Pulse shaping using subzone tuning apparatus and method

Abstract

A controller for a generator includes a feed-forward control module. The feed-forward control module is configured to generate an adjustment curve to control a parameter of the generator according to a desired output signal. The feed-forward control module generates a plurality of adjustment values according to a sub-region of the output signal. Each sub-region includes a portion of a signal to be output.

Description

Cross-references to related applications

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 731,703, filed June 3, 2024, and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 523,783, filed June 28, 2023. The entire disclosure of the above applications is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure pertains to RF generator systems and the control of RF generators. Background Technology

[0003] Plasma processing is frequently used in semiconductor manufacturing. In plasma processing, ions are accelerated by an electric field to etch material from or deposit material onto a substrate surface. In a basic implementation, the electric field is generated based on an RF or DC power signal produced by a corresponding radio frequency (RF) or direct current (DC) generator in a power delivery system. The power signal generated by the generator must be precisely controlled to effectively perform plasma etching.

[0004] The background information provided herein is intended only to provide a general overview of the technical context of this disclosure. Any work described in this background section by the inventors listed herein, or any part of that description that may not have constituted prior art at the time of application, is not, expressly or impliedly, an admission that it constitutes prior art capable of defending against this disclosure. Summary of the Invention

[0005] A system of one or more computers can be configured to perform specific operations or actions by installing software, firmware, hardware, or combinations thereof on the system, which, in operation, cause the system to perform these actions. A system of one or more computer programs can be configured to perform specific operations or actions by including instructions that, when executed by a data processing device, cause the device to perform these actions. A general example includes a controller for a generator. The controller further includes a feedforward control module configured to generate an adjustment curve based on a desired output signal to control the parameters of the generator. The feedforward control module generates multiple adjustment values ​​based on sub-regions of the output signal, each sub-region including a portion of the desired output signal. Other embodiments of the example include corresponding computer systems, devices, and computer programs recorded on one or more computer storage devices, each computer program configured to perform the actions of these methods.

[0006] Various implementations may include one or more of the following features: a controller, wherein the feedforward control module receives a synchronization signal, and wherein the synchronization signal indicates the relevant position of the signal to be output. The signal to be output is a periodic multistate pulse signal. A sub-region may be one of the following: the state of the multistate pulse of the signal to be output, a transition of the signal to be output, or a region of interest of the signal to be output. The feedforward control module includes multiple tuners, wherein each tuner provides feedforward control for a particular sub-region. The feedforward control module includes a single tuner, wherein the single tuner provides feedforward control for each sub-region and does not provide feedforward control for regions outside each sub-region. The feedforward control module may further include: a first memory for storing at least one previous actuator curve, wherein the previous actuator curve varies based on the at least one previous actuator curve; a second memory for storing at least one previous output curve, wherein the previous output curve varies based on the output of the generator; and a learning module configured to receive the previous actuator curve and the previous output curve, and to generate an adjustment curve based on at least one of the following: at least one previous adjustment curve, at least one previous actuator curve, and at least one previous output curve. The generator is at least one of the following: a voltage generator, a current generator, or a power generator. The generator is an RF generator. The feedforward control module allocates samples to each sub-region based on at least one of several available samples or several sub-regions. The same number of samples are allocated to each sub-region. Different numbers of samples are allocated to a pair of sub-regions. The samples are dynamically allocated based on at least one of smoothing the feedforward actuator content or the error magnitude. If a pair of sub-regions are configured such that the allocated samples of each sub-region partially overlap, the feedforward control module combines the pair of sub-regions to define a combined sub-region. If a pair of sub-regions are configured at the end of a desired output signal and the beginning of the next desired output signal, and the allocated samples of each sub-region partially overlap, the feedforward control module combines the pair of sub-regions to define a combined sub-region. In each sub-region, both feedback control and feedforward control are used to control the parameters of the generator, and wherein, for regions outside the sub-region, either feedforward control or open-loop control adjusts the parameters of the generator. Implementations of these techniques may include hardware, methods or processes, or computer software on a computer-accessible medium.

[0007] Further applications of this disclosure will become apparent from the details provided in the specification, the claims, and the accompanying drawings. The detailed descriptions and specific examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0008] This disclosure will be more fully understood by referring to the detailed contents of the instruction manual and accompanying drawings.

[0009] Figure 1 It is a schematic block diagram of a power delivery system having multiple power supplies configured in accordance with various configurations of this disclosure;

[0010] Figure 2 Display the waveforms of time-varying signals and modulated time-varying signals to describe the pulse operation mode;

[0011] Figure 3 A function block diagram showing a control system for a generator using feedback control;

[0012] Figure 4 A comparison of the setpoint waveform with the actual waveform is shown in an example of a control system using a generator with feedback control.

[0013] Figure 5 A function block diagram showing a control system using generators that employ feedback control and feedforward control;

[0014] Figure 6A and Figure 6B The waveforms of the generator are compared between using only feedback control and using both feedback control and feedforward control.

[0015] Figure 7 A functional block diagram showing a control system for a generator using feedforward control;

[0016] Figure 8 A functional block diagram is shown for a control system for a generator with a multi-tuner feedforward control system, which provides feedforward control in a sub-region of the envelope or pulse.

[0017] Figure 9 Show a waveform depicting the sample envelope of the RF generator's output;

[0018] Figure 10 The waveforms depicting the operation of the first tuner configured according to the principles of this disclosure are shown.

[0019] Figure 11 The waveforms depicting the operation of the second tuner configured according to the principles of this disclosure are shown.

[0020] Figure 12 Functional block diagrams showing example control modules configured according to various configurations; and

[0021] Figure 13 A flowchart illustrating the operation of a control system configured according to the principles disclosed herein is provided.

[0022] In the accompanying drawings, reference numerals may be used repeatedly to identify similar and / or identical elements. Detailed Implementation

[0023] A power supply system may include: a DC or RF power generator, a matching network (collectively referred to as the generator), and a load (such as a processing chamber, plasma chamber, or reactor with fixed or variable impedance). The generator produces a DC power signal or a sinusoidal, RF, or other time-varying signal, which is received by the matching network or impedance optimization controller or circuitry. The matching network or impedance optimization controller or circuitry converts the load impedance to the characteristic impedance of the transmission line between the generator and the matching network. Impedance matching helps maximize the power delivered to the load (“delivered power”) and minimize the power reflected back to the generator from the load (“reverse power” or “reflected power”). When the input impedance of the matching network is matched to the characteristic impedance of the transmission line and the generator, the power delivered to the load can be maximized by minimizing reflected power.

[0024] In the field of power supply, there are generally two methods for applying power signals to a load. The first, more traditional method is to apply a continuous power signal to the load. In continuous mode or continuous wave mode, the continuous power signal is typically a constant DC, sinusoidal, or time-varying signal, which can be an RF power signal or other power signal continuously output from the power source to the load. In the continuous mode method, the power signal presents a constant DC or sinusoidal output, and the amplitude and / or (RF power signal) frequency of the power signal can be changed to alter the output power applied to the load.

[0025] A second method of applying a power signal to a load involves applying a pulsed voltage, current, or power signal to the load, rather than a continuous voltage, current, or power signal. In pulse or pulse operation mode, a modulation signal is used to modulate the voltage, current, or power signal to define the envelope of the modulated power signal. The voltage, current, or power signal can be a sinusoidal RF signal or other time-varying signal. Typically, the power delivered to the load is changed by altering the modulation signal.

[0026] In a typical power supply configuration, the output power applied to the load is determined using sensors that measure forward and reflected voltage, current, or power signals. These two sets of signals are analyzed in the control loop. The analysis typically determines the voltage, current, or power values ​​used to adjust the power supply output to change the voltage, current, or power applied to the load. In power delivery systems where the load is a chamber or other nonlinear or time-varying load, changes in load impedance cause corresponding changes in the voltage, current, or power applied to the load, because the applied voltage, current, or power is partly a function of the load impedance.

[0027] In systems where the manufacturing process relies on introducing voltage, current, or power to a load to control the process, voltage, current, or power is typically delivered in one of two configurations. In the first configuration, voltage, current, or power is capacitively coupled to the load. This system is called a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) system. In the second configuration, voltage, current, or power is inductively coupled to the load. This system is typically called an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) system. Coupling with plasma can also be achieved through wave coupling at microwave frequencies. This method typically uses an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) or a microwave source. A helical wave source is another form of wave coupling source and typically operates at frequencies similar to those of conventional ICP and CCP systems. In various configurations, helical wave sources can operate at RF frequencies. The power delivery system may include at least one bias power and / or source power applied to one or more electrodes of the load. Source power typically generates plasma and controls plasma density, while bias power modulates ions during shealth formation. Depending on various design considerations, the bias and source can share the same electrode, or separate electrodes can be used.

