Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. For example, an apparatus can be a controller for a high peak power radio frequency (RF) generator. The controller comprises a control logic circuit in operable communication with an RF generator operating in a burst mode, the control logic circuit configured to receive a power, P, request at a predetermined duty cycle, δ, from a plasma processing chamber, determine a peak maximum power, P.sub.peak.sup.max, based on a maximum average power, P.sub.avg.sup.max, and a maximum absolute power, P.sub.abs.sup.max, of the RF generator and the predetermined duty cycle, and transmit a control signal to the RF generator to limit a peak power, P.sub.peak, to the plasma processing chamber based on the P.sub.peak.sup.max.

The present invention controls, within a frequency range, an output command value not to exceed the upper limit of an output command permitted by a high-frequency amplifier. A method for controlling a high-frequency power supply device and the high-frequency power supply device involve performing frequency control within a frequency range of variable frequencies, limiting the upper limit of an output command value for controlling an output of a high-frequency amplifier within the frequency range of variable frequencies on the basis of an output limit value, and thereby preventing damaging of the high-frequency amplifier caused by an excessive command.

There is provided a terminal device for displaying status information of a plurality of RF generators. On a display screen, numerical values of a specific item of the status information are displayed as figures having different lengths, and values of another item different from the specific item are displayed in at least one of color tones, patterns, or shapes of the figures, and when the specific item is a frequency and the another item is a phase, output powers of the plurality of RF generators are displayed as figures of bar graphs over the frequency, and phases of the RF generators are displayed in at least one of color tones, patterns, or shapes of the corresponding figures.

A method and apparatus for controlling RF plasma attributes is disclosed. Some embodiments of the disclosure provide RF sensors within processing chambers operable at high temperatures. Some embodiments provide methods of measuring RF plasma attributes using RF sensors within a processing chamber to provide feedback control for an RF generator.

A method and apparatus for controlling RF plasma attributes is disclosed. Some embodiments of the disclosure provide RF sensors within processing chambers operable at high temperatures. Some embodiments provide methods of measuring RF plasma attributes using RF sensors within a processing chamber to provide feedback control for an RF generator.

A plasma processing apparatus includes a balun having a first unbalanced terminal, a second unbalanced terminal, a first balanced terminal, and a second balanced terminal, a grounded vacuum container, a first electrode electrically connected to the first balanced terminal, a second electrode electrically connected to the second balanced terminal, and a ground electrode arranged in the vacuum container and grounded.

A plasma processing apparatus includes an impedance matching circuit, a balun having a first unbalanced terminal connected to the impedance matching circuit, a grounded second unbalanced terminal, a first balanced terminal and a second balanced terminal, a grounded vacuum container, a first electrode electrically connected to the first balanced terminal, a second electrode electrically connected to the second balanced terminal, an adjustment reactance configured to affect a relationship between a first voltage applied to the first electrode and a second voltage applied to the second electrode, a high-frequency power supply configured to supply a high frequency between the first unbalanced terminal and the second unbalanced terminal via the impedance matching circuit, and a controller configured to control an impedance of the impedance matching circuit and a reactance of the adjustment reactance.

A plasma processing apparatus includes an impedance matching circuit, a balun having a first unbalanced terminal connected to the impedance matching circuit, a grounded second unbalanced terminal, a first balanced terminal and a second balanced terminal, a grounded vacuum container, a first electrode electrically connected to the first balanced terminal, a second electrode electrically connected to the second balanced terminal, an adjustment reactance configured to affect a relationship between a first voltage applied to the first electrode and a second voltage applied to the second electrode, a high-frequency power supply configured to supply a high frequency between the first unbalanced terminal and the second unbalanced terminal via the impedance matching circuit, and a controller configured to control an impedance of the impedance matching circuit and a reactance of the adjustment reactance.

A plasma generation system includes a reference clock, a plurality of solid state generator modules, and a processing chamber. The reference clock is configured to generate a reference signal. Each solid state generator module is linked to an electronic switch and each electronic switch is linked to the reference clock. The solid state generator modules are each configured to generate an output based on the reference signal from the reference clock. The processing chamber is configured to receive the output of at least two of the solid state generator modules to combine the outputs of said solid state generator modules therein.

A plasma generation system includes a reference clock, a plurality of solid state generator modules, and a processing chamber. The reference clock is configured to generate a reference signal. Each solid state generator module is linked to an electronic switch and each electronic switch is linked to the reference clock. The solid state generator modules are each configured to generate an output based on the reference signal from the reference clock. The processing chamber is configured to receive the output of at least two of the solid state generator modules to combine the outputs of said solid state generator modules therein.