Switching Amplifier Power Supply for Low-Noise Heater Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inspection apparatuses face challenges in achieving high efficiency and reduced noise in power supply systems for heating mechanisms used in semiconductor device inspections, particularly due to increasing heat emission amounts and difficulty in maintaining thermal uniformity and control.
Innovation Solution
A power supply system utilizing a switching amplifier with a differentiable periodic waveform of 1 kHz or less and a series resonant circuit to minimize noise and improve efficiency, combined with a low pass filter to remove high-frequency noise, ensuring precise temperature control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a conventional power supply with linear amplifier is used for heating mechanism, then noise is reduced, but efficiency is low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by using a switching amplifier that operates in periodic switching cycles rather than continuous linear amplification. The switching amplifier toggles between on and off states periodically, achieving high efficiency through duty cycle control while the periodic nature of switching enables the use of resonant circuits to manage noise characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operating parameters by transitioning from linear amplification to switching amplification, fundamentally altering how power is delivered. The switching amplifier changes the voltage and current parameters dynamically through pulse width modulation, achieving higher efficiency by minimizing resistive losses while the differentiable periodic waveform parameter ensures noise reduction.
2Loss of energy
If switching amplifier is used to improve efficiency, then efficiency increases, but noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The switching amplifier operates with periodic switching cycles, creating a differentiable periodic waveform that concentrates energy transfer in controlled intervals. This periodic operation enables high efficiency through resonant frequency matching while the smooth, differentiable nature of the waveform (as opposed to abrupt square waves) reduces high-frequency noise components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful noise from switching operations into a beneficial resonant phenomenon. By designing the heating mechanism and power supply to operate at resonant frequencies, the switching noise aligns with the resonant frequency of the load, converting what would be harmful interference into efficient energy transfer at the desired operating frequency.
3Volume of moving object
If high frequency switching is used for compact design, then device size is reduced, but radiation noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic switching at an optimized frequency that balances compactness with noise control. The differentiable periodic waveform ensures that even at higher frequencies needed for compact design, the smooth transitions prevent abrupt changes that would generate radiation noise, maintaining both compact size and low noise characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the switching frequency parameter to a specific range that enables compact design while avoiding frequency ranges that generate excessive radiation noise. The differentiable periodic waveform parameter is specifically chosen to have continuous first derivatives, which mathematically ensures reduced high-frequency spectral content and thus reduced radiation noise despite higher operating frequencies.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves high efficiency and reduced noise, enhancing the accuracy and precision of semiconductor device inspections by minimizing radiation noise and improving temperature control.
Implementation Method 1
a switching amplifier configured to amplify the input signal from the input device and output the amplified signal
Implementation Method 2
a power supply for supplying a power to a heating mechanism used for heating a measurement target that emits a measurement signal
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A power supply for supplying a power to a heating mechanism used for heating a measurement target that emits a measurement signal includes an input device configured to output an input signal that reflects a control signal in a differentiable periodic waveform having a frequency of 1 kHz or less. The power supply includes a switching amplifier configured to amplify the input signal from the input device and output the amplified signal.