IP Library › Granted Patent US 12712428

Granted Patent B2

US 12712428 · App. 18/714,328 · Granted Aug 18, 2026

Controllable transformation networks for radio frequency power conversion

Inventors: David J. Perreault (Cambridge, MA); Khandoker N. Rafa Islam (Cambridge, MA)

Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

H02M1/0058 H02M1/08 H02M5/293 H02M7/5387 H03F1/565 H03F2200/387

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12712428
App. No.: 18/714,328
Granted: Aug 18, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

In one aspect, a system for transforming a radio frequency (RF) signal between a source and a load can include: a first port and a second port connected to different ones of the source and the load; a first filter connected to the first port; a second filter connected to the second port, at least one of the first and second filters operable to provide variable reactance using dynamic frequency tuning (DFT); a two-port switching network connected between the first filter and the second filter, the switching network comprising a plurality of switches; and a controller coupled to the switching network and to the source, the controller configured to operate the plurality of switches according to a switching pattern and to dynamically adjust a frequency of the RF signal to provide controllable impedance matching between the first port and the second port.

Claims (44)

1 . A system for transforming a radio frequency (RF) signal between a source and a load, the system comprising:

a first port and a second port connected to different ones of the source and the load;

a first filter connected to the first port;

a second filter connected to the second port, at least one of the first and second filters operable to provide variable reactance using dynamic frequency tuning (DFT);

a switching network having two ports connected between one port of the first filter and one port of the second filter, the switching network comprising a plurality of switches, wherein the plurality of switches of the switching network comprises four switches arranged in a bridge; and

a controller coupled to the switching network and to the source, the controller configured to operate the plurality of switches according to a switching pattern and to dynamically adjust a frequency of the RF signal to provide controllable impedance matching between the first port and the second port.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first filter is configured to extract a fundamental voltage of the RF signal.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the first filter includes a capacitor and an inductor connected in parallel across terminals of the first port.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second filter is configured to extract a fundamental current of the RF signal.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the second filter includes a capacitor and an inductor connected in series with one terminal of the second port.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller operates the plurality of switches synchronously with the RF signal and with a controllable phase shift with respect to the RF signal.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller operates the plurality of switches according to a switching pattern defined by an angle β with respect to the RF signal.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to calculate β in terms of load resistance R L and reactance X L .

9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to select switching frequency in terms of load resistance R L and reactance X L .

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the load includes a plasma load.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to provide controllable impedance matching between the first port and the second port during power steps over at least a factor of two that occur in 10 μs or less.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the four switches comprise:

a first switch having a first terminal connected to a first terminal of the first filter and having a second terminal connected to a first terminal of the second filter;

a second switch having a first terminal connected to a second terminal of the first filter and having a second terminal connected to a second terminal of the second filter;

a third switch having a first terminal connected to the second terminal of the first switch and to the first terminal of the second filter; and

a fourth switch having a first terminal connected to the second terminal of the second switch and to the second terminal of the second filter, and having a second terminal connected to a second terminal of the third switch.

13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the four switches comprise:

a first switch having a first terminal connected to a first terminal of the first filter and having a second terminal connected to a first terminal of the second filter;

a second switch having a first terminal connected to the first terminal of the second filter and to the second terminal of the first switch, and having a second terminal connected to a second terminal of the first filter;

a third switch having a first terminal connected to the second terminal of the first filter and to the second terminal of the second switch, and having a second terminal connected to a second terminal of the second filter; and

a fourth switch having a first terminal connected to the second terminal of the second filter and to the second terminal of the third switch, and having a second terminal connected to a third terminal of the first filter.

14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the four switches comprise unidirectional blocking, bidirectional carrying switches.

15 . A controllable transformation network for transforming a radio frequency (RF) signal between a source and a load, the controllable transformation network comprising:

a first port and a second port connected to different ones of the source and the load;

a first filter connected to the first port and configured to extract a fundamental voltage of the RF signal;

a second filter connected to the second port and configured to extract a fundamental current of the RF signal, at least one of the first and second filters operable to provide variable reactance using dynamic frequency tuning (DFT); and

a switching network connected between the first filter and the second filter, the switching network comprising a bridge circuit with four switches.

16 . The controllable transformation network of claim 15 , wherein the first filter includes a capacitor and an inductor connected in parallel across terminals of the first port.

17 . The controllable transformation network of claim 15 , wherein the second filter includes a capacitor and an inductor connected in series with one terminal of the second port.

18 . The controllable transformation network of claim 15 , wherein the four switches comprise:

a first switch having a first terminal connected to a first terminal of the first filter and having a second terminal connected to a first terminal of the second filter;

a second switch having a first terminal connected to a second terminal of the first filter and having a second terminal connected to a second terminal of the second filter;

a third switch having a first terminal connected to the second terminal of the first switch and to the first terminal of the second filter; and

19 . The controllable transformation network of claim 15 , wherein the four switches comprise:

a first switch having a first terminal connected to a first terminal of the first filter and having a second terminal connected to a first terminal of the second filter;