Detection of damage in matching networks

1. A method for operating a match network, the method comprising:

coupling power from a generator to a plasma load through the match network;

measuring one or more parameters at a first side of the match network to obtain at least one measurement-based-attribute at the first side of the match network;

measuring one or more parameters at a second side of the match network to obtain at least one measurement-based-attribute at a second side of the match network, the first and second sides of the match network are on electrically opposites sides of the match network;

obtaining a present reactance setting of the match network;

accessing a model of the match network that associates the at least one measurement-based-attribute at the first side of the match network with at least one expected-attribute at the second side of the match network based upon the present reactance setting of the match network; and

contrasting the at least one measurement-based-attribute at the second side of the match network with the at least one expected-attribute to assess whether the match network is at least one of damaged or operating outside of specifications.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the measuring one or more parameters at the second side of the match network includes obtaining at least one of voltage or current at the second side of the match network; and

the measuring one or more parameters at the first side of the match network includes obtaining at least one of voltage or current at the first side of the match network.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein:

the at least one measurement-based-attribute at the first side and the at least one measurement-based-attribute at a second side of the match network include a measured voltage value each and the at least one expected-attribute includes an expected voltage value.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein:

the at least one measurement-based-attribute at the first side and the at least one measurement-based-attribute at a second side of the match network include a measured current value each and the at least one expected-attribute includes an expected current value.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein:

the at least one measurement-based-attribute at the first side and the at least one measurement-based-attribute at a second side of the match network include both a measured voltage value and a measured current value each and the at least one expected-attribute includes both a measured voltage value and a measured current value, wherein the contrasting includes:

determining a difference between the measured voltage value and the expected voltage value; and

determining a difference between the measured current value and the expected current value;

wherein at least one of a difference between the measured voltage value and the expected voltage value or a difference between the measured current value and the expected current value exceeds a corresponding threshold.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the measurement-based-attribute at the second side of the match network includes an output impedance calculated based upon the voltage and current measured at the output of the match network;

wherein the measurement-based-attribute at the first side of the match network includes an input impedance calculated based upon the one or more measured input-parameter values;

wherein the expected-attribute includes an expected impedance at the output of the match network that is obtained by accessing the model using the input impedance and the present reactance setting of the match network;

wherein the contrasting includes contrasting the output impedance at the output of the match network with the expected impedance at the output of the match network to assess whether the match network is damaged.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first side is one of an input or an output of the match network and the second side is an electrically opposite side of the match network.

8. A match system comprising:

a variable reactance section to transform an impedance at the output of the variable reactance section to an input-impedance that is presented at an input of the variable reactance section;

at least one input sensor to measure one or more input-parameters at an input of the variable reactance section;

at least one output sensor to measure one or more output-parameters at an output of the variable reactance section;

non-volatile memory, at least, including data defining a model of the variable reactance section;

means for assessing whether the variable reactance section is at least one of damaged or operating outside of specifications using the one or more input-parameter measurements; the one or more output-parameter measurements; a reactance setting of the variable reactance section; one or more expected parameter values, and the model of the matching network.

9. The match system of claim 8 , wherein the means for assessing includes:

means for applying the model to the one or more parameter measurements at a first side of the variable reactance section to obtain the one or more expected parameter values at a second side of the variable reactance section, the first and second sides of the variable reactance section are on electrically opposites sides of the variable reactance section; and

means for contrasting the one or more expected parameter values with the one or more parameter measurements to assess whether the variable reactance section is at least one of damaged or operating outside of specifications.

10. The match system of claim 9 , wherein:

the at least one input sensor includes at least one of a voltage sensor or a current sensor at the input of the variable reactance section;

the at least one output sensor includes at least one of a voltage sensor or a current sensor at the output of the variable reactance section; and

the means for assessing includes means for applying the model to one or more of voltage or current measurements at the first side of the variable reactance section to obtain one or more expected voltage or expected current values; and

means for contrasting the one or more expected voltage or expected current values with one or more corresponding voltage or current measurements at the second side of the variable reactance section.

