US 12,143,087 B2
Combiner and distributor for adjusting impedances or power across multiple plasma processing stations
Sunil Kapoor, Vancouver, WA (US); George Thomas, Fremont, CA (US); Yaswanth Rangineni, Portland, OR (US); and Edward Augustyniak, Tualatin, OR (US)
Assigned to LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION, Fremont, CA (US)
Filed by Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 1, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/590,803.
Application 17/590,803 is a continuation of application No. 16/797,975, filed on Feb. 21, 2020, granted, now 11,258,421.
Application 16/797,975 is a continuation of application No. 16/249,284, filed on Jan. 16, 2019, granted, now 10,622,962, issued on Apr. 14, 2020.
Application 16/249,284 is a continuation of application No. 15/254,769, filed on Sep. 1, 2016, granted, now 10,187,032, issued on Jan. 22, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/351,879, filed on Jun. 17, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2022/0158604 A1, May 19, 2022
Int. Cl. H03H 7/40 (2006.01); C23C 16/458 (2006.01); C23C 16/505 (2006.01); C23C 16/52 (2006.01)
CPC H03H 7/40 (2013.01) [C23C 16/458 (2013.01); C23C 16/505 (2013.01); C23C 16/52 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A combiner and distributor comprising:
a low frequency circuit;
a high frequency circuit; and
an output circuit coupled to the low and high frequency circuits, wherein the output circuit includes a plurality of dummy loads, a plurality of switches, and a first plurality of outputs;
wherein the first plurality of outputs are configured to be coupled to a plurality of plasma processing stations; and
wherein each of the plurality of switches is configured to switch between a corresponding one of the first plurality of outputs or a corresponding one of the plurality of dummy loads to balance impedances associated with the plurality of plasma processing stations.