Intermediate frequency power supply power control synthesis method and intermediate frequency power supply phase control output system
By adopting a medium-frequency power supply synthesis method with the same amplitude and independently controllable phase, and dynamically adjusting the phase difference to control the power output, the problems of slow response speed, low precision and large energy loss of traditional medium-frequency power supplies in semiconductor manufacturing are solved, and fast and precise power control is achieved to meet the needs of nano-scale processes.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202510759394.7
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-06-09
- Publication Date
- 2025-09-16
AI Technical Summary
Traditional medium-frequency power supplies in semiconductor manufacturing have slow dynamic response speeds, low control accuracy, and high energy loss, making it difficult to meet the fast response and high-precision requirements of nanoscale processes.
Two medium-frequency power supplies with the same amplitude and independently controllable phase are used. Their outputs are synthesized through magnetic components, and the phase difference is dynamically adjusted to control the power output. A closed-loop feedback control is formed by combining a digital signal processor and a field programmable gate array.
It achieves fast, precise and efficient power output control, reduces energy loss, improves system stability and reliability, and meets the stringent requirements of semiconductor nano-processing.
Smart Images
Figure CN120658059A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing, and in particular to a medium frequency power supply power control synthesis method and a medium frequency power supply phase control output system. Background Art
[0002] In semiconductor manufacturing, high-power medium-frequency power supplies are core components for driving plasma processes. Their typical operating frequency range is 100kHz to 2MHz, with output powers ranging from 500W to 30kW. As semiconductor manufacturing processes evolve toward nanoscale, with linewidths below 7nm, wafer processing techniques place stringent demands on the energy control accuracy and dynamic response speed of medium-frequency power supplies. For example, etching and deposition processes require microsecond power switching and accuracy control within ±3%.
[0003] The power control of traditional medium frequency power supply mainly depends on the DC voltage regulation of the front stage. Its steady-state power formula is P=V 2 / R, where V is the DC voltage and R is the load impedance. This method has the following defects in dynamic response:
[0004] 1. The response speed is limited by the charging and discharging characteristics of the energy storage element and the bandwidth of the DC control loop. It cannot meet the requirement of completing 50W / 250W / 1000W multi-speed switching within 40 microseconds in pulse mode.
[0005] 2. When power control is achieved by adjusting the DC voltage, the power supply tends to enter the linear regulation area under non-full power conditions, resulting in a significant increase in switching losses.
[0006] This led to improved methods such as pulse width modulation (PWM) and DC biasing of the drive signal to control the output intermediate frequency power. However, these methods rely on complex circuit topologies, resulting in bulky systems and increased energy consumption. These control methods, based on the traditional framework of "electrical signal amplitude modulating power," struggle to achieve a balance between fast response, control accuracy, and energy efficiency in nanoscale manufacturing.
[0007] The above problems are worth solving. Summary of the Invention
[0008] In order to overcome the defects of traditional medium frequency power supply power control methods such as slow dynamic response, low control accuracy and large energy loss, the present invention provides a medium frequency power supply power control synthesis method and a medium frequency power supply phase control output system.
[0009] The technical solution of the present invention is as follows:
[0010] A method for controlling and synthesizing power of an intermediate frequency power supply comprises the following steps:
[0011] Step 1: Provide two intermediate frequency power supplies with the same amplitude and independently controllable phases;
[0012] Step 2: synthesizing the outputs of the two intermediate frequency power supplies through a magnetic element, wherein the magnetic element comprises a primary winding and a secondary winding, and the two intermediate frequency power supplies are respectively connected to different input terminals of the primary winding;
[0013] Step 3: Dynamically adjust the phase difference between the two intermediate frequency power supplies so that the output power of the secondary winding changes with the phase difference, thereby achieving rapid control of the synthesized intermediate frequency power output.
[0014] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the magnetic element is a transformer, whose primary winding includes a first input end and a second input end, the first input end and the second input end are respectively connected to the output ends of the two intermediate frequency power supplies, and the secondary winding of the transformer is connected to the load through a filter.
[0015] Preferably, the circuit of the filter includes a first inductor, a first capacitor, a second inductor and a second capacitor, one end of the first inductor is connected to the output end of the secondary winding, the other end of the first inductor is connected to one end of the first capacitor and one end of the second inductor, the other end of the second inductor is connected to one end of the second capacitor and the load, and the other end of the secondary winding, the other end of the first capacitor, the other end of the second capacitor and the other end of the load are all grounded.
