SLIT VALVE CONTROL
First Claim
1. A method of sealing a chamber coupled to a slit valve assembly, the chamber having an opening sized to permit a substrate to pass therethrough, the method comprising:
- actuating a slit valve door within a slit valve assembly body in a first direction from a first position to a second position, the slit valve door having one or more o-rings coupled thereto, the slit valve assembly body having and interior volume defined by walls, the slit valve assembly body having an opening extending through the slit valve assembly body that is aligned with the opening of the chamber;
actuating at least a first portion of the slit valve door in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction for a first period of time, a first distance, and a first speed of between about 12 mm/sec to about 18 mm/sec;
detecting when the one or more o-rings contact an inside surface of the walls; and
actuating the first portion of the slit valve door in the second direction in response to the detecting for a second period of time, a second distance, and a second speed such that the second distance is less than the first distance, the second speed is between about 0.5 mm/sec and about 0.7 mm/sec, and the second period of time is less than the first period of time.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to methods for sealing a processing chamber with a slit valve door. The door initially raises from a position below the opening for the processing chamber to a raised position. The door then expands until an O-ring that is on the door just touches the sealing surface. Then, the door expands again to compress the O-ring against the sealing surface. The door expands by flowing a gas into the interior volume of the door. By controlling the pressure buildup within the door, the speed with which the door expands is controlled to ensure that the door gently contacts the sealing surface and then compresses against the sealing surface. Thus, the door may be prevented from contacting the sealing surface with too great a force that may jolt or shake the processing chamber and produce undesired particles that may contaminate the process.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method of sealing a chamber coupled to a slit valve assembly, the chamber having an opening sized to permit a substrate to pass therethrough, the method comprising:
-
actuating a slit valve door within a slit valve assembly body in a first direction from a first position to a second position, the slit valve door having one or more o-rings coupled thereto, the slit valve assembly body having and interior volume defined by walls, the slit valve assembly body having an opening extending through the slit valve assembly body that is aligned with the opening of the chamber; actuating at least a first portion of the slit valve door in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction for a first period of time, a first distance, and a first speed of between about 12 mm/sec to about 18 mm/sec; detecting when the one or more o-rings contact an inside surface of the walls; and actuating the first portion of the slit valve door in the second direction in response to the detecting for a second period of time, a second distance, and a second speed such that the second distance is less than the first distance, the second speed is between about 0.5 mm/sec and about 0.7 mm/sec, and the second period of time is less than the first period of time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method of sealing a chamber having an opening sized to permit a substrate to pass therethrough, comprising:
-
flowing a gas into an interior of a slit valve door to pressurize the interior of the slit valve door to a first pressure, the slit valve door disposed in a slit valve assembly body that is coupled with the chamber, the slit valve assembly body having an opening therethrough that is aligned with the opening of the chamber, the slit valve door having walls that enclose an interior volume; expanding the slit valve door until one or more O-rings coupled to the slit valve door contacts an interior surface of the walls and the slit valve door is spaced a first distance from the interior surface of the walls; flowing the gas into the interior of the slit valve door to pressurize the interior of the slit valve door to a second pressure; and compressing the one or more O-rings between the slit valve door and the interior surface of the walls such that the slit valve door is spaced a second distance from the interior surface of the walls that is less than the first distance. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A slit valve door assembly, comprising:
-
a slit valve chamber body having at least one opening sized to permit a substrate to pass therethrough, the slit valve chamber body having a first interior volume defined by walls; a slit valve door disposed within the slit valve door chamber body, the slit valve door is expandable and has a second volume; one or more O-rings coupled with the slit valve door; one or more springs disposed within the second interior volume; one or more support shafts coupled with the slit valve door; an actuator coupled with the one or more shafts and capable of raising and lowering the shaft and slit valve door within the slit valve door chamber body, the actuator capable of moving the slit valve door from a first position to a second position above the first position; and a control box coupled with the actuator, slit valve door, and slit valve door chamber body. - View Dependent Claims (20)
-
Specification