain unchanged.

[0026] The control terminal of the switching circuit is connected to the internal control port of the control circuit. After receiving the target frequency and power setting value, the control circuit controls the signal generation circuit to emit a signal with the target frequency and corresponding amplitude. The target power output and power maintenance can be achieved by selecting the automatic gain control module A circuit or / and the automatic gain control module B circuit through the control command.

[0027] Preferably, the control circuit includes at least an interface conversion circuit, an MCU control circuit, an error amplifier circuit, and an FPGA circuit;

[0028] The interface conversion circuit is used to adapt to different communication or operation interfaces and perform signal conversion; the MCU circuit is used to receive instructions and information from external devices or the local operation interface, and realize functions such as internal parameter configuration, logic control, and information reporting; the error amplifier circuit is used to receive a preset reference level value according to the set target frequency and power value, and realize automatic gain control of automatic gain control module A or / and automatic gain control module B; the FPGA circuit is used to analyze and process the signal output by the signal processing circuit and realize the logic control of the circuit.

[0029] When the actual frequency and power value of the RF power supply output exceed the target power value set range, the RF power supply can perform frequency and power calibration. The calibration method is as follows: the signal extracted by the signal sampling circuit and converted by the signal processing circuit is analyzed and calculated by the control circuit, and the parameters of any circuit in the signal generation circuit, automatic gain control module A or / and automatic gain control module B are adjusted so that the output frequency and output power of the RF power supply reach the target power value range, and the corresponding parameters are reconfigured.

[0030] A control method for the aforementioned adjustable radio frequency power supply is as follows:

[0031] S1. Start-up, program loading and internal parameter configuration, including initial empirical data of each stage of power amplifier tubes, adjustable capacitors and related devices in the adjustable RF power amplifier module in the RF power supply, and initial empirical data of the adjustable capacitors in the adjustable LC filter circuit, and convert them into corresponding configuration parameters. Configuration is completed and standby is initiated.

[0032] S2. Upon receiving commands such as target frequency, power value, and RF power activation through the external interface or operation interface of the control circuit, the control circuit retrieves the preset configuration parameters for the corresponding target frequency and target power, including the configuration parameters of the adjustable capacitors corresponding to the adjustable RF power amplifier module and the adjustable LC filter circuit, and activates the RF power output.

[0033] S3. The control circuit acquires the sampled signal sampled by the signal sampling circuit and converted by the signal processing circuit. This signal corresponds to the actual frequency and actual power value of the RF power supply output.

[0034] S4, "The actual frequency and actual power value exceed the target frequency and target power value"?

[0035] S5. The control circuit calibrates the frequency and power to bring the actual frequency and power values ​​to the target frequency and power value range, and saves and executes the calibrated parameters.

[0036] S6. When the control circuit receives a new target frequency or power value, it retrieves the preset corresponding configuration parameters for configuration and adjusts the frequency and power value in real time through the signal generation circuit, automatic gain control module A and / or automatic gain control module B. If the requirements are not met, it executes according to S3.

[0037] S7. "The efficiency at actual power exceeds the target efficiency value?"

[0038] S8. The control circuit adjusts the control level of the adjustable capacitor in the matching circuit of the amplifier in the adjustable RF power amplifier module and the adjustable capacitor in the adjustable LC filter circuit according to experience or preset range. It analyzes and judges the signals input by the signal sampling circuit and the signal processing circuit to determine whether the adjusted efficiency meets the target efficiency value, and updates and maintains the corresponding adjustment parameters.

[0039] S9. If the control circuit receives a fault alarm signal or external fault signal from the signal generation circuit, signal processing circuit, automatic gain control module A or / and automatic gain control module B circuit, it shall shut down the RF output or power supply according to the preset operation; otherwise, it shall operate normally.

[0040] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages and beneficial effects:

[0041] The adjustable RF power amplifier module and adjustable LC filter circuit in the RF power supply of this invention can adjust the capacitance value of the adjustable capacitor according to the frequency and power output of the signal generation circuit, thereby changing the matching of the amplifier and the LC filter circuit, so that the output power and out-of-band spurious index at the corresponding frequency reach the optimal level. At the same time, through the signal generation circuit, and the first error amplifier circuit and power supply circuit in the control circuit composed of the adjustable RF power amplifier module, the adjustable LC filter circuit, the signal sampling circuit, the signal processing circuit, and the power supply circuit, an automatic gain control module A can be formed, or the automatic gain control module B composed of the ATT circuit, the adjustable RF power amplifier module, the adjustable LC filter circuit, the signal sampling circuit, the signal processing circuit, and the second error amplifier circuit in the control circuit can be formed to automatically control the signal frequency and output power. This can achieve microsecond-level response and adjustment of the output power at the corresponding frequency, which greatly improves the adjustment speed of the corresponding RF power supply of this invention, and also greatly increases the operating frequency. At the same time, through the sampling detection and signal processing of the output signal, the signal frequency and output power can be calibrated so that the actual output power meets the set target power range, thereby ensuring the power accuracy of this RF power supply. Attached Figure Description