[0028] When a power delivery system drives a time-varying or nonlinear load (such as a processing chamber or plasma chamber), the power absorbed by the bulk plasma and plasma sheath generates an ion density with a certain range of ion energies. A characteristic measure of ion energy is the ion energy distribution function (IEDF). The IDF can be controlled by bias power or voltage. For systems that simultaneously apply multiple voltage, current, or power signals to a load, one way to control the IDF is by changing at least one of the amplitude, frequency, or phase of multiple sets of voltage, current, or power signals. At least one amplitude, frequency, or phase among the multiple sets of voltage, current, or power signals can also be adjusted via Fourier series and their correlation coefficients. The frequency can be locked between multiple voltage, current, or power signals, and the relative phase between multiple voltage, current, or signal signals can also be locked. Examples of such systems can be found in U.S. Patent Nos. 7,602,127, 8,110,991 and 8,395,322, all of which are assigned to the assignee of this application and are incorporated herein by reference.

[0029] Time-varying or nonlinear loads may exist in various applications. In one application, a plasma processing system may also include components for plasma generation and control. One such component is a nonlinear load implemented as a processing chamber, such as a plasma chamber or reactor. Typical plasma chambers or reactors used in plasma processing systems (such as those for thin film fabrication) can use a dual-power supply system. One voltage, current, or power generator (source) controls plasma generation, while another voltage, current, or power generator (bias) controls ion energy. Examples of dual-power supply systems include those described in U.S. Patents 7,602,127, 8,110,991, and 8,395,322 cited above. The dual-power supply systems described in the cited patents employ a closed-loop control system to adjust power supply operation to control ion density and its corresponding ion energy distribution function (IEDF).

[0030] Various methods exist for controlling the plasma processing chamber, such as those used for plasma generation. For example, in voltage, current, or power delivery systems, plasma generation can be controlled using the phase and frequency of multiple drive signals operating at the same or nearly identical frequencies. For such driven plasma sources, the periodic waveforms affecting the plasma sheath dynamics and the corresponding ion energies are generally known and controlled by the frequency of the periodic waveforms and their associated phase interactions. Another approach in voltage, current, or power delivery systems concerns dual-frequency control. That is, two frequency sources operating at different frequencies are used to power the plasma chamber to provide essentially independent control over ion and electron densities. In various configurations, these frequencies can be RF frequencies.

[0031] Another approach is to utilize broadband RF power to drive the plasma chamber. Broadband methods present several challenges. One challenge is coupling power to the electrodes. A second challenge is that, for the desired IEDF, the transfer function from the generated waveform to the actual sheath voltage must be tailored to a wide processing space to support material surface interactions. In one response method for inductively coupled plasma systems, controlling the power applied to the source electrode controls the plasma density, while controlling the power applied to the bias electrode modulates the ions to control the IEDF, thereby providing control over the etch rate and etch characteristic profile. By controlling the source and bias electrodes, the etch rate and various other etch characteristics are controlled via ion density and energy.

[0032] As integrated circuit and device manufacturing processes continue to evolve, so too do the power requirements for controlling these processes. For example, with the advancement of memory device manufacturing processes, the demands on bias voltage, current, or power are constantly increasing. Increased voltage, current, or power generates more and more energetic ions to enhance directional or anisotropic etching characteristic profiles and accelerate surface interactions, thereby increasing etching rates and allowing for the etching of features with higher aspect ratios. In a non-limiting example, in some voltage, current, or power delivery systems, the increased ion energy is sometimes accompanied by lower bias frequency requirements and an increase in the power and number of bias power sources coupled to the plasma sheath generated in the plasma chamber. The increased power at lower bias frequencies and the increased number of bias power sources cause intermodulation distortion (IMD) in the sheath modulation. IMD emission can significantly reduce the power delivered by the plasma-generating source. U.S. Patent No. 10,821,542, issued November 3, 2020, entitled "Pulse Synchronization by Monitoring Power in Another Frequency Band," describes a method for pulse synchronization by monitoring power in another frequency band. This U.S. patent has been assigned to the assignee of this application and is incorporated herein by reference. In the cited U.S. patent application, the pulses of the second RF generator are controlled based on detecting pulses from the first RF generator at the second RF generator, thereby synchronizing the pulses between the two RF generators.

[0033] Figure 1An RF generator or power supply system 110 is depicted. The power supply system 110 includes: a pair of radio frequency (RF) generators or power supplies 112a and 112b; matching networks 118a and 118b; and a load 132 (such as a nonlinear load), which may be a plasma chamber, a plasma reactor, or a processing chamber, etc. In various configurations, generator 112a is referred to as a source generator or power supply, and matching network 118a is referred to as a source matching network. Furthermore, in various configurations, one or both of the voltage, current, or power generators or power supplies 112a and 112b may output continuous or pulsed time-varying voltage signals. Similarly, in various configurations, generator 112b is referred to as a bias generator or power supply, and matching network 118b is referred to as a bias matching network. It should be understood that components may be referred to individually or collectively using reference numerals with or without letters or apostrophes. In various configurations, one or both of matching networks 118a and 118b can be implemented as RF blocking filters rather than impedance matching, for example, as matching networks that receive pulsed DC or non-sinusoidal signals. In various other configurations, one or both of matching networks 118a and 118b can be omitted.

[0034] In various configurations, source generator 112a receives control signal 130 from matching network 118b, generator 112b, or control signal 130' from bias generator 112b. Control signal 130 or 130' represents the input signal of source generator 112a, which indicates one or more operating characteristics or parameters of bias generator 112b. In various configurations, synchronous bias detector 134 senses the signal output from matching network 118b to load 132 and outputs a synchronization or trigger signal 130 to source generator 112a. In various configurations, a synchronization or trigger signal 130' can be output from bias generator 112b to source RF generator 112a instead of trigger signal 130. The difference between trigger or synchronization signals 130 and 130' may be caused by the influence of matching network 118b, which can adjust the phase between the input and output signals of the matching network. Signals 130 and 130' include information about the operation of the bias RF generator 112b, which, in various configurations, enables predictive responsiveness to address periodic impedance fluctuations in the plasma chamber or load 132 caused by the bias generator 112b. Generators 112a and 112b operate autonomously when no control signal 130 or 130' is present.

[0035] Generators 112a and 112b include respective power supplies or amplifiers 114a and 114b, sensors 116a and 116b, and processors, controllers, or control modules 120a and 120b. Power supplies 114a and 114b generate corresponding voltage, current, or power signals 122a and 122b output to the respective sensors 116a and 116b, with various configurations as described above. RF power signals 122a and 122b are also provided to matching networks 118a and 118b via sensors 116a and 116b, and as corresponding power signals f1 and f2. Sensors 116a and 116b output signals that vary according to various parameters sensed from load 132. Although sensors 116a and 116b are shown as being located within the respective generators 112a and 112b, sensors 116a and 116b may be located outside the generators 112a and 112b. Such external sensing may occur at the output of the generator, at the input of the impedance matching device located between the generator and the load, or between the output of the impedance matching device (including inside the impedance matching device) and the load.

[0036] Sensors 116a and 116b detect various operating parameters and output signals X and Y. Sensors 116a and 116b may include voltage sensors, current sensors, and / or directional coupler sensors. Sensors 116a and 116b can detect: (i) voltage V and current I; and / or (ii) the positive power P output from the respective power amplifiers 114a and 114b and / or RF generators 112a and 112b. FWD And the reverse or reflected power P_REV received from the corresponding matching networks 118a, 118b connected to the respective sensors 116a, 116b or the load 132. Voltage V, current I, forward power P FWD and reverse power P REV The sensors 116a and 116b may be scaled, filtered, or scaled and filtered versions of the actual voltage, current, forward power, and reverse power associated with the corresponding power supplies 114a and 114b. Sensors 116a and 116b may be analog or digital sensors or a combination thereof. In a digital implementation, sensors 116a and 116b may include an analog-to-digital (A / D) converter and a signal sampling unit with a corresponding sampling rate. Signals X and Y may represent voltage V and current I, or forward (or source) power P. FWD Reverse (or reflected) power P REV Any one of them.

