• News Release

Introducing the Industry’s First High-Performance AC High Voltage Power Supply for Compact Vacuum Plasma Systems: The PKM-VP20, Now with Power Monitoring

SAKIGAKE Semiconductor Co., Ltd. (located in Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, CEO: Mitsugu Taguchi), a developer and seller of plasma devices, has developed the industry’s first AC high-voltage power supply ‘PKM-VP20’ for small vacuum plasma devices with a frequency band up to several hundred kHz. It will be released on a certain date. By installing it in general plasma devices, the efficiency of the device is improved and the processing effect is enhanced. Power data can be received and processed by a PLC (Note 1) and can be monitored on a PC. This dedicated power supply will be sequentially installed in our plasma devices.

 

■Plasma processing has been made highly efficient, and the processing effect has been improved

The PKM-VP20 AC high-voltage power supply for small vacuum plasma devices is an inverter-type power supply unit exclusively for plasma devices. By dynamically controlling the frequency with a microcontroller, it can automatically switch between high-voltage low-current mode during plasma ignition and low-voltage high-current mode during steady state. By adopting soft switching technology (Note 2), it has achieved high efficiency of over 80% and low heat generation. Since it uses a relatively high frequency, the effect of plasma processing is also improved.

The primary side voltage and current can be output via the communication terminal, allowing for power monitoring by calculating the product of the two. Also, considering the working environment, it is designed for safety by automatically transitioning to shutdown mode in case of ignition failure.

 

 

Industry’s first dedicated power supply with a frequency band up to several hundred kHz

Power supplies used in plasma devices are often customized based on general neon tube power supplies, or the voltage is boosted by a transformer while maintaining commercial frequencies. This unit is the industry’s first power supply that operates at a frequency of around 100 kHz, developed exclusively for this purpose.

The applications of plasma technology are expanding to a wide range of industries, including semiconductors, medicine, and biotechnology, and there is an increasing demand for higher processing efficiency and control. In response to this, we have improved the processing efficiency of the power supply functions.

In addition, in line with the recent trend of digital transformation at production sites, we have also equipped the system with a function to monitor power consumption and manage data using software.

We plan to gradually install the ‘PKM-VP20’ AC high-voltage power supply for small vacuum plasma devices in our plasma devices. We will start by installing it in our two mainstay tabletop vacuum plasma devices, ‘YHS-R’ and ‘NMR-Gts.’

■Supply chain measures

Recent global supply chain problems have had a significant impact on us as well, causing delays in the procurement of various parts for plasma equipment. In addition, the rapid replacement of neon tubes with LEDs has made it difficult to obtain power supplies that often use parts from neon tube power supplies.

Among other things, we had lost opportunities due to significant delays in the general-purpose power supply that we had installed, and we accelerated the development towards manufacturing the power supply unit in-house.

Since our founding, we have specialized in plasma technology. By utilizing our advanced technical expertise, we have not only addressed supply chain issues but also succeeded in developing our own dedicated power supply that is highly functional and safe.

 

■Product Overview

[Product Name] ‘PKM-VP20’ AC High-Voltage Power Supply for Small Vacuum Plasma Devices

[Features]

・ Adopts a circuit method with voltage-current characteristics that are optimal for vacuum glow discharge.

・ Soft switching technology provides high efficiency of over 80% (actual measurement) and low heat generation.

・Microcomputer control automatically switches between high voltage, low current mode during ignition and low voltage, high current mode during steady state operation.

・Safety design that automatically switches to shutdown mode in case of ignition failure.

・Voltage and current (primary side) can be monitored via the communication terminal (option: monitoring software)

・High insulation by use of resin molded transformer

[Price] 108,000 yen (tax included)

[Release date] June 12,2024

 

[Main specifications] (Standard specifications. Customization is possible.)

Model

AC high voltage power supply for small vacuum plasma system “PKM-VP20

Input

DC24V

Maximum output

1000Vop, 100mAop, 20W

Output frequency

80k to 100kH

External dimensions (board size)

D:50mm x W:100mm x H:55mm (H: including pillar spacer and mounted components)

Options

Dedicated software for voltage and current data monitoring

Introductory pagehttps://sakigakes.co.jp/products/pkm-vp20/

(※1) PLC (Programmable Logic Controller): A control device that controls facilities and equipment in the manufacturing industry.

(※2) Soft switching technology: This is a technology that ‘softly’ switches semiconductor switch elements, and it has the effect of suppressing power loss and high-frequency noise that occurs when the switch elements are turned on and off.

 

【Contact information for this matter】 SAKIGAKE-Semiconductor Co., Ltd.https://sakigakes.co.jp/

TEL: +81-75-204-9589 / FAX: +81-50-3488-5883 / E-mail: s.sales@sakigakes.co.jp

SAKIGAKE Bldg., 50 Nishi Nanajo Ommaeda-cho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto, Japan