[0042] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the internal circuit structure of an adjustable radio frequency power supply is shown.

[0043] Figure 2 This diagram shows the circuit structure corresponding to adding an adjustable capacitor to the amplifier in an adjustable RF power amplifier module.

[0044] Figure 3 A circuit structure diagram of an adjustable LC filter circuit is shown.

[0045] Figure 4 A circuit diagram of an adjustable radio frequency power amplifier module is shown.

[0046] Figure 5 A circuit diagram of an automatic gain control module A is shown.

[0047] Figure 6 A circuit diagram of an automatic gain control module B is shown.

[0048] Figure 7 The circuit structure diagram of automatic gain control modules A and B is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0049] To make the technical solutions and advantages of the present invention clearer, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not an exhaustive list of all embodiments. Furthermore, the embodiments and features in the embodiments described in this specification can be combined with each other without conflict.

[0050] This invention provides an RF power supply for the semiconductor technology field, comprising: a signal generation circuit, an ATT circuit, an adjustable RF power amplifier module, an adjustable LC filter circuit, a signal sampling circuit, a power supply circuit, a signal processing circuit, and a control circuit. The frequency signal output from the signal generation circuit is amplified by the adjustable RF power amplifier module via the ATT circuit, filtered by the adjustable LC filter circuit, and then the amplitude and phase of the output signal are acquired by the signal sampling circuit. After conversion by the signal processing circuit, the control circuit controls the ATT circuit and / or the power supply circuit to output the required RF power signal. This invention can adjust the circuit matching parameters according to the frequency and output a high-efficiency RF signal. Simultaneously, it employs closed-loop gain control, solving the problem of narrow operating bandwidth in RF power supplies and significantly improving the product's response speed.

[0051] Example 1:

[0052] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an adjustable RF power supply with a frequency of 13.56MHz / 1000W, which includes: a signal generation circuit, an ATT circuit, an adjustable RF power amplifier module, an adjustable LC filter circuit, a signal sampling circuit, a power supply circuit, a signal processing circuit, and a control circuit.

[0053] The input terminal of the signal generation circuit is connected to the first output terminal of the control circuit. The output terminal of the signal generation circuit is connected to the RF input terminal of the ATT circuit. The RF output terminal of the ATT circuit is connected to the RF input terminal of the adjustable RF power amplifier module. The RF output terminal of the adjustable RF power amplifier module is connected to the RF input terminal of the adjustable LC filter circuit. The power supply terminal of the adjustable RF power amplifier module is connected to the output terminal of the power supply circuit. The RF output terminal of the adjustable LC filter circuit is connected to the output terminal of the signal sampling circuit. The first input terminal of the power supply circuit is connected to an external AC input. The sampling output terminal of the signal sampling circuit is connected to the input terminal of the signal processing circuit. The output terminal of the signal processing circuit is connected to the input terminal of the control circuit. The control input terminals of the ATT circuit, the adjustable RF power amplifier module, the adjustable LC filter circuit, and the power supply circuit are connected sequentially to the second, third, fourth, and fifth output terminals of the control circuit, respectively.

[0054] The signal generation circuit outputs a radio frequency signal of a set frequency to the radio frequency input terminal of the ATT circuit according to the instructions of the control circuit. In this embodiment, the signal generation circuit can generate a CW single-tone signal or a CW sweep signal of any frequency within the range of 12.88MHz-14.22MHz according to the instructions of the control circuit. It can also generate a pulse signal at this frequency, and the frequency and duty cycle of the pulse signal can be adjusted according to the usage requirements.

[0055] The ATT circuit is used to adjust the amplitude and phase of the input RF signal based on the control circuit signal, and then outputs it to the RF input terminal of the adjustable RF power amplifier module. In this embodiment, the ATT circuit includes, but is not limited to: a voltage-controlled attenuator, a digitally controlled attenuator, and an amplitude and phase modulation circuit composed of discrete components, consisting of an amplitude adjustment circuit and a phase modulator circuit.