[0016] As a preferred solution of the present invention, the operating frequency range of the medium frequency power supply is 100 kHz to 2 MHz.
[0017] Preferably, the response time for dynamically adjusting the phase difference is less than 40 microseconds to achieve microsecond-level power switching.
[0018] As a preferred solution of the present invention, the adjustment range of the phase difference is 0° to 180°, and the output power is controlled to be adjusted between a maximum value and a minimum value by changing the phase difference.
[0019] The present invention also provides a medium frequency power supply phase control output system based on magnetic synthesis, characterized in that the medium frequency power supply power control synthesis method used to implement the above solution includes:
[0020] a first intermediate frequency power supply and a second intermediate frequency power supply, wherein the output amplitudes of the first intermediate frequency power supply and the second intermediate frequency power supply are the same and the phases are independently controllable;
[0021] a magnetic synthesis unit, comprising a primary winding and a secondary winding, wherein a first input end of the primary winding is connected to an output end of the first intermediate frequency power supply, a second input end is connected to an output end of the second intermediate frequency power supply, and the secondary winding is used to output the synthesized intermediate frequency power;
[0022] a phase control module, configured to dynamically adjust a phase difference between the first intermediate frequency power supply and the second intermediate frequency power supply to control the output power of the secondary winding;
[0023] The filter is connected between the output end of the secondary winding and the load.
[0024] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the primary winding of the magnetic synthesis unit includes a first coil and a second coil that are independent of each other, the first coil is connected to the first intermediate frequency power supply, and the second coil is connected to the second intermediate frequency power supply; the secondary winding is a third coil, which synthesizes the two intermediate frequency signals through magnetic coupling and outputs them.
[0025] As a preferred solution of the present invention, the phase control module includes a digital signal processor or a field programmable gate array.
[0026] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the medium frequency power supply phase control output system further includes:
[0027] The power detection module is connected to both ends of the load and is used to collect output power data in real time and transmit it to the phase control module to form a closed-loop feedback control mechanism to ensure the accuracy, stability and dynamic response capability of the medium frequency power supply output power.
[0028] The present invention according to the above scheme has the following beneficial effects:
[0029] The present invention adopts two medium-frequency power supplies with the same amplitude and independently controllable phases, synthesizes their outputs using magnetic elements, and dynamically adjusts the phase difference between the two power supplies. This medium-frequency power supply power control synthesis method achieves fast, precise and efficient power output control; the phase control method of the present invention does not need to rely on traditional mechanical adjustment or complex circuit switching, avoids mechanical wear and circuit delay problems, and can achieve microsecond power switching response, meeting the stringent requirements for fast energy control in fields such as semiconductor nano-processing.
[0030] Since the output power of the present invention is adjusted only by phase difference control, there is no need to change the amplitude of the power supply itself. The system maintains a high power conversion efficiency within the entire power adjustment range, reducing energy loss. At the same time, the magnetic synthesis effect of the magnetic element effectively isolates the electrical interference between the two intermediate frequency power supplies, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the system.
[0031] By dynamically adjusting the phase difference, the present invention can accurately control the output power within a wide range and can quickly respond to load changes or adjustments to process requirements, providing a flexible and stable solution for application scenarios that require precise control of energy input. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0032] Figure 1 is a flow chart of the method of the present invention;
[0033] Figure 2 It is a circuit principle diagram of the present invention;
[0034] Figure 3 A circuit diagram of an optional embodiment of the present invention;
[0035] Figure 4 The following is a comparison chart of the output curves under different phase conditions. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0036] To better understand the objectives, technical solutions, and technical effects of the present invention, the present invention is further explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters represent similar items in the following drawings. Therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it does not need to be further defined or explained in subsequent drawings. It should also be noted that the embodiments described below are intended only to illustrate the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.
[0037] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be an intermediate element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element. The terms "first" and "second" are used solely for descriptive purposes and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of technical features.
