Patent ID: 7728602
Filing Date: 2010-06-01
Classification: H01J,H05H

Abstract:
1. An arc detection system, comprising: a radio frequency (RF) signal probe that senses a RF signal at an input of a RF plasma chamber and that generates a signal based on at least one of the voltage, current, and power of the RF signal; and a signal analyzer that receives the signal, monitors the signal for frequency components at a harmonic frequency of a fundamental frequency of the RF signal, and that generates an output signal based on the frequency components wherein the output signal indicates that an arc is occurring in the RF plasma chamber; wherein the signal analyzer compares an amplitude of the signal to a first predetermined amplitude, compares a rate of change of the signal to a predetermined rate of change, and generates the output signal when the rate of change of the signal exceeds the predetermined rate of change and the amplitude of the signal is between the first predetermined amplitude and a second predetermined amplitude.