[0056] The adjustable RF power amplifier module is used to amplify the RF signal input to its RF input terminal with high efficiency and high linearity. It can also adjust the matching parameters of the amplifier in the module according to the frequency of the input signal to optimize the output power and efficiency of the amplifier at this frequency. Figure 2 (a) and Figure 2 (b) shows the circuit structure diagram of the amplifier in an adjustable RF power amplifier module operating at 12.88MHz-14.22MHz according to Embodiment 1, wherein, as Figure 2 As shown in (a), an adjustable capacitor C1 is added to ground in the input matching circuit of the amplifier, and an adjustable capacitor C2 is added to ground in its output matching circuit, as follows. Figure 2 As shown in (b), the amplifier's input matching circuit has an adjustable capacitor C3 connected in series and an adjustable capacitor C4 connected in parallel to ground. The output matching circuit also includes an adjustable capacitor C5 connected to ground. In the structure diagram of the adjustable circuit C1-C5 shown in the figure, A and B are the two capacitor terminals of the adjustable capacitor, and c is the control port of the adjustable capacitor. The control port c of the adjustable capacitors C1 to C5 is connected to the control circuit. By adjusting the voltage level of the control port c, and according to the formula C = Q / U (where C is the capacitance value, Q is the charge, and U is the capacitor control voltage), the voltage can be adjusted... Figure 2 The adjustable capacitors C1-C5 can be combined in any combination to change the input and output matching of the amplifier, thereby altering the amplifier's input and output impedance, and ultimately obtaining the amplifier's output power and efficiency parameters at different frequencies. In practical operation, the adjustable RF power amplifier module corresponding to this embodiment can preset the adjustment parameters of the adjustable capacitors for different frequencies, output power, and efficiencies in the control circuit's storage unit, and retrieve and apply them during operation.

[0057] The power supply terminal of the adjustable RF power amplifier module is connected to the output terminal of the power supply circuit. The output voltage of the power supply circuit can be controlled by the control circuit according to the output power. The adjustment step of the output voltage of the power supply circuit can be coarsely and finely adjusted according to the power difference between the set target power value and the original power value and the voltage difference of the corresponding adjustable RF power amplifier module at this power.

[0058] Furthermore, Figure 4 (a) and Figure 4 (b) shows the internal circuit structure diagrams of the two adjustable RF power amplifier modules operating at 12.88MHz-14.22MHz in Embodiment 1; wherein, Figure 4 (a) The adjustable RF power amplifier module shown is an amplifier module composed of a preamplifier A, a driver amplifier B, and a final amplifier C cascaded together. At least one adjustable capacitor is installed in parallel or series with ground in the input matching circuit and output matching circuit of the preamplifier A, driver amplifier B, and final amplifier C, respectively. By adjusting the value of the adjustable capacitor, that is, adjusting the input and output matching parameters of the preamplifier A, driver amplifier B, and final amplifier C, the output power, efficiency and other parameters of this amplifier module at different frequencies can be obtained. Figure 4 (b) The adjustable RF power amplifier module shown may also include, but is not limited to, two or more Figure 4 (a) A high-power amplifier module whose corresponding single amplifier module is combined by balanced combining or Doherty combining.

[0059] Furthermore, the amplifiers in the adjustable RF power amplifier module include, but are not limited to, those operating in Class A, Class B, Class AB, Class C, Class D, Class E, and Class F; the amplifiers may be composed of, but are not limited to, LDMOS, GaN, VDMOS, and MOSFET power amplifiers.

[0060] The adjustable LC filter circuit is used to filter the input high-power radio frequency signal based on the control circuit signal and output it to the radio frequency input terminal of the signal sampling circuit. Figure 3 Two circuit structure diagrams of the adjustable LC filter circuit in this embodiment are shown, wherein, as shown... Figure 3 As shown in (a), adjustable capacitors C6 and C7 are connected to ground at both ends of inductor L, or as shown in (a). Figure 3 As shown in (b), the input terminal of inductor L2 is connected to ground by an adjustable capacitor C8, and its output terminal is connected to ground by an adjustable capacitor C9. The output terminal of inductor L2 is connected in series with inductor L3, and the output terminal of inductor L3 is connected to ground by C10. By adjusting the control level of any of the adjustable capacitors, the capacitance value of the adjustable capacitor can be adjusted, thereby adjusting the frequency, insertion loss, and port standing wave parameters of the adjustable LC filter circuit.

