High Performance Power Supplies for Plasma Materials Processing

Abstract

Integrated circuits, flat panel displays, solar panels, architectural glass, high resolution camera and many other products are landmarks of the 21 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">st</sup> century. All of these different everyday objects have one thing in common - they are manufactured using plasma processing techniques. The aim of this paper is to introduce this silent hero of modern industry, to a broader audience. An evaluation is made of common types of power converters within the scope of plasma processing applications, while the key requirements and future challenges for such power supplies are discussed.