SLOTTED TSSL DOOR TO COUPLE O-RING WITH MOVING MATING PART

• US 20100050534A1
• Filed: 08/27/2009
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Anwar, Suhail, Kurita, Shinichi, White, John M., Inagawa, Makoto, Behdjat, Mehran
• Granted Patent: US 8,567,756 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 49/489.100
• 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

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to a slit valve door assembly for sealing an opening in a chamber. A slit valve door that is pressed against the chamber to seal the slit valve opening moves with the chamber as the slit valve opening shrinks so that an o-ring pressed between the slit valve door and the chamber may move with the slit valve door and the chamber. Thus, less rubbing of the o-ring against the chamber may occur. With less rubbing, fewer particles may be generated and the o-ring lifetime may be extended. With a longer lifetime for the o-ring, substrate throughput may be increased.

Claims

1. A slit valve door, comprising:

a first body;

a second body coupled to the first body at an edge thereof and spaced from the first body such that a first slit is present between the first body and the second body;

a first bearing plate coupled between the first body and the second body;

a first bellows coupled between the first body and the second body and over the first slit; and

a first clamp coupled to the first bellows, the first body and the second body.

2. The slit valve door of claim 1, further comprising:

a third body coupled to the first body at an edge thereof and spaced from the first body such that a second slit is present between the first body and the third body;

a second bearing plate coupled between the first body and the third body;

a second bellows coupled between the first body and the third body and over the second slit; and

a second clamp coupled to the second bellows, the first body and the third body.

3. The slit valve door of claim 2, further comprising:

a third bellows coupled between the first body and the second body and over a third slit that is substantially perpendicular to the first slit and formed in the top surface of the slit valve door; and

a third clamp coupled to the third bellows, the first body and the second body.

4. The slit valve door of claim 3, further comprising:

a fourth bellows coupled between the first body and the third body and over a fourth slit that is substantially perpendicular to the second slit and formed in the bottom surface of the slit valve door; and

a fourth clamp coupled to the fourth bellows, the first body and the third body.

5. The slit valve door of claim 4, wherein the first bearing plate and the second bearing plate each comprise a material selected from the group consisting of poly ether ether ketone and poly tetrafluoro ethylene.

6. The slit valve door of claim 5, wherein the first body has an opening therein that extends to the first slit and the second slit.

7. The slit valve door of claim 6, further comprising an O-ring coupled to the first body, the second body and the third body.

8. A load lock chamber, comprising:

a load lock chamber body having at least one opening formed through a first surface thereof;

a slit valve door, the slit valve door comprising;

a door body having a first body and one or more of a second body and a third body, the second body or the third body coupled to the first body at an edge thereof and spaced apart from the central body in a center area thereof; and

one or more bellows flexibly coupled between the first body and at least one of the second body and the third body; and

a slit valve door actuator coupled with the slit valve door and the chamber body.

9. The chamber of claim 8, wherein the slit valve door is rotatable about an axis to pivot the slit valve door relative to the load lock chamber body from a first position contacting the load lock chamber body and a second position spaced from the load lock chamber body.

10. The chamber of claim 8, further comprising an O-ring coupled to the slit valve door.

11. The chamber of claim 8, wherein the one or more bellows comprises two bellows coupled between the first body and the one or more of a second body and a third body such that an air pocket is enclosed between the first body, at least one of the two bellows, and at least one of the one or more of a second body and a third body of the load lock chamber body.

12. The chamber of claim 8, further comprising one or more bearings disposed between the first body and the second body.

13. The chamber of claim 12, wherein the one or more bearings comprise a material selected from the group consisting of poly ether ether ketone and poly tetrafluoro ethylene.

14. The chamber of claim 13, further comprising a clamp coupled to at least one of the one or more bellows and the first body.

15. The chamber of claim 8, further comprising a clamp coupled to at least one of the one or more bellows and the first body.

16. A method of evacuating a chamber, comprising:

compressing an o-ring between a slit valve door and a chamber body, the slit valve door having a first portion and a second portion; and

drawing a vacuum within the chamber body while moving the first portion of the slit valve door relative to the second portion of the slit valve door to prevent rubbing of the o-ring against the chamber body.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

venting the chamber body while moving the first portion of the slit valve door relative to the second portion of the slit valve door to prevent rubbing of the o-ring against the chamber body; and

pivoting the slit valve door away from the chamber body such that the o-ring is spaced from the chamber body.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the slit valve door comprises a bellows coupled between the second portion and the first portion.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the slit valve door has a bearing coupled between the first portion and the second portion.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the second portion moves along the bearing.