[0037] Sensors 116a and 116b generate sensor signals X and Y, which are received by individual controllers or control modules 120a and 120b. Control modules 120a and 120b process the individual X and Y signals 124a, 126a and 124b, 126b and generate one or more feedforward or feedback control signals 128a and 128b for individual power supplies 114a and 114b. Power supplies 114a and 114b adjust voltage, current, or power signals 122a and 122b based on the received feedforward or feedback control signals. In various configurations, control modules 120a and 120b can control matching networks 118a and 118b respectively based on X and Y signals 124a, 126a and 124b, 126b via individual control signals 129a and 129b. Control modules 120a and 120b may include: one or more proportional-integral (PI), proportional-integral-derivative (PID), linear-quadratic-regulator (LQR) controllers or subsets thereof; and / or one or more direct digital synthesis (DDS) components; and / or any of the various components described below in conjunction with the modules.

[0038] In various configurations, control modules 120a and 120b may include functions, processes, processors, or submodules. Control signals 128a and 128b may be control signals or actuator drive signals, and may transmit DC offset or rail voltage, voltage or current amplitude, frequency, and phase components, etc. In various configurations, feedback control signals 128a and 128b may be used as inputs to one or more control loops. In various configurations, control loops may include proportional-integral (PI), proportional-integral-derivative (PID), linear-quadratic-regulator (LQR) control loops, or subsets thereof, for RF drive and power rail voltage. In various configurations, control signals 128a and 128b may be used in one or both of single-input-single-output (SISO) or multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) control schemes. Examples of MIMO control schemes can be found in U.S. Patent No. 10,546,724, entitled "Pulsed Bidirectional Radio Frequency Source / Load," published January 28, 2020, which is assigned to the assignee of this application and is incorporated herein by reference. In other configurations, signals 128a and 128b can provide feedforward control as described in U.S. Patent No. 10,049,857, entitled "Adaptive Periodic Waveform Controller," published August 14, 2018, which is assigned to the assignee of this application and is incorporated herein by reference.

[0039] In various configurations, the power system 110 may include a controller 120'. The controller 120' may be located external to any one or both of the generators 112a and 112b, and may be referred to as an external or shared controller 120'. In various configurations, the controller 120' may implement one or more functions, processes, or algorithms described herein with respect to one or both of the controllers 120a and 120b. Therefore, the controller 120' communicates with the respective generators 112a and 112b via a pair of separate links 136 and 138, which enables the appropriate exchange of data and control signals between the controller 120' and the generators 112a and 112b. For various configurations, the controllers 120a, 120b, and 120' may provide distributed and cooperative analysis and control of the generators 112a and 112b. In various other configurations, controller 120' can provide control over generators 112a, 112b, thereby eliminating the need for individual local controllers 120a, 120b.

[0040] In various configurations, power supply 114a, sensor 116a, controller 120a, and matching network 118a can be referred to as source RF power supply 114a, source sensor 116a, source controller 120a, and source matching network 118a, respectively. Similarly, in various configurations, RF power supply 114b, sensor 116b, controller 120b, and matching network 118b can be referred to as bias power supply 114b, bias sensor 116b, bias controller 120b, and bias matching network 118b, respectively. In various configurations and as described above, the source term refers to the generator or voltage, current, or power supply that generates plasma, while the bias term refers to the generator or voltage, current, or power supply that adjusts the ion potential and energy distribution function (IEDF) of the plasma. In various configurations, the source power supply and bias power supply operate at different frequencies or duty cycles. In various configurations, the source power supply operates at a higher frequency or duty cycle than the bias power supply. In various other configurations, the source power supply and the bias power supply operate at the same frequency or duty cycle, or substantially the same frequency or duty cycle.

[0041] Depending on the configuration, source generator 112a and bias generator 112b include multiple ports for external communication. Source generator 112a includes a pulse envelope synchronization output port 140, a digital communication port 142, an RF output port 144, and a control signal port 160. Bias generator 112b includes an input port 148, a digital communication port 150, and a pulse synchronization input port 152. Pulse envelope synchronization output port 140 outputs a pulse synchronization signal 156 to the pulse synchronization input port 152 of bias generator 112b. The digital communication port 142 of source generator 112a and the digital communication port 150 of bias generator 112b communicate via a digital communication link 157. The control signal port 160 of source generator 112a receives one or both of control signals 130 and 130'. Output port 144 generates a control signal 158 input to input port 148. In various configurations, control signal 158 is substantially the same as the control signal for source generator 112a. In various other configurations, control signal 158 is the same as the control signal for source generator 112a, but a phase shift is performed within source generator 112a based on a requested phase shift generated by bias generator 112b. Therefore, in various configurations, source generator 112a and bias generator 112b are driven by substantially the same control signal, or by substantially the same control signal that has been phase-shifted by a predetermined amount.

[0042] In various configurations, the power system 110 may include multiple source generators 112a and multiple bias generators 112b. As a non-limiting example, multiple source generators 112a, 112a', 112a'', ..., 112a can be configured. n This provides multiple output power signals to one or more source electrodes of load 132. Similarly, multiple bias generators 112b, 112b', 112b'', ..., 112b n Multiple output power signals can be provided to multiple bias electrodes of load 132. When source generator 112a and bias generator 112b are configured to include a plurality of corresponding source generators or bias generators, each generator outputs a separate signal to a corresponding plurality of matching networks 118a, 118b, which are configured to operate in a one-to-one correspondence as described above. In various other configurations, there may not be a one-to-one correspondence between each generator and a matching network. In various configurations, multiple source electrodes may refer to multiple electrodes that cooperate to define a composite source electrode. Similarly, multiple bias electrodes may refer to multiple connections to multiple electrodes that cooperate to define a composite bias electrode.

[0043] Figure 2 A voltage versus time graph was plotted to describe the voltage applied to a load (such as...). Figure 1The load 132) operates in a pulse or pulse mode, delivering voltage, current, or power. More specifically, Figure 2 Two multi-state pulses P1 and P2 of the envelope or pulse signal 212 are described, which have states S1 to S4 and S1 to S3, respectively. Figure 2 In this diagram, RF signal 210 is modulated by pulses P1 and P2, and is described as an RF sinusoidal signal or waveform as a non-limiting example. As shown in states S1 to S3 of P1 and states S1 to S2 of P2, when the pulses are ON, RF generator 112 outputs RF signal 210, the amplitude of which is defined by the pulse amplitude of each state. Conversely, during states S4 of P1 and S3 of P2, the pulses are OFF, and generator 112 does not output signal 210. Pulses P1 and P2 can be repeated with a constant or variable duty cycle, and the states S1 to S4 and S1 to S3 of each corresponding pulse P1 and P2 can have the same or different amplitudes and widths.

[0044] In all configurations, signal 210 does not need to be implemented as follows: Figure 2 The RF sine wave is shown above. (Refer to the above reference.) Figure 1 As described, in various configurations, signal 210 can be a non-sinusoidal waveform, in addition to a sinusoidal waveform. As a non-limiting example, RF signal 210 can be a rectangular waveform of repetitive or intermittent pulses, or a piecewise linear waveform, as described in US10,396,601. In various configurations, pulse signal 212 can be other than... Figure 2 The square wave is shown. Furthermore, as a non-limiting example, the envelope or pulse signal 212 can be a single-state or multi-state rectangular waveform, trapezoidal waveform, triangular waveform, sawtooth waveform, Gaussian waveform, or other shape, used to define the envelope or modulation envelope of the basic modulation signal 210. In various configurations, the pulse signal 210 can appear or reappear within a fixed or variable period or time interval. In various other configurations, the pulse signal 210 can change shape between occurrences. In various other configurations, the pulse signal 210 can appear or reappear within a fixed or variable time interval, and change shape between occurrences. Furthermore, pulses P1, P2 can have multiple states S1, ..., Sn with different amplitudes, durations, and shapes. States S1, ..., Sn can repeat within a fixed or variable period and can include all or part of the shapes described above. Similarly, as... Figure 2 As shown, signal 210 can operate at frequencies that vary between different states or within the same state.

