Patent ID: 8467211

Claim:
A bipolar pulsed power supply comprising a bridge circuit made up of switching elements connected to positive and negative DC outputs from a DC power supply source so that, by controlling an operation of the switching elements, output is made, in a bipolar pulsed mode at a predetermined frequency, to a pair of electrodes that come into contact with a plasma, wherein the bipolar pulsed power supply has an output characteristics switching circuit that switches the output when outputting to the electrodes such that the output to the electrodes has initially constant-voltage characteristics and that the output to the electrodes has thereafter constant-current characteristics, and wherein the output characteristics switching circuit comprises: an inductor which is disposed in at least one of the positive and the negative DC outputs from the DC power supply source to the bridge circuit; and another switching element connected in parallel with the inductor, such that, at an initial time of switching of the switching elements, said another switching element is operated for a predetermined period of time to thereby short-circuit the inductor.