[0061] The signal sampling circuit is used to perform forward power sampling and reverse power sampling on the radio frequency signal incident at the input terminal and the radio frequency signal reflected at the output terminal, respectively, before outputting them to the signal processing circuit. In this embodiment, the signal sampling circuit includes a forward power sampling circuit and a reverse power sampling circuit. The forward power sampling circuit is used to acquire the amplitude and phase of the radio frequency signal output from the adjustable LC filter circuit, while the reverse power sampling circuit is used to acquire the amplitude and phase of the radio frequency signal reflected at the output terminal of the signal sampling circuit.

[0062] The power supply circuit converts the AC input voltage to DC voltage, providing the necessary DC voltage for the active circuits in the signal generation circuit, ATT circuit, signal processing circuit, and control circuit. It also supplies power to the adjustable RF power amplifier module based on the control circuit signal. In this embodiment, the power supply circuit consists of an AC-DC power module, a DC-DC power module, and an LDO voltage regulator circuit. The AC-DC power module converts the input 220VAC AC power into a DC voltage with an adjustable range of 10V-60V according to the control level. The DC-DC power module converts the DC voltage from the AC-DC power module into a fixed DC voltage. The LDO voltage regulator circuit regulates the DC voltage output from the DC-DC power module to the voltage required for the operation of the active devices or IC chips in this embodiment.

[0063] The output of the signal processing circuit is connected to the input of the control circuit. It performs level conversion or analog-to-digital conversion on the input forward power sampling signal and reverse power sampling signal before outputting them to the control circuit for processing. The signal processing circuit in this embodiment includes, but is not limited to, any one or a combination of circuits selected from diode detection circuits, integrated chip detection circuits, and ADC analog-to-digital conversion circuits.

[0064] The control circuit receives information from external devices and panel control information, and simultaneously performs internal signal control, logic processing, data conversion, and storage functions. In this embodiment, the control circuit includes an interface conversion circuit, an MCU control circuit, an error amplifier circuit, and / or an FPGA circuit. The interface conversion circuit adapts to different communication or operation interfaces and performs signal conversion. The MCU circuit receives instructions and information from external devices or the local operating interface, and performs internal parameter configuration, logic control, and information reporting functions. The FPGA circuit analyzes and processes the signals output by the signal processing circuit and performs logic control of the circuit.

[0065] The RF power supply in this embodiment also includes an automatic gain control circuit. Figure 6This embodiment illustrates an automatic gain control circuit in an RF power supply. The ATT circuit, adjustable RF power amplifier module, adjustable LC filter circuit, signal sampling circuit, signal processing circuit, and the second error amplifier circuit in the control circuit can form an automatic gain control module B, enabling microsecond-level rapid response and adjustment of the RF power supply's set power value. The first input terminal of the second error amplifier circuit in the control circuit is connected to the output terminal of the signal processing circuit, and its second input terminal is connected to the reference level signal corresponding to the frequency and output power inside the control circuit. The output terminal of the second error amplifier circuit is connected to the control input terminal of the ATT circuit.

[0066] The automatic gain control method of the automatic gain control module B is as follows: After receiving the target frequency and power setpoint, the control circuit controls the signal generation circuit to emit a signal with the target frequency and corresponding amplitude. At the same time, the control circuit outputs a reference level corresponding to the frequency and output power to another input terminal of the second error amplifier circuit. The output terminal of the second error amplifier circuit outputs a corresponding level signal to the input terminal of the ATT circuit. Then, the ATT circuit adjusts the signal output by the signal generation circuit according to the corresponding level, amplifies it through the adjustable RF power amplifier circuit, and outputs the RF signal with the target frequency and target power after passing through the adjustable LC filter circuit and the signal sampling circuit.

[0067] In some embodiments, the adjustable RF power amplifier module of this embodiment can also be a fixed-width matched RF power amplifier module, whose operating bandwidth can cover the frequency range used; at the same time, the adjustable LC filter circuit can also be a fixed-width matched LC filter circuit, whose operating bandwidth can cover the frequency range used.

[0068] In some embodiments, the RF power supply of this embodiment can also adjust the matching parameters of the circuits related to frequency and power, or the model of the device or the number of amplifiers, so that the RF power supply of this embodiment can operate in the frequency range of 400KHz, 2MHz, 13.56MHz, 27.12MHz, 40.68MHz, etc., and achieve rated output of 600W, 1000W, 1500W, 2000W, 3000W, 5000W or even higher power, and the output power can be continuously adjusted from 5W or 1% of the rated power to the rated output power.

