Class D amplifier arrangement
An amplifier arrangement for operation at supply voltages of at least 100V and at output powers of at least 1 kW includes a half-bridge formed from two switching elements connected in series, two supply voltage terminals, and an output connection between the switching elements. A bypass capacitor is in parallel with the switching elements, and a current path is through the switching elements and the bypass capacitor, where the current path has a length of 10 cm or less, the half-bridge and the bypass capacitor are arranged on an area of 30 cm2, and a resonant circuit formed by capacitances and inductances in the current path has a resonance frequency of 100 MHz or greater.
1. An amplifier arrangement comprising:
a half-bridge formed from a first switching element and a second switching element connected in series, first and second supply voltage terminals, and an output connection between the first and second switching elements, wherein the first and second switching elements are MOSFETs, and the first and second switching elements are constructed as semiconductor components arranged on a common substrate that includes connection lead sections;
a bypass capacitor in parallel with the first and second switching elements; and
a current path through the first and second switching elements and the bypass capacitor, the current path including a first connection lead between the first switching element and the bypass capacitor and a second connection lead between the second switching element and the bypass capacitor, wherein the first and second connection leads are no longer than 10 mm each.
2. The amplifier arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the amplifier arrangement is configured to operate at supply voltages of at least 100V and at output powers of at least 1 kW, and wherein
the current path has a length of 10 cm or less,
the half-bridge and the bypass capacitor are arranged on an area of 30 cm 2 , and
a resonant circuit formed by capacitances and inductances in the current path has a resonance frequency of 100 MHz or greater.
3. The amplifier arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the first and second connection leads are no longer than 5 mm each.
4. The amplifier arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the first and second connection leads are no longer than 3 mm each.
5. The amplifier arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising driver components in the form of semiconductor components that are arranged on the substrate.
6. The amplifier arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising multiple parallel terminal leads arranged between the semiconductor components and connection lead sections of the substrate such that the semiconductor components and the connection lead sections are electrically connected.
7. The amplifier arrangement of claim 6 , wherein at least two semiconductor components are directly connected.
8. The amplifier arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first control terminal and a second control terminal associated with the first and second switching elements, respectively; and
at least one driver arrangement connected to the first and second control terminals, wherein connection leads from the driver arrangement to the first and second switching elements have a length of 10 mm or less.
9. The amplifier arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the half-bridge and the bypass capacitor are integrated in a semiconductor component.
10. The amplifier arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the first and second switching elements are arranged on a heat sink.
11. The amplifier arrangement of claim 10 , wherein the heat sink comprises a ceramic material.
12. The amplifier arrangement of claim 1 , wherein:
the first switching element is arranged on top of the second switching element, and
the bypass capacitor is arranged on top of the second switching element.
13. The amplifier arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the bypass capacitor is constructed as the common substrate on which the first and second switching elements are arranged.
14. The amplifier arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the half-bridge and the bypass capacitor are combined together into a module.
15. An amplifier arrangement comprising:
a half-bridge formed from a first switching element and a second switching element connected in series, first and second supply voltage terminals, and an output connection between the first and second switching elements;
a bypass capacitor in parallel with the first and second switching elements, wherein the half-bridge and the bypass capacitor are integrated in a semiconductor component; and
a current path through the first and second switching elements and the bypass capacitor, the current path including a first connection lead between the first switching element and the bypass capacitor and a second connection lead between the second switching element and the bypass capacitor, wherein the first and second connection leads are no longer than 10 mm each.
16. An amplifier arrangement comprising:
a half-bridge formed from a first switching element and a second switching element connected in series, first and second supply voltage terminals, and an output connection between the first and second switching elements;
a bypass capacitor in parallel with the first and second switching elements, wherein the bypass capacitor is constructed as a substrate on which the first and second switching elements are arranged; and
a current path through the first and second switching elements and the bypass capacitor, the current path including a first connection lead between the first switching element and the bypass capacitor and a second connection lead between the second switching element and the bypass capacitor, wherein the first and second connection leads are no longer than 10 mm each.
17. An amplifier arrangement comprising:
a half-bridge formed from a first switching element and a second switching element connected in series, first and second supply voltage terminals, and an output connection between the first and second switching elements;
a bypass capacitor in parallel with the first and second switching elements, wherein the half-bridge and the bypass capacitor are combined together into a module; and
a current path through the first and second switching elements and the bypass capacitor, the current path including a first connection lead between the first switching element and the bypass capacitor and a second connection lead between the second switching element and the bypass capacitor, wherein the first and second connection leads are no longer than 10 mm each.
18. An amplifier arrangement comprising:
a half-bridge formed from a first switching element and a second switching element connected in series, first and second supply voltage terminals, and an output connection between the first and second switching elements;
first and second capacitors connected in series between the first and second supply voltage terminals, wherein the midpoint of the first and second capacitors does not have a direct connection to the midpoint of the half-bridge, and the first and second capacitors and the first and second switching elements are arranged on a substrate;
a bypass capacitor in parallel with the first and second switching elements; and
a current path through the first and second switching elements and the bypass capacitor, the current path including a first connection lead between the first switching element and the bypass capacitor and a second connection lead between the second switching element and the bypass capacitor, wherein the first and second connection leads are no longer than 10 mm each.
19. The amplifier arrangement of claim 17 , wherein ground connections are the only connection between the module and a heat sink.
20. The amplifier arrangement of claim 1 further comprising first and second capacitors connected in series between the first and second supply voltage terminals, wherein the midpoint of the first and second capacitors has no direct connection to the midpoint of the half-bridge.
21. The amplifier arrangement of claim 20 , wherein the first and second capacitors and the first and second switching elements are arranged on the common substrate.
22. The amplifier arrangement of claim 18 , wherein terminal leads to the first and second capacitors have a length of 10 mm or less.
23. The amplifier arrangement of claim 20 further comprising third and fourth capacitors between the first and second supply voltages and ground, respectively.
24. The amplifier arrangement of claim 10 , wherein the heat sink is connected to ground through a connection lead, and a length of the connection lead is 10 mm or less.
25. The amplifier arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the first and second connection leads each have a width that is comparable with a length of the first and second connection leads, respectively.
26. The amplifier arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the amplifier is a class D amplifier.
27. A generator, the generator comprising:
an amplifier arrangement comprising:
a half-bridge formed from a first switching element and a second switching element connected in series, first and second supply voltage terminals, and an output connection between the first and second switching elements, wherein the first and second switching elements are MOSFETs, and the first and second switching elements are constructed as semiconductor components arranged on a common substrate that includes connection lead sections;
a bypass capacitor in parallel with the first and second switching elements, and
a current path through the first and second switching elements and the bypass capacitor, the current path including a first connection lead between the first switching element and the bypass capacitor and a second connection lead between the second switching element and the bypass capacitor, wherein the first and second connection leads are no longer than 10 mm each; and
an output network configured to connect the amplifier to a plasma chamber through the output connection.