[0038] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, a method for controlling and synthesizing power of an intermediate frequency power supply comprises the following steps:
[0039] Step 1: Provide two intermediate frequency power supplies with the same amplitude and independently controllable phases;
[0040] Step 2: synthesizing the outputs of the two intermediate frequency power supplies through a magnetic element, wherein the magnetic element comprises a primary winding and a secondary winding, and the two intermediate frequency power supplies are respectively connected to different input terminals of the primary winding;
[0041] Step 3: Dynamically adjust the phase difference between the two intermediate frequency power supplies so that the output power of the secondary winding changes with the phase difference, thereby achieving rapid control of the synthesized intermediate frequency power output.
[0042] This intermediate frequency power supply power control synthesis method can achieve high-precision, fast-response power output regulation. In practical applications, the amplitudes of the two intermediate frequency power supplies are precisely matched to the same value, for example, both are 100V effective, and their phases can be independently controlled via a digital phase-locked loop (PLL) or field-programmable gate array (FPGA), with a control accuracy of ±0.1°. When the two intermediate frequency power supplies are connected to different input terminals of the primary winding of the magnetic component, specifically the primary winding is designed as a symmetrical structure with a center tap, and the two power supplies are connected to the center tap and the two ends of the winding, respectively, the induced electromotive force generated in the secondary winding will be superimposed based on the phase difference between the two primary signals.
[0043] When the phase difference is 0°, the two primary signals are completely in phase, and the secondary winding output power reaches its maximum value, theoretically four times the power of a single power supply. When the phase difference is 180°, the two primary signals are completely out of phase, and the secondary winding output power approaches zero. By using an FPGA to calculate and dynamically adjust the phase difference in real time, and updating the phase in a 1µs cycle, the output power can be continuously adjusted between maximum and minimum values. In semiconductor wafer etching processes, when switching from high-power mode (e.g., 10kW) to low-power mode (e.g., 2kW), the system can complete the phase difference adjustment within 20µs.
[0044] As can be seen, the present invention uses two intermediate frequency power supplies with the same amplitude and independently controllable phase, and uses magnetic elements to synthesize their outputs while dynamically adjusting the phase difference between the two power supplies. This intermediate frequency power supply power control synthesis method achieves fast, accurate, and efficient power output control. Because the two power supplies have the same amplitude but independently adjustable phase, when they are connected to different input terminals of the primary winding of the magnetic element, the magnetic fields generated in the secondary winding will superimpose or cancel each other according to the change in phase difference, so that the output power can be precisely adjusted with the change in phase difference. The phase control method of the present invention does not rely on traditional mechanical adjustment or complex circuit switching, avoiding mechanical wear and circuit delay problems, and can achieve microsecond power switching response, meeting the stringent requirements of semiconductor nano-processing and other fields for fast energy control. In addition, because the output power is adjusted only by phase difference control, without changing the amplitude of the power supply itself, the system maintains a high power conversion efficiency throughout the power adjustment range, reducing energy loss. At the same time, the magnetic synthesis effect of the magnetic element effectively isolates the electrical interference between the two intermediate frequency power supplies, improving the stability and reliability of the system. In addition, by dynamically adjusting the phase difference, the present invention can accurately control the output power within a wide range and can quickly respond to load changes or adjustments to process requirements, providing a flexible and stable solution for application scenarios that require precise control of energy input.
[0045] In a preferred embodiment, the medium frequency power supply power control synthesis method can transmit the output power data collected in real time at both ends of the load to the phase control module at the phase control end, forming a closed-loop feedback control mechanism, and controlling the power fluctuation within ±3% through the closed-loop feedback system.
[0046] like Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the magnetic element is a transformer, and its primary winding includes a first input terminal and a second input terminal, the first input terminal and the second input terminal are respectively connected to the output terminals of the two intermediate frequency power supplies, and the secondary winding of the transformer is connected to the load through a filter. When the phase difference is 0°, the currents in the two primary coils are in the same direction, a superimposed magnetic field is generated in the magnetic core, and the secondary induced voltage reaches a maximum value; when the phase difference is 180°, the two currents are in opposite directions, the magnetic flux is canceled, and the secondary voltage is close to zero. Figure 4 Curve a represents the L3 output curve when the phase is the same, that is, the phase difference is 0°; curve b represents the L3 output curve when there is a phase difference.