[0069] Example 2:

[0070] The circuit block diagram of the radio frequency power supply corresponding to this embodiment two can be based on embodiment one, such as... Figure 5As shown, the automatic gain control circuit can also be transformed from automatic gain control module B into automatic gain control module A. Specifically, the adjustable RF power amplifier module, adjustable LC filter circuit, signal sampling circuit, signal processing circuit, and the first error amplifier circuit and power supply circuit in the control circuit can form automatic gain control module A, realizing microsecond-level fast response and adjustment of the set power value of the RF power supply. Among them, the first input terminal of the first error amplifier circuit in the control circuit is connected to the output terminal of the signal processing circuit, and its second input terminal is connected to the reference level signal corresponding to the frequency and output power inside the control circuit. The output terminal of the first error amplifier circuit is connected to the control input terminal of the power supply circuit.

[0071] The automatic gain control method of the automatic gain control module A is as follows: After receiving the target frequency and power setpoint, the control circuit controls the signal generation circuit to emit a signal with the target frequency and corresponding amplitude. After adjustment by the ATT circuit, the signal is output to the adjustable RF power amplifier circuit. At the same time, the control circuit outputs a reference level corresponding to the frequency and output power to the other input terminal of the first error amplifier circuit. The output terminal of the first error amplifier circuit outputs a corresponding level signal to the input terminal of the power supply circuit. The power supply circuit outputs a corresponding voltage to the adjustable RF power amplifier circuit according to the input signal. The adjustable RF power amplifier circuit amplifies the input RF signal according to the corresponding gain under the corresponding supply voltage. After passing through the adjustable LC filter circuit and the signal sampling circuit, the RF signal with the target frequency and target power is output.

[0072] Alternatively, the circuit block diagram of the RF power supply in this embodiment two can be based on that in embodiment one, such as... Figure 7 As shown, an automatic gain control module A circuit can be added, and a switching circuit can be added to switch the circuit structure between automatic gain control module A and automatic gain control module B, wherein, as shown... Figure 7 As shown, a switching circuit is added to the circuits of automatic gain control module A and automatic gain control module B. The input terminal of the switching circuit is connected to the output terminal of the signal processing circuit, and the two output terminals of the switching circuit are respectively connected to the first input terminals of error amplifier circuit A and error amplifier circuit B, while other connections remain unchanged. The control terminal of the switching circuit is connected to the internal control port of the control circuit. After receiving the target frequency and power setpoint, the control circuit controls the signal generation circuit to emit a signal with the target frequency and corresponding amplitude. The target power output and power maintenance can be achieved by selecting automatic gain control module A or / and automatic gain control module B via control commands.

[0073] The control method based on the radio frequency power supply corresponding to Embodiment 2 is as follows:

[0074] S1. Start-up, program loading and internal parameter configuration, including the initial empirical data of each stage of power amplifier tubes, adjustable capacitors and related devices in the adjustable RF power amplifier module in the RF power supply, and the initial empirical data of the adjustable capacitors in the adjustable LC filter circuit, and convert them into corresponding configuration parameters. Configuration is completed and standby is activated.

[0075] S2. Upon receiving commands such as target frequency, power value, and RF power activation through the external interface or operation interface of the control circuit, the control circuit retrieves the preset configuration parameters for the corresponding target frequency and target power, including the configuration parameters of the adjustable capacitors corresponding to the adjustable RF power amplifier module and the adjustable LC filter circuit, and activates the RF power output.

[0076] S3. The control circuit acquires the sampled signal sampled by the signal sampling circuit and converted by the signal processing circuit. This signal corresponds to the actual frequency and actual power value of the RF power supply output.

[0077] S4, "The actual frequency and actual power value exceed the target frequency and target power value"?

[0078] S5. The control circuit calibrates the frequency and power to bring the actual frequency and power values ​​to the target frequency and power value range, and saves and executes the calibrated parameters.

[0079] S6. When the control circuit receives a new target frequency or power value, it retrieves the preset corresponding configuration parameters for configuration and adjusts the frequency and power value in real time through the signal generation circuit, automatic gain control module A and / or automatic gain control module B. If the requirements are not met, it executes according to S3.

[0080] S7. "The efficiency at actual power exceeds the target efficiency value?"

