This invention relates to a method for operating a variable impedance load on a device consisting of a planar transformer, consisting of at least a primary and a secondary side, which can be operated as input or output side, comprising primary and secondary coils, wherein capacitances between windings of a coil form a resonant circuit with inductances of the coil. This coil comprises a selection of a resonance frequency of the resonant circuit, wherein the resonance frequency falls on a frequency of a harmonic of an input signal to be suppressed.

The invention relates to a method for operating a variable impedance load on a device, consisting of a planar transformer, consisting of at least a primary and a secondary side, which can be operated as an input or output side, comprising mapping an image of a virtual RF ground at the point of symmetry of one of the secondary sides to a first impedance.

An apparatus for acquiring a desired response to an electromagnetic signal includes an adaptive network that receives a feedback signal and dynamically adjusts an electrical characteristic of the adaptive network in response to the feedback signal, the adaptive network electrically cooperating with an electrical component. A measurement device measures a parameter indicative of a combined response by the electrical component and the adaptive network to an impinging electromagnetic signal. A processor identifies, in accordance with the measured parameter, the feedback signal that reduces the difference between a predetermined response and the combined response to the electromagnetic signal. A feedback generator generates the identified feedback signal and conveys the generated feedback signal to the adaptive network.

An antenna terminal is connected to a first filter and second filter, which are branched from each other when viewed from the antenna terminal, and are different in passing bands from each other. An individual inductor is connected in series to a branch point from which the first filter is branched to be independent from other filters when viewed from the antenna terminal. And a common inductor is located between a position between the antenna terminal and the branch point and a reference potential and is commonly connected in parallel with respect to the filters. The first filter is higher in frequency of passing band compared with the other filters. A susceptance when viewing the second filter side from the antenna terminal is larger than a susceptance when viewing the first filter side from the antenna terminal at frequencies of passing bands of them.

An apparatus includes an impedance matching circuit for matching an impedance of a high quality factor (high-Q) antenna to an impedance of a radio-frequency (RF) circuit. The impedance matching network includes a first reactive network. The impedance matching network also includes a second reactive network coupled in series with the first reactive network. The second reactive network includes a reactive component realized by multiple reactive components so as to reduce sensitivity of the impedance matching network to component tolerances in the second reactive network.

An impedance matching device includes: a variable capacitor in which a plurality of first capacitance elements or a plurality of second capacitance elements are connected in parallel; a calculation unit that calculates an impedance or a reflection coefficient on the load side using information regarding the impedance acquired from the outside; and a control unit that determines an ON/OFF state to be taken by each of semiconductor switches included in the variable capacitor using the impedance or the reflection coefficient calculated by the calculation unit and turns on or off the semiconductor switches included in the first or second capacitance element based on the determined state. The control unit cyclically switches semiconductor switches to be turned on or off in a predetermined order.

In one embodiment, an RF impedance matching network for a plasma chamber is disclosed. It includes a variable capacitor comprising a plurality of capacitors comprising first coarse capacitors each having a substantially similar first coarse capacitance, second coarse capacitors each having a substantially similar second coarse capacitance, and fine capacitors having different capacitances that increase in value. At least one of the fine capacitors has a capacitance greater than the first coarse capacitance. A control circuit is configured cause a gradual increase in the total capacitance of the variable capacitor by switching in, in a predetermined order, each of the first coarse capacitors, followed by each of the second coarse capacitors, only switching in the fine capacitors whose capacitance is less than a capacitance of a next coarse capacitor of the coarse capacitors predetermined to be switched in next.

Automatic impedance matching measures the RF source frequency and RF load voltage, current and phase to determine a single match solution for a capacitive value of the variable capacitor and an inductive value for the variable inductor, and whether a shunt reactance is coupled to the RF source or RF load. Once the capacitance and inductance values for a match solution are determined they are contemporaneously selected without any iterative searching necessary for the match solution.

A coaxial line having a small transmission loss and a variable operating frequency can be provided. The coaxial line includes one or a plurality of unit structures repeatedly arranged in a direction of a central axis. The unit structure includes an inner conductor, two dielectrics arranged in the central-axial direction so as to sandwich the inner conductor therebetween, an outer conductor configured to envelop the inner conductor and the dielectrics, and an inductor connected between the inner conductor and the outer conductor.

A generator including a power combiner is provided. The power combiner includes a plurality of inputs, each input connectable to a respective power amplifier for receiving a respective power signal. A plurality of impedance matching circuit branches is connected to a respective one of the plurality of inputs. Each impedance matching circuit branch includes at least one high pass filter section and at least one low pass filter section through which the respective power signal passes. The impedance matching circuit branches are connected so as to combine the power signals from each power amplifier. An output is provided for outputting the combined power signal.