[0045] refer to Figure 3 , Figure 3A functional block diagram of a portion of the power delivery system 310 is shown to illustrate feedback control using a feedback control loop. In the power delivery system 310, the controller 320 outputs control signals to the generator 314. The generator 314 is as described above regarding... Figure 1 and Figure 2 The described operation is to deliver to the load ( Figure 3 (Not shown) Output voltage, current, or power signal, the load being, for example, Figure 1 The load 132. Parameters that vary according to the voltage, current, or power signal output by generator 314 are sensed and transmitted to adder 336. Adder 336 also receives the setpoint of the sensed parameters transmitted to adder 336. Adder 336 determines the difference or error between the sensed parameters and the setpoint. The error indicates the correction amount applied by controller 320 in the next iteration of the feedback loop. In a typical feedback control system, controller 312 adjusts the control signal transmitted to generator 314 to change the output signal from generator 314 applied to the load to reduce or minimize the error.

[0046] Figure 4 An exemplary waveform 410 of feedback control is shown in a non-limiting example further describing the control or power transfer system 310. Waveform 410 includes a desired or setpoint waveform 412 and an actual waveform 414. Figure 4 In this diagram, the x-axis represents the sample metrics, indicating the metrics of a sample taken over time, and the y-axis represents power, but can also represent parameters such as voltage or current. (Reference) Figure 3 The desired or setpoint waveform 412 is transmitted to the adder 336, and the actual waveform 414 is sensed at the output of the generator 314 and transmitted to the input of the adder 336. As described above, the adder 336 determines the difference between these waveforms to determine the error signal input to the controller 320.

[0047] exist Figure 3 In the feedback control system, the actual waveform 414 responds with a delay relative to the desired or setpoint waveform 412. This response delay of the actual waveform 414 is the result of two components. The first component is the inherent delay in the feedback loop of the feedback control system, as the feedback controller responds to the measurement error between the setpoint and the actual output. The second component is the delay or hysteresis of the controlled system. Figure 3 and Figure 4In a non-limiting example, the controlled system is a generator and a load. Changes in the input of generator 314 propagate to the output over time. Therefore, any feedback updates made by the controller will be delayed in reaching the output. Although this delay can be partially mitigated by increasing the gain of the feedback loop, the increased gain will reduce the delay rather than eliminate it. However, increasing the gain may cause the actual waveform 414 to overshoot relative to the desired or setpoint waveform 412.

[0048] Figure 5 This diagram illustrates a functional block diagram of a control system 510 that implements both feedback control and feedforward control. The control system 510 includes a portion of a generator 512. The generator 512 includes a first control section 520a and a second control section 520b. Each control section 520a and 520b implements both feedback control and feedforward control. In various configurations, the first control section 520a provides voltage, current, or power control to the output source, while the second control section 520b provides frequency control, such as for frequency tuning, to improve impedance matching between the output source and the load (not shown).

[0049] The first control section 520a includes a feedback controller 538a, which outputs a drive control signal U to the adder 542a. drive The output of adder 542a is the drive signal sent to source 514. Source 514 is as described above regarding... Figures 1 to 4 The operation, source 514, is, for example, source 114a, 114b. In Figure 5 In this configuration, the drive signal output by adder 542a controls the power output by source 514; however, the drive signal output by adder 542a can control one or more of the following: frequency, voltage, current, or power. The parameter Y varies according to the output of source 514. PWR Such as via Figure 1 The sensor 116 is sensed and transmitted to the adder 536a, similar to the above regarding... Figure 3 The adder 536a also receives a parameter setpoint value and determines the parameter setpoint value (at which...). Figure 5 In the example, the power) and the sensed parameter Y transmitted to adder 536a are... PWR The difference or error between them. Therefore, the first control section 520a includes a feedback control loop for adjusting the drive signal to change one or more of the frequency, voltage, current or power output from the source 514.

[0050] Similarly, the second control section 520b includes a feedback controller 538b, which outputs a drive control signal U to the adder 542b. freqThe output of adder 542b is a frequency signal sent to source 514 to control the frequency of the signal output from source 514. Source 514 is as described above regarding... Figures 1 to 4 The described operation is performed, with source 514 being, for example, source 114a, 114b. The decision is based on the relationship between source 514 and the load (...). Figure 5 The parameter Ygm varies due to impedance matching between (not shown in the text) 2 And transmit the parameters to adder 536b, similar to the above regarding Figure 3 As described.

[0051] The operating frequency of source 514 is adjusted by the frequency signal output from adder 542b, determined in the second control section 520b, to improve impedance matching between source 514 and load. In various configurations, such as via... Figure 1 Sensor 116 senses or determines parameters that vary according to impedance matching and transmits said parameters to adder 536a. In various configurations, adder 536b also receives a setpoint value for the parameter and determines the difference between the setpoint value and the sensed parameter. Therefore, the second control section 520b includes a feedback control loop for changing the impedance matching between source 514 and load. In various configurations, the impedance matching varies according to one or more of the following: reflected or reverse power (P REV ), reflection coefficient (Γ) or the square of the amplitude of the reflection coefficient (|Γ) 2 |). One or more parameters can be determined based on the output of source 514 and said one or more parameters are passed to adder 536b. In a non-limiting example, the square of the magnitude of the reflection coefficient (also known as reflectivity) Ygm is passed to adder 536b. 2 Because when reflectivity (|Γ) 2 When |) is zero, impedance matching is generally considered optimal, so the setpoint transmitted to adder 536b is zero. It will be appreciated that although the setpoint transmitted to adder 536b is zero, the setpoint may not be zero, but may vary depending on the parameters used as the basis for feedback control.

[0052] The first control section 520a and the second control section 520b described above partially describe the feedback loops used to control the corresponding parameters of interest. The first control section 520a and the second control section 520b each also include a feedforward control loop. The control system 510 includes a feedforward controller 540. The feedforward controller 540 receives a corresponding envelope or pulse synchronization signal (PULSESYNC) and generates a corresponding drive adjustment or offset signal to be transmitted to adder 542a, and generates a frequency adjustment or offset signal to be transmitted to adder 542b. The drive adjustment or offset signal transmitted to adder 542a is added to the drive signal U transmitted to adder 542a. DRIVETherefore, adder 542a sends a signal U to the drive signal. DRIVE An adjustment or offset is added to provide feedforward control of the drive signal sent to source 514. Similarly, a frequency adjustment or offset signal sent to adder 542b is added to the frequency signal U sent to adder 542b. FREQ Therefore, adder 542b sends a signal U to the drive signal. FREQ Adjustments or offsets can be added to provide feedforward control of the frequency of the input sent to source 514. In various configurations, the feedforward signal output from feedforward controller 540 can be added to the setpoints of the inputs to the corresponding adders 536a, 536b, instead of to the setpoints of the inputs to the corresponding adders 542a, 542b. In this configuration, adders 542a, 542b can be omitted.

[0053] In various configurations, PULSE SYNC can be a timing signal indicating the relative position of an envelope or pulse signal to synchronize the application of corresponding drive adjustments or offsets, as well as frequency adjustments or offsets. In various configurations, PULSE SYNC can indicate envelope or pulse signals (such as...) Figure 2 The starting position of the envelope or pulse signal 212). In various configurations, the starting position may be the leading edge of the envelope or pulse. Based on the known pulse shape, the stored feedforward control adjustment can be reproduced and applied relative to PULSE SYNC. In various configurations, the pulse shape can be stored in memory, and the feedforward controller initiates reproduction based on PULSE SYNC and the predetermined pulse shape stored in memory. In various other configurations, PULSE SYNC can be a composite signal including both synchronization information and pulse shape information, and the stored feedforward control adjustment is reproduced in a similar manner. The composite signal can be transmitted via one or both of serial or parallel communication protocols. In various configurations, the envelope or pulse shape can be a multi-state pulse shape, such as... Figure 2 The envelope or pulse signal 212, and the shape of the envelope or pulse can modulate the carrier signal, such as a sine wave or other time-varying signal. This can be related to... Figure 2 Let's take a sinusoidal signal 216 as an example to understand this time-varying signal.

[0054] In various configurations, power such as Y can be transmitted to the feedforward controller 540. PWR or reflectivity Ygm 2The feedforward controller 540 can determine how the output of source 514 varies according to the correction, adjustment, or offset values ​​sent to the corresponding adders 542a, 542b, based on the signals. The feedforward controller 540 can then adjust the output curve to improve feedforward control. Examples of feedforward control can be found with respect to the following patents: U.S. Patent No. 10,049,857, cited above; U.S. Patent No. 11,715,624, entitled “Adaptive Pulse Shaping With Post Match Sensor,” published August 1, 2023, and assigned to the assignee of this application; and U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 302,141, entitled “Enhanced Tuning Methods for Mitigating RF Load Impedance Variations Due to Periodic Disturbances”; and all of these patents are incorporated herein by reference.

