What is described here is a
power supply unit for
plasma systems such as
plasma processing or
coating devices, wherein electric arcs or disruptive breakdown may occur, which originate from an
electrode in particular, comprisinga d.c.
voltage or direct-
current source whose output terminals are connected via an inductive
resistor and a power switch to the electrodes of the
plasma system, and possiblya circuit for detecting electric arcs or disruptive breakdown, that operates the switch upon occurrence of an
electric arc or disruptive breakdown, in such a way that electrical energy producing a plasma will no longer be applied to the electrodes.The invention is characterised by the provisions that the inductive
resistor(s) is (are) each connected to a
recovery diode and that the switch is a series switch.In another embodiment of the invention a controller or closed-loop controller, respectively, is provided which, upon occurrence of an
electric arc or disruptive breakdown, respectively, extinguishes same by disconnecting the
voltage applied to the electrodes or by commutation to an inverted
voltage for a defined period of time (deactivation interval), and which, upon occurrence of at least one
electric arc or disruptive breakdown event, reduces the activation interval of the voltage causing plasma operation.