SLIT VALVE HAVING INCREASED FLOW UNIFORMITY

• US 20090272324A1
• Filed: 05/05/2008
• Published: 11/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Wu, Elizabeth, Lee, Helder, BALASUBRAMANYAM, CHANDRASEKHAR, Sangam, Kedarnath, Schwartz, Miriam
• Granted Patent: US 8,377,213 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 118/733
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4401 Means for minimising impurities, e.g. dust, moisture or residual gas, in the reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45519 Inert gas curtains
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/147 the closure elements having specially formed slits or being of an elongated easily collapsible form
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 51/02 specially adapted for high-vacuum installations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67772 involving removal of lid, door, cover

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for increasing flow uniformity are provided herein. In some embodiments, a slit valve having increased flow uniformity may be provided, the slit valve may include a housing having an opening disposed therethrough, the opening configured to allow a substrate to pass therethrough; a gas inlet formed in the housing; an outer plenum disposed in the housing and coupled to the gas inlet; an inner plenum disposed in the housing and coupled to the outer plenum via a plurality of holes; and a plurality of gas outlets disposed in the housing and fluidly coupling the opening to the inner plenum.

Claims

1. A slit valve, comprising:

a housing having an opening disposed therethrough, the opening configured to allow a substrate to pass therethrough;

a gas inlet formed in the housing;

an outer plenum disposed in the housing and coupled to the gas inlet;

an inner plenum disposed in the housing and coupled to the outer plenum via a plurality of holes; and

a plurality of gas outlets disposed in the housing and fluidly coupling the opening to the inner plenum.

2. The slit valve of claim 1, wherein the outer plenum circumscribes the inner plenum.

3. The slit valve of claim 1, wherein the plurality of holes are substantially equidistantly distributed about a sidewall of the inner plenum

4. The slit valve of claim 1, wherein the plurality of holes are offset from the plurality of gas outlets.

5. The slit valve of claim 1, wherein the plurality of gas outlets comprises about 20 gas outlets.

7. The slit valve of claim 1, wherein a counterbore is disposed on a plenum side of each of the gas outlets.

8. The slit valve of claim 7, wherein the plenum has a volume that varies along a longitudinal length of the plenum.

9. The slit valve of claim 8, wherein the volume of the plenum increases in a direction moving away from the gas inlet.

10. The slit valve of claim 8, wherein the plurality of gas outlets further comprise a plurality of zones, each zone comprising one or more gas outlets having a volume that is different than a volume of gas outlets disposed in at least one other zone.

11. The slit valve of claim 1, wherein the plenum has a volume that varies along a longitudinal length of the plenum.

12. The slit valve of claim 11, wherein the volume of the plenum increases in a direction moving away from the gas inlet.

19. The slit valve of claim 1, wherein the plurality of holes are substantially equidistantly distributed about a sidewall of the inner plenum

20. The slit valve of claim 1, wherein the plurality of holes are offset from the plurality of gas outlets.

6. A slit valve, comprising:

a housing having an opening disposed therethrough, the opening configured to allow a substrate to pass therethrough;

a gas inlet formed in the housing;

a plenum disposed in the housing and coupled to the gas inlet;

a plurality of gas outlets disposed in the housing and fluidly coupling the opening to the plenum; and

a counterbore disposed on a plenum side of one or more of the gas outlets.

13. The slit valve of claim 6, wherein the plurality of gas outlets further comprise a plurality of zones, each zone comprising one or more gas outlets having a volume that is different than a volume of gas outlets disposed in at least one other zone.

14. The slit valve of claim 6, wherein at least one gas outlet has a volume that is different than a volume of at least one other gas outlet.

15. The slit valve of claim 6, wherein at least one counterbore has a volume that is different than a volume of at least one other counterbore.

16. The slit valve of claim 6, wherein the plurality of gas outlets comprises up to about 96 gas outlets.

17. An apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising:

a process chamber; and

a slit valve coupled to the process chamber, the slit valve comprising;

a housing having an opening disposed therethrough, the opening configured to allow a substrate to pass therethrough;

a gas inlet formed in the housing;

an outer plenum disposed in the housing and coupled to the gas inlet;

an inner plenum disposed in the housing and coupled to the outer plenum via a plurality of holes; and

a plurality of gas outlets disposed in the housing and fluidly coupling the opening to the inner plenum.

18. The slit valve of claim 17, wherein the outer plenum circumscribes the inner plenum.

21. An apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising:

a process chamber; and

a slit valve coupled to the process chamber, the slit valve comprising;

a housing having an opening disposed therethrough, the opening configured to allow a substrate to pass therethrough;

a gas inlet formed in the housing;

a plenum disposed in the housing and coupled to the gas inlet;

a plurality of gas outlets disposed in the housing and fluidly coupling the opening to the plenum; and

a counterbore disposed on a plenum side of one or more of the gas outlets.

22. The slit valve of claim 21, wherein the plenum has a volume that varies along a longitudinal length of the plenum.

23. The slit valve of claim 21, wherein the plurality of gas outlets further comprise a plurality of zones, each zone comprising one or more gas outlets having a volume that is different than a volume of gas outlets disposed in at least one other zone.

24. The slit valve of claim 21, wherein at least one gas outlet has a volume that is different than a volume of at least one other gas outlet.

25. The slit valve of claim 21, wherein at least one counterbore has a volume that is different than a volume of at least one other counterbore.