[0055] Figure 6A and Figure 6B Demonstrated in feedback-only control methods (such as...) Figure 6A (as shown) and combined feedback and feedforward control methods (such as) Figure 6B A comparison between (as shown). Figure 6A In the diagram, waveform 612a indicates the desired or setpoint waveform of the parameter to be controlled, and waveform 614a displays the actual waveform of the parameter obtained using only feedback control. Figure 6B In the diagram, waveform 612b indicates the desired or setpoint waveform of the parameter to be controlled, which is the same as waveform 612a, and waveform 614b displays the actual waveform of the parameter obtained using combined feedback and feedforward control. For example... Figure 6A and Figure 6B As shown, waveform 614b represents an output waveform substantially similar to the desired or setpoint waveforms 612a and 612b. Therefore, combining feedforward control with feedback control provides a control method that more accurately reproduces the desired or setpoint waveforms 612a and 612b.

[0056] Figure 7 A functional block diagram of a control system 710 using a feedforward control generator configured according to the principles of this disclosure is shown. The control system 710, for example, can... Figure 5The control system 710 is implemented in the feedforward control section of either the first control section 520a or the second control section 520b. The control system 710 includes a generator 714 and a feedforward control section 760, which includes at least one processor, module, or controller. The feedforward control section 760 includes a learning module 764, a memory 766, and a memory 768. It should be noted that although the memory 766 and memory 768 are shown separately, they may reside in a common memory bank or in a separate memory bank. (Reference) Figure 7 Memory 766 and memory 768 are described respectively to indicate the different data stored in each memory.

[0057] Generator 714 receives feedforward control input based on input actuator curve 762 and generates an output. The output of generator 714 determines output curve 763. Output curve 763 can vary based on one or more parameters sensed at the output of generator 714. Input actuator curve 762 is transferred to memory 766 and stored therein, while output curve 763 is transferred to memory 768 and stored therein. The curves stored in the respective memories 766 and 768 are input to learning module 764 as the corresponding previous actuator curve and previous output curve. Learning module 764 compares the corresponding previous actuator curve and previous output curve and generates the next actuator curve 770. The next actuator curve 770 represents one or more feedforward control inputs transmitted to generator 714 during the next control loop iteration operation of the feedforward controller.

[0058] In various configurations, the next actuator curve 770 is an input curve applied to generator 714 after a learning cycle. As a non-limiting example, at time step k, the input actuator curve u(k) and output curve y(k) are determined. Learning module 764 receives the input actuator curve u(k) and output curve y(k) and determines the next actuator curve u(k+1) corresponding to the next actuator curve 770. The next actuator curve 770 is input to generator 714 at time step (k+1). Figure 7 As shown, the next actuator curve 770 has a larger amplitude than the input actuator curve 762, however, any number of characteristics of the next actuator curve 770 can be varied stepwise.

[0059] Precise control of the output pulse shape is a critical requirement for high-accuracy generator control (such as RF generators) in applying voltage, current, or power to a load. As mentioned above, feedforward control is often used in conjunction with conventional feedback controllers to achieve accurate pulse shape tracking performance. Feedforward control offers significantly higher control bandwidth and is less susceptible to the delays experienced by feedback control. Therefore, feedforward systems provide a significant improvement in tracking the desired pulse shape trajectory.

[0060] As mentioned above Figure 7 As described, feedforward controllers typically use stored actuator input curves and resulting outputs from one or more previous envelope or pulse cycles to provide actuator updates. To achieve the high-fidelity pulse shape often required in practice, high sampling rates are needed to generate the envelope or pulse curves to produce the desired high-fidelity pulse shape. In a non-limiting example, a sampling period of 600 ns is used to utilize feedforward control to achieve an accurate envelope or pulse shape.

[0061] In various plasma etching applications, integrated circuit fabrication methods require a range of pulse periods. In one non-limiting example, an integrated circuit fabrication method requires an RF generator to operate within a pulse period ranging from 100 Hz (10 ms pulse period) to 10 kHz (100 microsecond pulse period). For low repetition rate (i.e., long pulse period) applications, with a sampling period of 600 ns, each iteration of the feedforward controller requires storing and processing a large amount of data. In one non-limiting example, using a 600 ns control sampling period, a 100 Hz pulse requires over 16,000 data samples for each actuator and output in the system for one iteration of feedforward control. For methods utilizing additional internal state information (such as estimating the system slope or gain at each sample location within the pulse period), the amount of memory and computational resources increases further. These resource requirements may limit the use of feedforward control methods.

[0062] To alleviate the resource-intensive requirements of feedforward control for low-repetition-rate pulses, multiple feedforward tuners target a sub-region of the entire pulse cycle. Alternatively, the operation of a single feedforward tuner is segmented to provide feedforward control only for selected regions of the pulse. These methods reduce computational and storage requirements because the feedforward control is applied to a region smaller than the entire pulse width. The remaining pulses are controlled using one or both of feedback control and open-loop control.

[0063] Figure 8 A functional block diagram of a control system 810 using a feedforward control generator configured according to the principles of this disclosure is shown. The control system 810, for example, can... Figure 5It is implemented in the feedforward control section of the first control section 520a or the second control section 520b. Figure 8 The feedforward control system comprises multiple tuners. As will be described in more detail herein, each tuner provides feedforward control for a selected portion of the envelope or pulse of the generator output. Figure 8 The control system 810 and Figure 7 The control system is configured similarly. The control system 810 is also configured to include a feedforward tuner 860, which has one or more feedforward tuners. These one or more feedforward tuners divide the envelope or pulse into multiple sub-regions, such that feedforward tuning occurs within a predetermined sub-region of the envelope or pulse to be controlled.

[0064] In various configurations, the feedforward tuner 860 includes one or more feedforward tuners 860a, 860b, ..., 860n. Each feedforward tuner 860a, 860b, ..., 860n is connected to... Figure 7 The corresponding components described herein operate similarly. Each individual component of each feedforward tuner 860a, 860b, ..., 860n stores and controls samples obtained on a predetermined portion, part, sub-part, region, or sub-region (collectively referred to as sub-region) of the envelope or pulse to be controlled. Since each feedforward tuner 860a, 860b, ..., 860n is configured to operate on a sub-region of the envelope or pulse, only samples obtained on the corresponding portion of the envelope or pulse for which feedforward control is applied by a particular feedforward tuner are stored in the corresponding memory and processed in the corresponding learning module. In various configurations, the feedforward tuner 860 may include multiple feedforward tuners 860a, 860b, ..., 860n. Multiple feedforward tuners 860a, 860b, ..., 860n may apply the same or different algorithms to tune the predetermined sub-regions of the envelope or pulse. In various other configurations, the feedforward tuner 860 may include a single feedforward tuner that is actuated on a predetermined sub-region of the envelope or pulse to enable feedforward control and deactuated on other predetermined portions of the envelope or pulse to disable feedforward control.

[0065] In various configurations, and as described above, various combinations of feedback control, feedforward control, and open-loop control can be applied to the envelope or pulse. In various configurations, feedback control and feedforward control can be applied to selected sub-regions of the envelope or pulse. In various other configurations, only feedback control can be applied to selected sub-regions of the envelope or pulse. In various other configurations, only feedforward control can be applied to selected sub-regions of the envelope or pulse. In various other configurations, open-loop control can be applied to selected sub-regions of the envelope or pulse.

[0066] In various configurations, the envelope or pulse (such as...) Figure 2 The envelope or pulse signal 212 may include multiple states S1, S2, ..., Sn. Sub-regions of the envelope or pulse for which various feedback control, feedforward control, and open-loop control are applied can be determined with reference to a specific state or independently of a specific state. Furthermore, in various configurations, various feedforward control, feedback control, and open-loop control methods can be determined based on the transition of the envelope or pulse between selected states. In various further configurations, the region preceding the state transition can be included in the region associated with the transition. Thus, the region includes a set of samples that begins before the state transition and ends after the state transition. In various other configurations, aspects of the feedforward control, feedback control, and open-loop control methods can be determined based on the proximity of adjacent state transitions, such that when a transition occurs within a predetermined sampling width, feedforward control can be applied to the entire state, including the state transition. In various other configurations, aspects of the feedforward control, feedback control, and open-loop control methods can be determined based on the region of interest in the generator's output curve, regardless of whether the region of interest includes a state transition.

