A Novel Multilevel Arc Management Strategy Based on SOPC for UMS Power Supply

The application of Unbalanced Magnetron Sputtering (UMS) power supply is central to sputtering process. Therefore new approaches to arc control should be highly concerned in power supply design. In order to minimize the occurrence and severity of arcs, a novel multilevel arc management strategy for UMS power supply is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the causes, mechanisms, and cures for arcing in the UMS environment are introduced. Then an intelligent hybrid control algorithm is presented, and a method of control frequency of pulse generator is adopted to achieve a better performance. Afterwards, a reverse-voltage pulse modulator with multiple degrees of freedom is designed to actively suppress and clear the buildup of charge before the arc occurs. The mentioned arc management strategy is implemented on SOPC and applied to the UMS power supply successfully. Experimental results show that it can inhibit the formation of arcs and effectively quench the occurred arcs, which verified the effectiveness of applying the strategy in UMS.