[0081] S8. The control circuit adjusts the control level of the adjustable capacitor in the matching circuit of the amplifier in the adjustable RF power amplifier module and the adjustable capacitor in the adjustable LC filter circuit according to experience or a preset range. It analyzes and judges the signals input by the signal sampling circuit and the signal processing circuit to determine whether the adjusted efficiency meets the target efficiency value, and updates and maintains the corresponding adjustment parameters.

[0082] S9. If the control circuit receives a fault alarm signal or external fault signal from the signal generation circuit, signal processing circuit, automatic gain control module A or / and automatic gain control module B circuit, it shall shut down the RF output or power supply according to the preset operation; otherwise, it shall operate normally.

[0083] The embodiments in this specification are described in terms of functional circuits. Each functional circuit focuses on different implementation methods of the circuit. The functional circuits can also be combined as needed to form the radio frequency circuit of this invention.

[0084] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, those skilled in the art, upon learning the basic inventive concept, can make other changes and modifications to these embodiments. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to be interpreted as including the preferred embodiments as well as all changes and modifications falling within the scope of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0085] Finally, it should be noted that in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or mobile device that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or mobile device. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or mobile device that includes said element.

[0086] The radio frequency power supply provided by the present invention has been described in detail above. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the embodiments of the present invention. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the methods and core ideas of the embodiments of the present invention. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of the embodiments of the present invention. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation on the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. An adjustable radio frequency power supply, characterized in that, include: Signal generation circuit, ATT circuit, adjustable RF power amplifier module, adjustable LC filter circuit, signal sampling circuit, power supply circuit, signal processing circuit and control circuit; The input terminal of the signal generating circuit is connected to the first output terminal of the control circuit, and its output terminal is connected to the radio frequency input terminal of the ATT circuit, for outputting a radio frequency signal of a set frequency to the radio frequency input terminal of the ATT circuit according to the instructions of the control circuit. The control input terminal of the ATT circuit is connected to the second output terminal of the control circuit, and its radio frequency output terminal is connected to the radio frequency input terminal of the adjustable radio frequency power amplifier module. It is used to adjust the amplitude and phase of the input radio frequency signal based on the control circuit signal and then output it to the radio frequency input terminal of the adjustable radio frequency power amplifier module. The RF output terminal of the adjustable RF power amplifier module is connected to the RF input terminal of the adjustable LC filter circuit, its power supply terminal is connected to the output terminal of the power supply circuit, and its control terminal is connected to the third output terminal of the control circuit. It is used to amplify the input RF signal based on the power supply voltage of the power supply circuit and the control circuit signal, and then output it to the RF input terminal of the adjustable LC filter circuit. The control input terminal of the adjustable LC filter circuit is connected to the fourth output terminal of the control circuit, and its radio frequency output terminal is connected to the radio frequency input terminal of the signal sampling circuit. It is used to filter the input high-power radio frequency signal based on the control circuit signal and output it to the radio frequency input terminal of the signal sampling circuit. The RF output terminal of the signal sampling circuit is the output terminal of the RF power supply. The input RF signal is output through its RF output terminal. The sampling output terminal of the signal sampling circuit is connected to the input terminal of the signal processing circuit, and is used to couple and sample the input RF signal and output it to the signal processing circuit. The first input terminal of the power supply circuit is connected to an external AC input, and its second input terminal is connected to the fifth output terminal of the control circuit. It is used to convert AC voltage into DC voltage and simultaneously supply power to the adjustable RF power amplifier module based on the control circuit signal. The output terminal of the signal processing circuit is connected to the input terminal of the control circuit, and is used to perform level conversion or analog-to-digital conversion on the input radio frequency sampling signal and then output it to the control circuit for processing. The external interface of the control circuit is connected to external devices for communication and information exchange with them.

2. The adjustable radio frequency power supply according to claim 1, characterized in that, The adjustable RF power amplifier module is composed of a single power amplifier module or multiple power amplifier modules connected in parallel; the combining method is balanced combining or Doherty combining. The power amplifier module is an amplifier circuit with radio frequency power amplification function, which is composed of a preamplifier, a driver amplifier and a final amplifier cascaded together.

3. The adjustable radio frequency power supply according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the adjustable RF power amplifier module, each stage amplifier has one or more adjustable capacitors installed in the matching circuit at its input and / or output terminals. These adjustable capacitors are installed in parallel or in series in the matching circuit. The adjustment terminals of one or more adjustable capacitors are respectively connected to one or more control output terminals of the control circuit. The control circuit configures the control level of the adjustable capacitors according to preset parameters, and after analyzing and processing the signal input by the signal processing circuit, adjusts the level of the adjustable capacitors, thereby adjusting the input and / or output matching of each amplifier stage, and realizing the adjustment of the amplifier's frequency-amplitude characteristics, frequency-power characteristics and efficiency, thereby adjusting the frequency, power and efficiency of the adjustable RF power amplifier module.

