G01R19/0061

Large dynamic range RF voltage sensor and method for voltage mode RF bias application of plasma processing systems

A voltage sensor of a substrate processing system including a multi-divider circuit, a clamping circuit and first and second outputs. The multi-divider circuit receives a RF signal indicative of a RF voltage at a substrate. The multi-divider circuit includes dividers of respective channels and outputting first and second reduced voltages based on the received RF signal. The reduced voltages are less than the RF voltage. The clamping circuit clamps the first reduced voltage to a first predetermined voltage when the RF voltage is greater than a second predetermined voltage or the first reduced voltage is greater than a third predetermined voltage. While the received RF signal is in first and second voltage ranges, the first and second outputs output output signals based respectively on the first and second reduced voltages. The first predetermined voltage is based on a maximum value of the first voltage range.

System and method to predict a usable life of a vacuum interrupter in the field
10036727 · 2018-07-31 ·

A closed and open contact method to predict a usable life of vacuum interrupters in the field can include using computer instructions in the data storage to instruct the processor to position a calculated amp or calculated pressure on an ionic or current versus pressure calibration curve for the installed vacuum interrupter and identify trend data from a library of trend data corresponding to the installed vacuum interrupter and to the calculated pressure or calculated amp of the installed vacuum interrupter; thereby determining the anticipated life expectancy.

MEASURING FLUX, CURRENT, OR INTEGRATED CHARGE OF LOW ENERGY PARTICLES
20180203045 · 2018-07-19 ·

An apparatus and method for measuring flux, current, or integrated charge of a beam are provided. The apparatus and method include a cup on which the beam is incident. The cup includes an inner cylinder, a coaxial cylinder, and an aperture. The coaxial cylinder surrounds the inner cylinder and is electrically insulated therefrom. An offset current source is in electrical communication with the inner cylinder. An electrometer, a charge integrator, or a counter may be electrically connected to the cup and the offset current source. When the beam is incident on the cup and aligned with the aperture, the electrometer can measure the beam current and the charge integrator can measure the integrated charge of the beam.

VOLTAGE BUFFER FOR CURRENT SENSOR
20180149680 · 2018-05-31 ·

A sensing cell includes a current sensor, an integrating capacitor, and a voltage buffer. The integrating capacitor is configured to store a voltage representative of a current signal generated by the current sensor. The voltage buffer is coupled to provide a buffered voltage to a readout line and includes a first transistor and a second transistor. The first transistor is coupled to receive the voltage stored on the integrating capacitor and the second transistor is coupled to the readout line. The second transistor is configured to compensate for a body effect of the first transistor.

System and method for controlling plasma magnetic field

Examples of a system for generating and confining a compact toroid are disclosed. The system comprises a plasma generator for generating magnetized plasma, a flux conserver for receiving the compact toroid, a power source for providing current pulse and a controller for actively controlling a current profile of the pulse to keep plasma's q-profile within pre-determined range. Examples of methods of controlling a magnetic lifetime of a magnetized plasma by controlling a current profile of the current pulse are disclosed.

CURRENT MEASUREMENT DEVICE
20180120357 · 2018-05-03 · ·

A current measurement device includes a low frequency measurement sensor configured to measure a magnetic field, a high frequency measurement sensor configured to measure the magnetic field and configured to generate a magnetic field for canceling the magnetic field applied to the low frequency measurement sensor, a magnetism sensing direction of the low frequency measurement sensor and a magnetism sensing direction of the high frequency measurement sensor being substantially parallel to each other, a negative feedback circuit configured to control a current flowing through the high frequency measurement sensor based on the magnetic field measured by the low frequency measurement sensor, a low pass filter configured to adjust a frequency characteristic of the current controlled by the negative feedback circuit, and an outputter configured to output a measurement value of the current to be measured based on the current flowing through the high frequency measurement sensor.

PROCESS CONDITION SENSING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PLASMA CHAMBER
20180114681 · 2018-04-26 ·

A sensing device for measuring a plasma process parameter in a plasma chamber for processing workpieces may include a substrate with one or more sensor embedded in the substrate. The substrate can have a surface made of substantially the same material as workpieces that are plasma processed in the plasma chamber. Each sensor can include a collector portion made of substantially the same material as the substrate surface. The collector portion includes a surface that is level with the surface of the substrate. The collector portion is the top surface of the substrate. Sensor electronics are embedded into the substrate and coupled to the collector portion. When the substrate surface is exposed to a plasma one or more signals resulting from the plasma can be measured with the sensor(s).

BEAM CURRENT MEASURING DEVICE AND CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM IRRADIATION APPARATUS

A beam current measuring device capable of performing measurement of a beam current distribution of a charged particle beam seamlessly and continuously in an arbitrary direction is provided. The beam current measuring device includes collector electrodes whose detection regions seamlessly continue in an arrangement direction thereof.

DIELECTRIC BARRIER DISCHARGE IONIZATION DETECTOR
20180067080 · 2018-03-08 · ·

A dielectric barrier discharge ionization detector Includes: a dielectric tube; a high-voltage electrode connected to an AC power source and circumferentially formed on the outer wall of the dielectric tube; upstream-side and downstream-side ground electrodes and circumferentially formed above and below the high-voltage electrode; a discharging section for generating electric discharge to create plasma, from a gas containing argon; and a charge-collecting section for ionizing sample-gas components by the plasma and detecting an ion current formed by the ionized components. The detector also satisfies one or both of the following conditions: the upstream-side ground electrode is longer than a creeping discharge initiation distance between a tube-line tip member at the upper end of the dielectric tube and the high-voltage electrode; or the downstream-side ground electrode is longer than a creeping discharge initiation distance between the high-voltage electrode and the charge-collecting section.

DIELECTRIC BARRIER DISCHARGE IONIZATION DETECTOR
20180067083 · 2018-03-08 · ·

A dielectric barrier discharge ionization detector (BID) capable of achieving a high level of signal-to-noise ratio in a stable manner is provided. In a BID having a high-voltage electrode, upstream-side ground electrode and downstream-side ground electrode circumferentially formed on the outer circumferential surface of a cylindrical dielectric tube, a heater for heating the cylindrical dielectric tube or tube-line tip member attached to the upper end of the same tube is provided. Increasing the temperature of the cylindrical dielectric tube by this heater improves the stability of the electric discharge, whereby the amount of noise is reduced and a high level of signal-to-noise is achieved.