[0047] The theoretical calculation formula is:
[0048] P0=Acos(wt)+Acos(wt+θ),
[0049] When θ=0, P0=Acos(wt)+Acos(wt)=2Acos(wt);
[0050] When θ=π, P0=Acos(wt)+Acos(wt+π)
[0051] =Acos(wt)+A[cos(wt)cos(π)+sin(wt)sin(π)]
[0052] =Acos(wt)+A[cos(wt)×(-1)+sin(wt)×0]
[0053] =Acos(wt)+A[-cos(wt)]
[0054] =Acos(wt)-Acos(wt)=0;
[0055] When 0 < θ < π, output power P0 = Acos(wt) + Acos(wt + θ), where 0 < Acos(wt + θ) < Acos(wt). Output control is achieved by varying the phase difference θ. The phase difference is adjustable from 0° to 180°, and the output power is adjusted between maximum and minimum values by varying the phase difference.
[0056] The output end of the secondary winding is connected to an LC low-pass filter. The filter circuit includes a first inductor, a first capacitor, a second inductor, and a second capacitor. One end of the first inductor is connected to the output end of the secondary winding, the other end of the first inductor is connected to one end of the first capacitor and one end of the second inductor, the other end of the second inductor is connected to one end of the second capacitor and the load, and the other end of the secondary winding, the other end of the first capacitor, the other end of the second capacitor, and the other end of the load are all grounded. The parameter design is as follows:
[0057] The first inductor L4 = 8 uH, the first capacitor C1 = 17.6 nF, the second inductor L5 = 19 uH, the second capacitor C2 = 4.9 nF, and the load R1 = 50Ω.
[0058] In this embodiment, the operating frequency range of the intermediate frequency power supply is 100kHz to 2MHz. In addition, the response time for dynamically adjusting the phase difference is less than 40 microseconds, enabling microsecond-level power switching. In pulse mode, the measured waveform of power switching from high power to low power has a rising edge / falling edge time of less than 20μs, and the switching speed meets the requirements. The phase synchronization error of the two intermediate frequency power supplies is less than 0.1°, ensuring the stability of the synthesized waveform in the high frequency band, and fine power control can be achieved through microsecond-level adjustment.
[0059] like Figure 2 As shown, the present invention also provides a medium frequency power supply phase control output system based on magnetic synthesis, which is used to implement the medium frequency power supply power control synthesis method of the above scheme, including:
[0060] a first intermediate frequency power supply and a second intermediate frequency power supply, wherein the output amplitudes of the first intermediate frequency power supply and the second intermediate frequency power supply are the same and the phases are independently controllable;
[0061] a magnetic synthesis unit, comprising a primary winding and a secondary winding, wherein a first input end of the primary winding is connected to an output end of the first intermediate frequency power supply, a second input end is connected to an output end of the second intermediate frequency power supply, and the secondary winding is used to output the synthesized intermediate frequency power;
[0062] a phase control module, configured to dynamically adjust a phase difference between the first intermediate frequency power supply and the second intermediate frequency power supply to control the output power of the secondary winding;
[0063] The filter is connected between the output end of the secondary winding and the load.
[0064] Among them, the primary winding of the magnetic synthesis unit includes a first coil and a second coil that are independent of each other, the first coil is connected to the first intermediate frequency power supply, and the second coil is connected to the second intermediate frequency power supply; the secondary winding is a third coil, which synthesizes the two intermediate frequency signals through magnetic coupling and then outputs them.
[0065] The phase control module includes a digital signal processor or a field programmable gate array.
[0066] In a preferred embodiment, the medium frequency power supply phase control output system further includes:
[0067] The power detection module is connected to both ends of the load and is used to collect output power data in real time and transmit it to the phase control module to form a closed-loop feedback control mechanism to ensure the accuracy, stability and dynamic response capability of the medium frequency power supply output power.
[0068] Taking a semiconductor thin film deposition process as an example, when the load (such as a plasma in a vacuum chamber) experiences a sudden jump in impedance from 50Ω to 60Ω due to gas flow fluctuations, the power detection module detects within 1µs a sudden drop in voltage across the load from 100V to 85V and a current drop from 2A to 1.4A. The resulting power suddenly drops from 200W to 119W, a 40.5% deviation from the target power of 200W. At this point, the power detection module transmits the voltage and current data to the phase control module. The DSP, using a pre-set closed-loop control algorithm, calculates the necessary phase difference between the two intermediate frequency power supplies from the initial 30° to 15° to increase the combined output power. After receiving the feedback signal, the phase control module generates a new phase control signal and sends it to the driver circuits of the two intermediate frequency power supplies, adjusting the phase difference. After this adjustment, the secondary winding output voltage returns to 98V, the current to 2.04A, and the actual power stabilizes at 199.92W. The power fluctuation is controlled to ±0.04%, well below the design target of ±3%. It can be seen that the closed-loop feedback mechanism effectively offsets the influence of interference factors such as load mutation and component temperature drift.