4. The adjustable radio frequency power supply according to claim 3, characterized in that, The adjustable LC filter circuit is a broadband LC filter circuit composed of fixed capacitors and inductors, or an LC filter circuit composed of inductors and one or more adjustable capacitors whose frequency, bandwidth, input impedance and output impedance are adjustable based on the control level signal of the control circuit. In the adjustable LC filter circuit composed of an inductor and an adjustable capacitor, the control terminal of one or more adjustable capacitors is connected to another or more control output terminals of the control circuit. The control circuit adjusts the voltage of the corresponding adjustable capacitor by adjusting the control terminal of at least one adjustable capacitor, thereby adjusting the capacitance value of the adjustable capacitor based on the formula C = Q / U; where C is the capacitance value, Q is the charge capacity of the capacitor, and U is the control voltage of the capacitor.

5. The adjustable radio frequency power supply according to claim 1, characterized in that, The signal sampling circuit includes a forward power sampling circuit and a reverse power sampling circuit; wherein, the forward power sampling circuit is used to acquire the radio frequency signal input from the radio frequency input terminal of the signal sampling circuit without distortion, and the forward sampled signal is output to the first input terminal of the signal processing circuit through the first output terminal of the signal sampling circuit; the reverse power sampling circuit is used to acquire the radio frequency signal reflected from the radio frequency output terminal of the signal sampling circuit without distortion, and the reverse sampled signal is output to the second input terminal of the signal processing circuit through the second output terminal of the signal sampling circuit. The forward power sampling circuit and the reverse power sampling circuit are one or any combination of microstrip coupling, capacitive coupling, and cavity coupling. The signal processing circuit converts the input forward power sampling signal and the reverse sampling signal into level signals or digital signals, respectively, and then outputs them to the control circuit for analysis and processing.

6. The adjustable radio frequency power supply according to claim 4, characterized in that, The adjustable RF power amplifier module, adjustable LC filter circuit, signal sampling circuit, signal processing circuit, and the first error amplifier circuit and power supply circuit in the control circuit constitute an automatic gain control module A, which realizes microsecond-level rapid response and adjustment of the set power value of the RF power supply. In this circuit, the first input terminal of the first error amplifier circuit in the control circuit is connected to the output terminal of the signal processing circuit, the second input terminal of the first error amplifier circuit is connected to the reference level signal inside the control circuit that corresponds to the frequency and output power, and the output terminal of the first error amplifier circuit is connected to the control input terminal of the power supply circuit. The automatic gain control method of the automatic gain control module A is as follows: After receiving the target frequency and power setpoint, the control circuit controls the signal generation circuit to emit a signal with the target frequency and corresponding amplitude. After adjustment by the ATT circuit, the signal is output to the adjustable RF power amplifier circuit. At the same time, the control circuit outputs a reference level corresponding to the frequency and output power to the other input terminal of the first error amplifier circuit. The output terminal of the first error amplifier circuit outputs a corresponding level signal to the input terminal of the power supply circuit. The power supply circuit outputs a corresponding voltage to the adjustable RF power amplifier circuit according to the input signal. The adjustable RF power amplifier circuit amplifies the input RF signal according to the corresponding gain under the corresponding supply voltage. After passing through the adjustable LC filter circuit and the signal sampling circuit, the RF signal with the target frequency and target power is output.

7. The adjustable radio frequency power supply according to claim 6, characterized in that, The ATT circuit, adjustable RF power amplifier module, adjustable LC filter circuit, signal sampling circuit, signal processing circuit, and the second error amplifier circuit in the control circuit constitute the automatic gain control module B, which realizes microsecond-level rapid response and adjustment of the set power value of the RF power supply. In this circuit, the first input terminal of the second error amplifier circuit in the control circuit is connected to the output terminal of the signal processing circuit, the second input terminal is connected to the reference level signal inside the control circuit that corresponds to the frequency and output power, and the output terminal of the second error amplifier circuit is connected to the control input terminal of the ATT circuit. The automatic gain control method of the automatic gain control module B is as follows: After receiving the target frequency and power setpoint, the control circuit controls the signal generation circuit to emit a signal with the target frequency and corresponding amplitude. At the same time, the control circuit outputs a reference level corresponding to the frequency and output power to another input terminal of the second error amplifier circuit. The output terminal of the second error amplifier circuit outputs a corresponding level signal to the input terminal of the ATT circuit. Then, the ATT circuit adjusts the signal output by the signal generation circuit according to the corresponding level, amplifies it through the adjustable RF power amplifier circuit, and outputs the RF signal with the target frequency and target power after passing through the adjustable LC filter circuit and the signal sampling circuit.

