Solid state variable capacitors for RF matches
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system for fast impedance tuning. The system includes a radio frequency (RF) generator to generate power, a plasma chamber to receive the power from the RF generator and a RF matching network inserted between the RF generator and the plasma chamber configured to match a plasma load impedance to a RF generator impedance using a solid state based variable capacitor. The RF matching network includes a bias circuit that applies a reverse bias to the solid state based variable capacitor to control a capacitance value of the solid state based variable capacitor. The plasma load impedance is matched with the RF generator impedance when pulsed voltage, multi-level pulsing, or RF match ignition tuning is applied.
1 . A system comprising:
a radio frequency (RF) generator to generate power;
a plasma chamber to receive the power from the RF generator; and
a RF matching network disposed between the RF generator and the plasma chamber configured to match a plasma load impedance to a RF generator impedance using a solid state based variable capacitor comprising a diode array, wherein a capacitance of the solid state based variable capacitor is continuously varied by application of a reverse bias voltage.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the solid state based variable capacitor includes a plurality of Schottky diodes.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the solid state based variable capacitor includes a plurality of PIN diodes.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a bias circuit is configured to apply the reverse bias voltage to the solid state based variable capacitor to control a capacitance value of the solid state based variable capacitor.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the RF matching network includes a first sensor to detect RF voltages.
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the first sensor provides the RF voltages to a bias circuit.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the RF matching network has a response time for matching the plasma load impedance to the RF generator impedance in a millisecond range.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the RF matching network is configured to match the plasma load impedance to the RF generator impedance based on a pulsed voltage being applied.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the RF matching network is configured to match the plasma load impedance to the RF generator impedance based on a multi-level pulsing being applied.
10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the RF matching network is configured to match the plasma load impedance to the RF generator impedance based on RF match ignition tuning.
11 . A radio frequency (RF) matching network comprising:
a solid state based variable capacitor comprising a diode array, wherein a capacitance of the solid state based variable capacitor is continuously varied by application of a reverse bias voltage; and
a bias circuit configured to apply the reverse bias to the solid state based variable capacitor to control a capacitance value of the solid state based variable capacitor.
12 . The RF matching network of claim 11 , wherein the RF matching network is disposed between a RF generator and a plasma chamber.
13 . The RF matching network of claim 12 , wherein the RF matching network is configured to match a plasma load impedance to a RF generator impedance.
14 . The RF matching network of claim 13 , wherein the RF matching network is configured to match the plasma load impedance to the RF generator impedance based on a pulsed voltage being applied.
15 . The RF matching network of claim 13 , wherein the RF matching network is configured to match the plasma load impedance to the RF generator impedance based on a multi-level pulsing being applied.
16 . The RF matching network of claim 13 , wherein the RF matching network is configured to match the plasma load impedance to the RF generator impedance based on RF match ignition tuning.
17 . The RF matching network of claim 11 , wherein the RF matching network includes a first sensor to detect RF voltages.
18 . The RF matching network of claim 17 , wherein the first sensor provides the RF voltages to the bias circuit.
19 . A method comprising:
generating power using a radio frequency (RF) generator;
transmitting the power to a plasma chamber; and
inserting a RF matching network between the RF generator and the plasma chamber configured to match a plasma load impedance to a RF generator impedance using a solid state based variable capacitor comprising a diode array, wherein a capacitance of the solid state based variable capacitor is continuously varied by application of a reverse bias voltage.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the RF matching network includes a bias circuit that applies the reverse bias to the solid state based variable capacitor to control a capacitance value of the solid state based variable capacitor.