[0067] Figure 9 The envelope or pulse 910 has three states, S1, S2, and S3, labeled 912, 914, and 916, respectively. An additional state 912' corresponds to state S1' of the next envelope or pulse. The width of state S1 is approximately 25 µs, the width of state S2 is approximately 3 ms, and the width of state S3 is approximately 6.975 ms. Because the widths of states S2 and S3 are much longer than the width of state S1, applying feedback control only to states S2 and S3 usually provides sufficient accuracy to make the actual output or output curve satisfactorily close to the desired output or output curve. In various other configurations, open-loop control can be applied to states S2 and S3.

[0068] State S1 is narrow enough that applying open-loop or feedback control typically does not result in the actual output or output curve satisfyingly approximating the desired output or output curve. Applying feedforward control to state S1 in conjunction with feedback control or independently of feedback control provides an improved fidelity between the actual and desired output. Furthermore, providing feedforward control only to state S1 during the relatively short 25 µs time interval significantly reduces the number of samples required, as no feedforward control data collection occurs in states S2 and S3. This significantly reduces memory requirements, freeing up memory to potentially store data from multiple previous feedforward control iterations or for other purposes. At a sampling rate of 600 ns, approximately 42 samples are required to sample the entire 25 µs period of S1.

[0069] As described above, in various configurations, the envelope or pulse can include portions, sub-sections, regions, or sub-regions that can be implemented with or independently of feedback control. As a non-limiting example, a sub-region may be of interest for providing feedforward control in addition to states S1, S2, ..., Sn, or transitions associated with one or more states. As a non-limiting example, by monitoring the actual output, it can be determined that the actual output or output curve has a sub-region with an undesired shape, which is not a state transition but can benefit from feedforward control. As a non-limiting example, this undesired shape may be caused by the operation of other generators in the system that affect the load impedance. These states and undesired shapes can be collectively referred to as the corresponding regions of interest.

[0070] Figure 10 Waveform 1010 is shown, which describes the operation of the sub-region tuning method described herein for a first sub-region of the envelope or pulse using a first tuner (tuner 1). Waveform 1012 shows the desired state or pulse state, such as one of state or pulse states S1, S2, ..., Sn, and has a relatively narrow duration or period. In various configurations, waveform 1010 can correspond to... Figure 9 State 912. In a non-limiting example, the actual output pulse based on the desired state S1 is shown at waveform 1014, indicating the actual output using feedback control. Waveform 1016 indicates the actual output of state S1 using a combination of feedforward and feedback control. Furthermore, in various configurations, waveform 1016 can represent the actual output of state S1 using only feedforward control without feedback control.

[0071] Figure 11 Waveform 1110 is shown, which describes the operation of the sub-region tuning method described herein, performed on a second sub-region of the envelope or pulse using a second tuner (tuner 2). Waveform 1112 shows the desired state or pulse state, such as one of state or pulse states S1, S2, ..., Sn, and has a higher... Figure 10 The pulse state S1 has a longer duration or period. In various configurations, waveform 1110 can correspond to... Figure 9 The positive transition of state 916. In a non-limiting example, the actual output pulse based on the desired state S2 is shown at waveform 1114, indicating the actual output using either feedback control. Waveform 1116 indicates the actual output of state S2 using a combination of feedforward and feedback control. Furthermore, in various configurations, waveform 1116 can represent the actual output of state S2 using only feedforward control without feedback control.

[0072] Figure 11 The pulse state S2 is compared to Figure 10The pulse state S1 has a longer duration or period. The method described herein can be applied to both narrower states (such as state S1) and wider states (such as state S2). In various configurations, as described above, tuner 1 and tuner 2 can be two separate tuners, identical or different configurations. In various other configurations, also as described above, tuner 1 and tuner 2 can be the same tuner, actuated during states S1 and S2, and de-actuated in other cases.

[0073] Figure 12 Combined Figures 1 to 11 The control module 1210 may include an amplitude control module section 1212, a frequency control module section 1214, and an impedance matching module section 1216. The amplitude control module section 1212 includes a feedforward module 1218, a feedback module 1220, and an open-loop module 1222. The frequency control module section 1214 includes a feedforward module 1224, a feedback module 1226, and an open-loop module 1228. The impedance matching module section 1216 may be configured similarly to the amplitude control module section 1212 and the frequency control module section 1214 to include a feedforward control module, a feedback control module, and an open-loop control module. In various configurations, one or more of the corresponding feedback module and open-loop module may be omitted from one or more of the respective amplitude control module section 1212, frequency control module section 1214, and impedance matching module section 1216. In various configurations, control module 1210 includes one or more processors that execute code associated with each module portion or each module 1210, 1212, 1214, 1216, 1218, 1220, 1222, 1224, 1226, and 1228. Reference will be made below. Figure 12 The method describes the operation of each module part or each module 1210, 1212, 1214, 1216, 1218, 1220, 1222, 1224, 1226 and 1228.

[0074] for Figures 1 to 11 For a further definition of the controller's structure, see the following provided. Figure 12 The flowchart and the definition of the term "module" are provided below. The system disclosed herein can be used... Figures 1 to 11 The various methods, examples, and control system approaches shown are employed. Although primarily aimed at… Figure 1 The implementation described herein includes the following operations, but these operations can be readily modified for application to other implementations of this disclosure. These operations can be performed iteratively. Although the following operations are shown and primarily described as being performed sequentially, one or more of these operations may be performed simultaneously with one or more of the other operations.

[0075] Figure 13 The demonstration control system 1310 is determined to be used for applying sub-region tuning control (as a non-limiting example, for...). Figure 12 The flowchart illustrates the pulse shaping region of a power delivery system applying sub-regional tuning control. Control begins at 1312 and proceeds to 1314. At 1314, if sampling will occur over the entire envelope or pulse period, the required number of samples is determined. As a non-limiting example, if the pulse period is 100 Hz and the sampling period is 600 ns, approximately 16,666 samples are needed over the entire 100 Hz period to apply feedforward control. Control continues to 1316, where it is determined whether the required number of samples is less than the number of available memory locations for storing the samples. If the required number of samples is less than the number of available memory locations for storing the samples, control proceeds to 1318, and the process terminates because there is sufficient memory to sample over the entire envelope or pulse period.

[0076] If there are not enough available memory locations, control proceeds to step 1320, where samples are evenly distributed among N regions of interest and N corresponding tuners or sub-regions. For the purposes of this discussion, regions of interest can include those described above, which may include states, transition regions, or undesired shapes. The number of available samples is evenly distributed among the N regions of interest by dividing the number of samples by N, thus allocating (number of samples / N) samples to each tuner.

[0077] Control proceeds to 1322, where the starting tuner index is configured to 1. Control proceeds to 1324, where it is determined whether the width of the region of interest is less than or greater than the width of the number of tuner samples. Control then proceeds to 1326. At 1326, if the region of interest is wider than the width of the number of tuner samples, samples are assigned to the region of interest, and control proceeds to 1328. At 1328, the tuner index (idx) is incremented to prepare for processing the next region of interest, and control proceeds to 1330. At 1330, control determines whether all regions of interest have been processed by comparing the tuner index (idx) with the number of regions of interest (N). If the tuner index (idx) is greater than or equal to the number of regions of interest (N), control proceeds to 1332. At 1332, all regions of interest to be merged are combined. Control proceeds from 1332 to 1318 and terminates.

[0078] Returning to 1326, if the width of the region of interest is not greater than the width of the number of tuner samples, the regions of interest overlap, and control proceeds to 1334, where it is determined whether the next tuner index (idx+1) is greater than the number of regions of interest (N). If the next tuner index (idx+1) is less than the number of regions of interest (N), control proceeds to 1336. At 1336, the current tuner index (idx) is marked for combination with the subsequent tuner index (idx+1), so tuner (idx) and tuner (idx+1) will be combined. Returning to 1334, if the subsequent tuner index (idx+1) is greater than the number of regions of interest (N), control proceeds to 1338, where the current tuner index (idx) is specified to be combined with the subsequent (first) tuner index (1) of the next envelope or pulse. Therefore, 1334 determines whether there is a surrounding condition such that the current region of interest is located at a position in the envelope or pulse (e.g., at the end position), where the current region of interest is combined with the first region of interest in the subsequent envelope or pulse (e.g., at the start position).

