Gate valve for plus-atmospheric pressure semiconductor process vessels

• US 20060225811A1
• Filed: 03/30/2005
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyko Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Toyko Electron Limited
• Inventors: Sutton, Thomas, Sheydayi, Alexei
• Granted Patent: US 7,494,107 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 141/98
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 51/02 specially adapted for high-vacuum installations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67126 Apparatus for sealing, encapsulating, glassing, decapsulating or the like processes H01L23/02, H01L23/28
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/135 Associated with semiconductor wafer handling

Abstract

An isolation valve is preferably applied to the semiconductor industry for sealing a process vessel and also operates effectively at plus-atmospheric pressures. A double containment gate valve assembly includes a housing and a movable head assembly within the housing. The housing includes a first access opening and a second access opening. The head assembly is configurable into a first position where an access path through the first and second access openings is clear, and a second position where the access path is blocked.

Claims

1. A load and containment apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a process chamber including a first access opening; and

a gate valve assembly coupled to the process chamber, the gate valve assembly including a second access opening, a third access opening, and a movable head assembly configurable into a first position where an access path through the first, second, and third access openings is clear, and a second position where the access path is blocked.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first access opening of the process chamber is coupled to the second access opening of the gate valve assembly.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein when the head assembly is in the second position, the first access opening of the process chamber and the third access opening of the gate valve assembly are sealed closed.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third access openings are configured as a linear path.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the head assembly moves in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first, second, and third access openings.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the head assembly includes two doors, each door movable in a direction of the linear path, a first door facing the third access opening and a second door facing the second access opening.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the head assembly further comprises a first piston coupled to the first door, a second piston coupled to the second door, and a pressure cavity configured in between the first and second pistons.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the head assembly further comprises an access hole to the pressure cavity.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 the first piston and the second piston each include two-rod, double acting cylinders.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the first piston and the second piston each comprise a single cylinder.

11. A method of loading and locking a process chamber, the method comprising:

coupling the process chamber including a first access opening to a gate valve assembly including a second access opening, a third access opening, and a movable head assembly, such that the first access opening is adjacent the second access opening and the first, second, and third access openings form a linear access path;

moving the head assembly into a first position thereby clearing the access path through the gate valve assembly to the process chamber; and

moving the head assembly into a second position thereby blocking the access path through the gate valve assembly to the process chamber.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein while in the second position the method further comprises moving a first door of the head assembly along a direction of the access path to seal the third access opening and moving a second door of the head assembly along the direction of the access path to seal the first access opening.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein sealing the third access opening comprises forcing a first surface of the first door against a gate valve assembly housing surrounding the third access opening.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising sealing the first door against the gate valve assembly housing using an o-ring coupled the first door.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein prior to moving the head assembly into the second position, moving the first door away from the third access opening and moving the second door away from the first access opening.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein sealing the second door to the first access opening comprises forcing a second surface of the second door against an outer surface of the process chamber surrounding the first access opening.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising coupling the first door to a first piston, coupling the second door to a second piston, and configuring a pressure cavity between the first piston and the second piston.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein moving the first door to seal the third access opening and moving the second door to seal the first access opening comprises increasing the pressure within the pressure cavity.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein increasing the pressure within the pressure cavity comprises providing a fluid into the pressure cavity through an access hole leading through the head assembly into the pressure cavity.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the pressure within the pressure cavity is increased to within a range of about 1 psig to about 10,000 psig.

21. The method of claim 17 further comprising moving the first door along the access path away from the third access opening and moving the second door along the access path away from the first access opening.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein moving the first door away from the third access opening and moving the first door away from the first access opening comprises decreasing the pressure within the pressure cavity and increasing the pressure on a first surface of the first piston and a second surface of the second piston.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein decreasing the pressure within the pressure cavity comprises removing fluid from the pressure cavity through an access hole leading through the head assembly into the pressure cavity.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein increasing the pressure outside the first surface of the first piston and the second surface of the second piston comprises providing a fluid to an area inside the head assembly different than the pressure cavity by one or more fittings.

25. The method of claim 11 wherein the head assembly moves in a direction perpendicular to the linear access path.

26. A double containment gate valve assembly, the gate valve assembly comprising:

a housing including a first access opening and a second access opening; and

a movable head assembly within the housing, wherein the head assembly is configurable into a first position where an access path through the first and second access openings is clear, and a second position where the access path is blocked.

27. The gate valve assembly of claim 26 wherein the second access opening of the gate valve assembly is coupled to a third access opening of process chamber.

28. The gate valve assembly of claim 27 wherein when the head assembly is in the second position, the third access opening of the process chamber and the first access opening of the gate valve assembly are sealed closed.

29. The gate valve assembly of claim 27 wherein the access path forms a linear path through the first, second, and third access openings.

30. The gate valve assembly of claim 29 wherein the head assembly moves in a direction perpendicular to the linear path.

31. The gate valve assembly of claim 26 wherein the head assembly includes two doors, each door movable in a direction of the access path, a first door facing the first access opening and a second door facing the second access opening.

32. The gate valve assembly of claim 31 wherein the head assembly further comprises a first piston coupled to the first door, a second piston coupled to the second door, and a pressure cavity configured in between the first and second pistons.

33. The gate valve assembly of claim 32 wherein the head assembly further comprises an access hole to the pressure cavity.

34. The gate valve assembly of claim 32 the first piston and the second piston each include a single acting cylinder, or a double acting cylinder, or a combination thereof.

35. The gate valve assembly of claim 32 wherein the first piston and the second piston each comprise a single cylinder.