Bus Interconnect for RF Generator Data Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current serial communication methods between master and slave devices in plasma systems suffer from low data rates, requiring extensive time for information transfer and necessitating numerous communication channels, which increases noise and real estate requirements, and often rely on packetization protocols that are slower than needed.
Innovation Solution
A bus interconnect system with multiple ports for simultaneous transfer of variables like power, frequency, and impedance components between a host system and an RF generator, utilizing a sampler circuit to capture operating state data at selected clock edges, reducing the need for packetization and minimizing communication channels, thereby enhancing data transfer speed and reducing noise and real estate usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If serial transmission is used to transfer data between host system and RF generator, then device complexity is reduced, but data transfer rate becomes too slow for plasma process control
Solution Approach 1:
The communication interface is segmented into multiple independent ports (first port for power setting, second port for frequency setting, third port for power readback, fourth port for frequency readback) that can operate simultaneously. This segmentation allows parallel data transfer across multiple channels, dramatically increasing the overall data transfer rate while maintaining the simplicity of individual serial communication channels.
2Speed
If multiple communication channels are used to transfer multiple variables simultaneously, then data transfer rate is improved, but noise increases and real estate requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
A clock signal is used to periodically sample and transfer data through the multiple ports at synchronized intervals. This periodic action coordinated by the clock signal ensures that data transfer occurs in organized time slots, reducing interference and noise between channels while maintaining high transfer rates. The sampler circuit samples signals at specific clock edges to capture operating state data synchronously.
3Reliability
If packetization protocols are used for reliable data transfer, then data integrity is improved, but transfer speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the packetization protocol layer from the communication system. Instead of encapsulating data in packets with headers and error checking sequences, the system directly transfers raw data signals through dedicated ports. This extraction of the packetization layer dramatically increases transfer speed while the sampler circuit and clock signal provide sufficient reliability for plasma process control applications.
4Device complexity
If one bit is transferred at a time over a single wire, then device complexity is reduced, but transfer time becomes excessively long for plasma process control
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple serial communication channels are merged into a unified parallel communication interface that transfers multiple variables simultaneously. The first and second ports send control signals while the third and fourth ports receive feedback signals in parallel operations. This merging of multiple communication paths reduces the total transfer time from seconds to microseconds, making real-time plasma process control feasible while keeping each individual channel simple.
Data Source
AI summary
A bus interconnect interfaces a host system to a radio frequency (RF) generator that is coupled to a plasma chamber. The bus interconnect includes a first set of host ports, which are used to provide a power component setting and a frequency component setting to the RF generator. The ports of the first set of host ports are used to receive distinct variables that change over time. The bus interconnect further includes a second set of generator ports used to send a power read back value and a frequency read back value to the host system. The bus interconnect includes a sampler circuit integrated with the host system. The sampler circuit is configured to sample signals at the ports of the first set at selected clock edges to capture operating state data of the plasma chamber and the RF generator.