11. The match system of claim 8 , wherein

the at least one input sensor includes a voltage sensor and a current sensor at the first side of the variable reactance section;

the at least one output sensor includes a voltage sensor and a current sensor at the second side of the variable reactance section; and

wherein the means for assessing includes:

means for calculating an impedance at the second side based upon voltage and current measured at the second side variable reactance section;

means for calculating an impedance at the first side of the variable reactance section based upon voltage and current measured at the first side of the variable reactance section;

means for obtaining an expected impedance at the second side of the variable reactance section and contrasting the expected impedance at the second side of the variable reactance section with the calculated impedance to assess whether the match network is at least one of damaged or operating outside of specifications.

12. The match system of claim 11 , wherein the variable reactance section includes at least one of variable capacitors or fixed capacitors.

13. The match system of claim 8 , wherein the variable reactance section, the at least one input sensor, the at least one output sensor, and the means for assessing are one of: integrated with a common housing or distributed among two or more separate components.

14. A match system comprising:

a variable reactance section to transform an impedance at the output of the variable reactance section to an input-impedance that is presented at an input of the variable reactance section;

at least one input sensor to measure one or more input-parameters at an input of the variable reactance section;

at least one output sensor to measure one or more output-parameters at an output of the variable reactance section;

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising:

data stored thereon defining a model of, at least, the variable reactance section; and

instructions stored thereon, for execution by a processor, or for configuring a field programmable gate array, the instructions including instructions to:

measure one or more parameters at a first side of the variable reactance section to obtain at least one measurement-based-attribute at the first side of the variable reactance section;

measure one or more parameters at a second side of the variable reactance section to obtain at least one measurement-based-attribute at the second side of the variable reactance section, the first and second sides of the variable reactance section are on electrically opposites sides of the variable reactance section;

obtain a present reactance setting of the variable reactance section;

access the model of the variable reactance section using the at least one measurement-based-attribute at the first side of the match network to obtain at least one expected-attribute at the second side of the match network based upon the present reactance setting of the match network; and

contrast the at least one measurement-based-attribute with the at least one expected-attribute to assess whether the match network is at least one of damaged or operating outside of specifications.

15. The match system of claim 14 , wherein the instructions to measure one or more output-parameters include instructions to obtain at least one of voltage or current at the output of the match network; and

the instructions to measure one or more input-parameters include instructions to obtain at least one of voltage or current at the input of the match network.

16. The match system of claim 15 , wherein:

the at least one measurement-based-output-attribute includes a measured voltage value and the at least one expected-attribute includes an expected voltage value.

17. The match system of 15 , wherein:

the at least one measurement-based-output-attribute includes a measured current value and the at least one expected-output-attribute includes an expected current value.

18. The match system of claim 15 , wherein:

the at least one measurement-based-output-attribute includes both a measured voltage value and a measured current value and the at least one expected-output-attribute includes both an expected voltage value and an expected current value, wherein the instructions to contrast include instructions to:

determine a difference between the measured voltage value and the expected voltage value; and

determine a difference between the measured current value and the expected current value;

wherein at least one of a difference between the measured voltage value and the expected voltage value or a difference between the measured current value and the expected current value exceeds a corresponding threshold.

19. The match system of claim 15 , wherein the measurement-based-output-attribute includes an output impedance calculated based upon the voltage and current measured at the output of the match network;

wherein the measurement-based-attribute includes an input impedance calculated based upon the one or more measured input-parameter values;

wherein the expected-attribute includes an expected impedance at the output of the match network that is obtained by accessing the model using the input impedance and the present reactance setting of the match network;

wherein the instructions to contrast include instructions to contrast the output impedance at the output of the match with the expected impedance at the output of the match to assess whether the match network is at least one of damaged or operating outside of specifications.

20. The match system of claim 14 , wherein the variable reactance section includes at least one of variable capacitors or fixed capacitors in combination with solid state switches.

21. The match system of claim 14 , wherein the variable reactance section, the at least one input sensor, the at least one output sensor, and the non-transitory computer-readable medium are one of: integrated with a common housing or distributed among two or more separate components.

22. The match system of claim 14 , wherein the instructions to measure one or more output-parameters include instructions to obtain at least one of forward or reflect power at the output of the match network; and

the instructions to measure one or more input-parameters include instructions to obtain at least one of forward or reflect power at the input of the match network.