8. The adjustable radio frequency power supply according to claim 7, characterized in that, A switching circuit is added to the circuits of the automatic gain control module A and the automatic gain control module B. The input terminal of the switching circuit is connected to the output terminal of the signal processing circuit, and the two output terminals of the switching circuit are respectively connected to the first input terminal of the first error amplifier circuit and the second error amplifier circuit. The control terminal of the switching circuit is connected to the internal control port of the control circuit. After receiving the target frequency and power setting value, the control circuit controls the signal generation circuit to emit a signal with the target frequency and corresponding amplitude. The target power output and power maintenance are achieved by selecting automatic gain control module A or / and automatic gain control module B through control commands.

9. The adjustable radio frequency power supply according to claim 7, characterized in that, The control circuit includes an interface conversion circuit, an MCU control circuit, an error amplifier circuit, and an FPGA circuit. The interface conversion circuit is used to adapt to the docking and signal conversion of different communication or operation interfaces; the MCU control circuit is used to receive instructions and information from external devices or the local operation interface, and realize internal parameter configuration, logic control, and information reporting functions; the error amplifier circuit is used to receive a preset reference level value according to the set target frequency and power value, and realize automatic gain control of automatic gain control module A or / and automatic gain control module B; the FPGA circuit is used to analyze and process the signal output by the signal processing circuit, and realize the logic control of the circuit. When the actual frequency and power output of this RF power supply exceed the target power value set range, this RF power supply will perform frequency and power calibration. The calibration method is as follows: the signal extracted by the signal sampling circuit and converted by the signal processing circuit is analyzed and calculated by the control circuit, and the parameters of any circuit in the signal generation circuit, automatic gain control module A and / or automatic gain control module B are adjusted so that the output frequency and output power of the RF power supply reach the target power value range, and the corresponding parameters are reconfigured.

10. A control method for an adjustable radio frequency power supply according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Start-up, program loading and internal parameter configuration, including the initial data of each stage of power amplifier tubes, adjustable capacitors and related devices in the adjustable RF power amplifier module in the RF power supply, and the initial data of the adjustable capacitors in the adjustable LC filter circuit, and convert them into corresponding configuration parameters. Configuration is completed and standby is activated. S2. Upon receiving the target frequency, power value, and RF power enable command through the external interface or operation interface of the control circuit, the control circuit retrieves the preset configuration parameters for the corresponding target frequency and target power, including the configuration parameters of the adjustable capacitors corresponding to the adjustable RF power amplifier module and the adjustable LC filter circuit, and enables RF power output. S3. The control circuit acquires the sampled signal sampled by the signal sampling circuit and converted by the signal processing circuit. This signal corresponds to the actual frequency and actual power value of the RF power supply output. S4. Determine whether the actual frequency and actual power value exceed the target frequency and target power value; S5. If so, the control circuit calibrates the frequency and power to bring the actual frequency and power values ​​to the target frequency and power value range, and saves and executes the calibrated parameters. S6. When the control circuit receives a new target frequency or power value, the control circuit retrieves the preset corresponding configuration parameters for configuration and realizes real-time adjustment of frequency and power value through signal generation circuit, automatic gain control module A and / or automatic gain control module B. If the requirements are not met, proceed to step S3. S7. Determine whether the efficiency under actual power exceeds the target efficiency value; S8. If so, the control circuit adjusts the control level of the adjustable capacitor in the matching circuit of the amplifier in the adjustable RF power amplifier module and the adjustable capacitor in the adjustable LC filter circuit according to experience or a preset range, and analyzes and judges the signals input by the signal sampling circuit and the signal processing circuit to determine that the adjusted efficiency meets the target efficiency value, and updates and maintains the corresponding adjustment parameters. S9. If the control circuit receives a fault alarm signal or external fault signal from the signal generation circuit, signal processing circuit, automatic gain control module A or / and automatic gain control module B circuit, it shall shut down the RF output or power supply according to the preset operation; otherwise, it shall operate normally.

Images