[0079] Then control proceeds to step 1328, which increments the region of interest. Control then proceeds to step 1330, where it is determined whether all regions of interest have been processed by checking if the current region of interest (idx) is greater than or equal to the total number of regions of interest (N). If all regions of interest have been processed, control proceeds to step 1332, where all regions of interest are combined. At step 1332, regions of interest are combined to be sufficiently close or narrow so that all samples appear within the sample width determined at step 1324.

[0080] Feedforward control affects the reproduction of a predetermined set of offset or adjustment values ​​to make the actual output approximate the desired output. This feedforward control benefits from the repeatability of the desired pulse shape. When the desired pulse shape is requested repeatedly, the curve determined by the stored offset or adjustment values, such as..., can be repeated accordingly. Figure 7 and Figure 8 Each subsequent actuator curve is either 770 or 870. Continuous repetition provides flexibility regarding when to begin reproducing the stored actuator curve. In various configurations, reproduction begins simultaneously with PULSE SYNC. In other configurations, reproduction begins relative to PULSE SYNC, allowing the initiation of the stored actuator curve to occur in the middle of an envelope or pulse with a starting position indicated by PULSE SYNC. Therefore, reproduction can be scheduled to begin at the middle of the endpoints of the envelope or pulse signal. Due to the repetition of the envelope or pulse signal, continuous reproduction of the actuator curve provides offset or adjustment of the region of interest for the envelope or pulse, thereby providing feedforward control over all regions of interest.

[0081] In various configurations, the actuator curves stored in the learning module 864 may include multiple presets stored in the learning module 864. These presets may include tuner assignments for the entire pulse cycle, such that when a previously known envelope or pulse shape is requested, the learning module 864 can refer to a database with stored presets to provide initial actuator curves generated from previous data collection of envelopes or pulses of similar shapes. In various other configurations, if the applications do not require the accuracy provided by feedforward control in selected regions of interest, the selected regions of interest for the envelope or pulse can be excluded when assigning tuners across pulses. Furthermore, in various configurations, user requirements for improved control over certain regions of interest in the envelope or pulse can be used to assign samples to improve feedback control in those regions. In various other embodiments, MIMO applications may assign tuners and samples differently to individual actuators. Regarding... Figure 5 In one non-limiting example, the feedforward controller 540 may allocate samples to generate drive adjustments or offsets in a manner different from that used to generate frequency adjustments or offsets. Furthermore, in various embodiments, tuner sample allocation can be dynamically modified. In one non-limiting example, a region of interest with smoothed feedforward actuator content can be reassigned to other regions of interest within the envelope or pulse period, such that fewer samples are needed in regions where feedforward control might be ineffective (e.g., in smooth regions). Additional samples can be reassigned to regions with larger error amplitudes, thus increasing the chances of benefiting from feedforward control.

[0082] The system described above can provide improved tuning speed due to reduced data collection and subsequent processing of smaller data vectors. Furthermore, the memory saved by reducing data collection overhead allows for feedforward control with multiple actuators, multiple outputs, smaller sampling periods, or higher-order feedforward methods.

[0083] The foregoing description is illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit the scope of this disclosure, its application, or its uses. The broad teachings of this disclosure can be implemented in various forms. Therefore, although this disclosure includes specific examples, its true scope should not be so limited, as other modifications will become apparent upon examination of the drawings, specification, and appended claims. In the written description and claims, one or more steps of a method may be performed in different orders (or simultaneously) without altering the principles of this disclosure. Similarly, one or more instructions stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium may be performed in different orders (or simultaneously) without altering the principles of this disclosure. Unless otherwise stated, the numbering or other designations of the description or method steps are for convenience of reference and do not indicate a fixed order.

[0084] Furthermore, although each embodiment in the various examples is described above as having certain features, any one or more of those features described with respect to any embodiment of this disclosure may be implemented in and / or combined with features of any other embodiment, even if such combination is not explicitly described. In other words, the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and substitutions of one or more embodiments remain within the scope of this disclosure.

[0085] Various terms are used to describe spatial and functional relationships between components (such as between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.). These terms include “connection,” “joint,” “coupled,” “adjacent,” “next to,” “on top of,” “above,” “below,” and “configured.” Unless explicitly described as “direct,” the relationship between the first and second components described in the foregoing disclosure can be a direct relationship, where no other intermediate components exist between the first and second components, or it can be an indirect relationship, where one or more intermediate components exist between the first and second components (spatially or functionally).

[0086] The phrase "at least one of A, B, and C" should be interpreted as meaning the logic of using the non-exclusive logic "OR" (A or B or C), and not as meaning "at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C". The term "set" does not necessarily exclude an empty set; in other words, in some cases, a "set" can have zero elements. The term "nonempty set" can be used to exclude an empty set; in other words, a nonempty set will always have one or more elements. The term "subset" does not necessarily require to be a proper subset. In other words, a "subset" of the first set can be the same as (equal to) the first set. Furthermore, the term "subset" does not necessarily exclude an empty set—in some cases, a "subset" can have zero elements.

[0087] In a diagram, the direction of the arrow typically indicates the flow of information (such as data or instructions) of interest to the illustration. For example, when components A and B exchange various types of information, but the information transmitted from component A to component B is relevant to the illustration, the arrow can point from component A to component B. This unidirectional arrow does not imply that no other information is transmitted from component B to component A. Furthermore, for information sent from component A to component B, component B can send a request for the information to component A or receive confirmation of the information.

[0088] In this application, the term "module" may be replaced by the term "controller" or the term "circuit" as defined below. The term "module" may refer to all, some, or may include the following: Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC); digital, analog, or mixed-signal analog / digital discrete circuits; digital, analog, or mixed-signal analog / digital integrated circuits; combinational logic circuits; field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs); processor hardware (shared, dedicated, or a set of) that executes code; memory hardware (shared, dedicated, or a set of) that stores code executed by the processor hardware; other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality; or combinations of some or all of the above, such as in a system-on-a-chip.

[0089] The module may include one or more interface circuits. In some examples, the one or more interface circuits may implement wired or wireless interfaces for connecting to a local area network (LAN) or a wireless personal area network (WPAN). Examples of LANs are IEEE standard 802.11-2020 (also known as the Wi-Fi wireless network standard) and IEEE standard 802.3-2018 (also known as the Ethernet wired network standard). Examples of WPANs are IEEE standard 802.15.4 (including the ZigBee standard from the ZigBee Alliance) and Bluetooth wireless network standards from the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) (including core specification versions 3.0, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 5.0, and 5.1 from the Bluetooth SIG).

[0090] The module can communicate with other modules using the one or more interface circuits. Although the module may be described in this disclosure as communicating logically with other modules directly, in various embodiments, the module may actually communicate via a communication system. The communication system includes physical and / or virtual network devices, such as hubs, switches, routers, and gateways. In some embodiments, the communication system is connected to or traverses a wide area network (WAN), such as the Internet. For example, the communication system may include multiple LANs interconnected via the Internet or point-to-point private lines using technologies including Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) and Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).

[0091] In various implementations, the functionality of a module can be distributed across multiple modules connected via a communication system. For example, multiple modules can implement the same functionality distributed by a load balancing system. In another example, the functionality of a module can be divided between a server (also known as a remote or cloud) module and a client (or user) module. For example, a client module can include a local or network application that runs on a client device and communicates with the server module over the network.

[0092] Some or all of the hardware features of a module can be defined using a hardware description language, such as IEEE Standard 1364-2005 (commonly referred to as "Verilog") and IEEE Standard 1076-2008 (commonly referred to as "VHDL"). Hardware description languages ​​can be used for process and / or programming of hardware circuits. In some implementations, some or all of the features of a module can be defined by a language such as IEEE 1666-2005 (commonly referred to as "SystemC"), which includes both code and hardware description as described below.

[0093] The terminology used above may include software, firmware, and / or microcode, and may refer to programs, routines, functions, classes, data structures, and / or objects. Shared processor hardware includes a single microprocessor executing some or all of the code from multiple modules. Group processor hardware includes microprocessors combined with additional microprocessors executing some or all of the code from one or more modules. References to multiple microprocessors include multiple microprocessors on discrete chips, multiple microprocessors on a single chip, multiple cores of a single microprocessor, multiple execution threads of a single microprocessor, or a combination of the above.

