METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING AN ARC DISCHARGE IN A PLASMA PROCESS AND ARC DISCHARGE IDENTIFICATION APPARATUS

The method involves performing micro-arc detection for a power supply (20) in a plasma chamber (10), and generating a signal and/or data related to the micro-arc detection. The signal and/or the data are transmitted to a plasma process controlling device (30) and/or to power supplies (21, 22) or to arc arresters (45-47), which are associated with the power supplies (21, 22). The micro-arc detection is performed for each of the power supplies in the plasma chamber, and a countermeasure e.g. pole change, is triggered as reaction based on the micro-arc detection. An independent claim is also included for a plasma system comprising power supplies.