[0069] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.
[0070] The above embodiments merely illustrate several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent. It should be noted that a person skilled in the art would be able to make various modifications and improvements without departing from the spirit of the present invention, all of which fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the patent for this invention shall be determined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A medium frequency power supply power control synthesis method, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Step 1: Provide two intermediate frequency power supplies with the same amplitude and independently controllable phases; Step 2: synthesizing the outputs of the two intermediate frequency power supplies through a magnetic element, wherein the magnetic element comprises a primary winding and a secondary winding, and the two intermediate frequency power supplies are respectively connected to different input terminals of the primary winding; Step 3: Dynamically adjust the phase difference between the two intermediate frequency power supplies so that the output power of the secondary winding changes with the phase difference, thereby achieving rapid control of the synthesized intermediate frequency power output.
2. The intermediate frequency power supply power control synthesis method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The magnetic element is a transformer, whose primary winding includes a first input end and a second input end, the first input end and the second input end are respectively connected to the output ends of the two intermediate frequency power supplies, and the secondary winding of the transformer is connected to the load through a filter.
3. The intermediate frequency power supply power control synthesis method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The filter circuit includes a first inductor, a first capacitor, a second inductor and a second capacitor, one end of the first inductor is connected to the output end of the secondary winding, the other end of the first inductor is connected to one end of the first capacitor and one end of the second inductor, the other end of the second inductor is connected to one end of the second capacitor and the load, and the other end of the secondary winding, the other end of the first capacitor, the other end of the second capacitor and the other end of the load are all grounded.
4. The intermediate frequency power supply power control synthesis method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The operating frequency range of the medium frequency power supply is 100kHz to 2MHz.
5. The intermediate frequency power supply power control synthesis method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The response time for dynamically adjusting the phase difference is less than 40 microseconds, thereby achieving microsecond-level power switching.
6. The intermediate frequency power supply power control synthesis method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The adjustment range of the phase difference is 0° to 180°, and the output power is controlled to be adjusted between a maximum value and a minimum value by changing the phase difference.
7. A medium frequency power supply phase control output system based on magnetic synthesis, characterized in that: A method for implementing the intermediate frequency power supply power control synthesis method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising: a first intermediate frequency power supply and a second intermediate frequency power supply, wherein the output amplitudes of the first intermediate frequency power supply and the second intermediate frequency power supply are the same and the phases are independently controllable; a magnetic synthesis unit, comprising a primary winding and a secondary winding, wherein a first input end of the primary winding is connected to an output end of the first intermediate frequency power supply, a second input end is connected to an output end of the second intermediate frequency power supply, and the secondary winding is used to output the synthesized intermediate frequency power; a phase control module, configured to dynamically adjust a phase difference between the first intermediate frequency power supply and the second intermediate frequency power supply to control the output power of the secondary winding; The filter is connected between the output end of the secondary winding and the load.
8. The medium frequency power supply phase control output system based on magnetic synthesis according to claim 7, characterized in that: The primary winding of the magnetic synthesis unit includes a first coil and a second coil that are independent of each other, the first coil is connected to the first intermediate frequency power supply, and the second coil is connected to the second intermediate frequency power supply; the secondary winding is a third coil, which synthesizes the two intermediate frequency signals through magnetic coupling and then outputs them.
9. The medium frequency power supply phase control output system based on magnetic synthesis according to claim 7, characterized in that: The phase control module includes a digital signal processor or a field programmable gate array.
10. The medium frequency power supply phase control output system based on magnetic synthesis according to claim 7, characterized in that: The medium frequency power supply phase control output system also includes: The power detection module is connected to both ends of the load and is used to collect output power data in real time and transmit it to the phase control module to form a closed-loop feedback control mechanism.