Patent ID: 8674606
Filing Date: 2014-03-18
Classification: H01J,H05H

Abstract:
1. A method for reducing instabilities in a plasma-based processing system, the method comprising: applying power to a plasma with a power amplifier; obtaining samples indicative of an impedance of the plasma; determining a frequency of instability oscillations, resulting from plasma-power amplifier interaction, that are present in the plasma by analyzing the samples to identify oscillatory variations in the plasma impedance; and altering, based upon the frequency of instability oscillations that are present, an impedance of a load that is experienced by the power amplifier to reduce any instability oscillations in the plasma, the load experienced by the power amplifier including at least an impedance of the plasma, and altering the impedance of the load includes altering a frequency of the power that is applied to the plasma by the power amplifier.