[0094] Memory hardware can also store data together with or separately from code. Shared memory hardware includes a single memory device that stores some or all of the code from multiple modules. An example of shared memory hardware could be a Level 1 cache memory on or near the microprocessor die, which could store code from multiple modules. Another example of shared memory hardware could be persistent storage, such as a solid-state drive (SSD), which could store code from multiple modules. Group memory hardware includes memory devices that combine with other memory devices to store some or all of the code from one or more modules. An example of group memory hardware is a storage area network (SAN), which can store code for a specific module across multiple physical devices. Another example of group memory hardware is the random access memory of each server in a group of servers, which are combined together to store code for a specific module.

[0095] The term memory hardware is a subset of the term computer-readable media. As used herein, the term computer-readable media does not encompass transient electrical or electromagnetic signals propagated through media (such as carrier waves); therefore, the term computer-readable media is considered tangible and non-transient. Non-limiting examples of non-transient computer-readable media include non-volatile memory devices (such as flash memory devices, erasable programmable read-only memory devices, or mask read-only memory devices), volatile memory devices (such as static random access memory devices or dynamic random access memory devices), magnetic storage media (such as analog or digital magnetic tape or hard disk drives), and optical storage media (such as CDs, DVDs, or Blu-ray discs).

[0096] The apparatus and methods described in this application can be implemented, in part or in whole, by a dedicated computer created by configuring a general-purpose computer to execute one or more specific functions embodied in a computer program. Such apparatus and methods can be described as computerized apparatus and computerized methods. The functional blocks and flowchart elements described above, as software specifications, can be translated into computer programs through the daily work of skilled technicians or programmers.

[0097] A computer program includes processor-executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium. A computer program may also include or depend on stored data. A computer program may include a basic input / output system (BIOS) for interacting with the hardware of a dedicated computer, device drivers for interacting with specific devices of the dedicated computer, one or more operating systems, user application software, background services, background application software, etc.

[0098] Computer programs may include: (i) descriptive text to be parsed, such as HTML (hypertext markup language), XML (extensible markup language), or JSON (JavaScript markup), (ii) assembly code, (iii) object code generated by the compiler from the source code, (iv) source code for the interpreter to execute, and (v) source code for the just-in-time compiler to compile and execute, etc. As an example only, the source code can be written using syntax from the following languages: C, C++, C#, Objective-C, Swift, Haskell, Go, SQL, R, Lisp, Java®, Fortran, Perl, Pascal, Curl, OCaml, JavaScript®, Hypertext Markup Language 5th revision (HTML5), Ada, ActiveServer Page (ASP), Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP), Scala, Eiffel, Smalltalk, Erlang, Ruby, Flash®, Visual Basic®, Lua, MATLAB, SIMULINK, and Python®.

Claims

1. A controller for a generator, comprising: A feedforward control module, configured to generate an adjustment curve, controls the parameters of the generator according to the desired output signal. The feedforward control module generates multiple adjustment values ​​based on the sub-regions of the desired output signal, wherein each sub-region includes a portion of the desired output signal.

2. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the feedforward control module receives a synchronization signal, wherein the synchronization signal indicates the relevant position of the signal to be output.

3. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the desired output signal is a periodic multi-state pulse signal.

4. The controller of claim 1, wherein each sub-region is one of: the state of the multi-state pulse of the output signal, the transition of the output signal, or the region of interest of the output signal.

5. The controller of claim 1, wherein the feedforward control module comprises a plurality of tuners, wherein each of the plurality of tuners provides feedforward control for a particular sub-region of the sub-region, or wherein the feedforward control module comprises a single tuner, wherein the single tuner provides feedforward control for each of the sub-regions and does not provide the feedforward control for regions outside the each of the sub-regions.

6. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the feedforward control module further comprises: A first memory is used to store at least one actuator curve, wherein the at least one actuator curve varies according to at least one previous actuator curve; A second memory is used to store at least one output curve, wherein the at least one output curve varies according to at least one parameter of the desired output signal; as well as A learning module configured to receive the at least one actuator curve and the at least one output curve, and to generate the adjustment curve based on at least one of the following: a previous adjustment curve, the at least one actuator curve, or the at least one output curve.

7. The controller of claim 1, wherein the generator is one of a voltage generator, a current generator, a power generator, or an RF generator.

8. The controller of claim 1, wherein the feedforward control module allocates samples to each sub-region based on at least one of a plurality of available samples and a plurality of sub-regions, wherein an equal number of the samples are allocated to each sub-region, or a different number of the samples are allocated to a pair of sub-regions.

9. The controller of claim 8, wherein different numbers of the samples are dynamically allocated based on at least one of the smooth feedforward actuator content or the error magnitude.

10. The controller of claim 8, wherein one of the following is true: If the pair of sub-regions is configured such that the allocated samples of each sub-region partially overlap, then the feedforward control module combines the pair of sub-regions to define a combined sub-region, or If the pair of sub-regions are configured at the end of the desired output signal and at the beginning of the next desired output signal, and the allocated samples of each sub-region partially overlap, then the feedforward control module combines the pair of sub-regions to define a combined sub-region.

11. The controller according to claim 1, further comprising: At least one of a feedback control module or an open-loop control module In each of the sub-regions, both feedback control and feedforward control are used to control the parameters of the generator, and The feedforward control or open-loop control adjusts the parameters of the generator for regions outside the sub-region.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing processor-executable instructions, the processor-executable instructions comprising: An adjustment curve is generated by a feedforward control module to control the generator parameters according to the desired output signal; as well as Multiple adjustment values ​​are generated based on sub-regions of the desired output signal, wherein each sub-region includes a portion of the desired output signal. The sub-region is one of the following: the state of the multi-state pulse of the signal to be output, the transition of the signal to be output, or the region of interest of the signal to be output.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium storing processor-executable instructions according to claim 12, further comprising receiving a synchronization signal, wherein the synchronization signal indicates the relevant position of the signal to be output.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium storing processor-executable instructions according to claim 12, wherein the feedforward control module comprises a plurality of tuners, wherein each of the plurality of tuners provides feedforward control for a separate sub-region of the sub-regions, or wherein the feedforward control module comprises a single tuner, wherein the single tuner provides feedforward control for each sub-region and does not provide the feedforward control for regions outside each sub-region.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium storing processor-executable instructions according to claim 12, further comprising: At least one actuator curve is stored in a first memory, wherein the at least one actuator curve varies according to at least one previous actuator curve; At least one output curve is stored in a second memory, wherein the at least one output curve varies according to at least one parameter of the desired output signal; as well as Receive the at least one actuator curve and the at least one output curve, and generate the adjustment curve according to at least one of the following: at least one adjustment curve, the at least one actuator curve, or the at least one output curve.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium storing processor-executable instructions according to claim 12, further comprising: Samples are assigned to each of the sub-regions based on a plurality of available samples or at least one of the sub-regions, wherein an equal number of the samples are assigned to each of the sub-regions, or a different number of the samples are assigned to a pair of sub-regions, wherein the different number of the samples are dynamically assigned based on at least one of smooth feedforward actuator content or error magnitude.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium storing processor-executable instructions as claimed in claim 16, wherein one of the following is true: If the pair of sub-regions is configured such that the allocated samples of each sub-region partially overlap, then the pair of sub-regions are combined to define a combined sub-region, or If the pair of sub-regions are configured at the end of the desired output signal and the beginning of the next desired output signal, and the allocated samples of each sub-region partially overlap, then the pair of sub-regions are combined to define a combined sub-region.

18. A power supply system, comprising: An RF generator, configured to output the desired signal to the load; as well as A controller for a generator, the controller including a feedforward control module configured to generate an adjustment curve to control the parameters of the generator according to the desired output signal. The feedforward control module generates multiple adjustment values ​​based on the sub-regions of the desired output signal, wherein each sub-region includes a portion of the desired output signal.

19. The power supply system of claim 18, wherein the feedforward control module comprises a plurality of tuners, wherein each of the plurality of tuners provides feedforward control for a separate sub-region of the sub-region, or wherein the feedforward control module comprises a single tuner, wherein the single tuner provides feedforward control for each sub-region and does not provide the feedforward control for regions outside each sub-region.

20. The power supply system of claim 18, wherein the feedforward control module allocates samples to each of the sub-regions based on a plurality of available samples or at least one of the sub-regions, wherein an equal number of the samples are allocated to each of the sub-regions, or a different number of the samples are allocated to a pair of sub-regions.

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