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Researchers Pursuing Advanced Control Techniques for Semiconductor Process Power Applications

September 22, 2019 by Paul Shepard

Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. (AE) is partnering with Colorado State University (CSU) in Fort Collins to investigate the application of advanced control techniques to emerging process power applications in a one-year program sponsored by AE.

The outcome of this project could enable the manufacture of higher performance semiconductors while having broad impact on application flexibility of existing process power architectures.

“This sponsored research program is an extension of our relationship with CSU, where AE has been represented for years on the advisory board of CSU’s Electrical and Computer Engineering Department,” said Dr. Isabel Yang, chief technology officer, Advanced Energy.

“We are honored to partner with CSU, which is renowned for its nationally-sponsored research by private industry and public organizations, on this important research for emerging process power, which we hope will have a positive impact on semiconductor performance and manufacturing in the future,” concluded Yang.

Principal investigators for the research program are: Chad Samuels, PhD, Engineer III, at AE; Don van Zyl, Distinguished Member of Technical Staff at AE; and Dr. Peter M. Young, professor within the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Department at CSU. Dr. Young is an internationally recognized leader in dynamic systems and controls research and education, with numerous citations of published work. He also serves as director of the Dynamic Systems and Controls Research Laboratory and the Systems and Controls Teaching Laboratory at CSU.

“Controlling the delivery of power to plasma is at the heart of semiconductor manufacturing. But as chips get smaller and more powerful, that process becomes more challenging and places stringent performance requirements on the power supply,” said Professor Young. “We are excited to partner with Advanced Energy to develop enhanced control algorithms that can deliver increased performance and reliability in next-generation power supplies.”