TWIN CHAMBER PROCESSING SYSTEM WITH SHARED VACUUM PUMP
First Claim
1. A twin chamber processing system for processing substrates, comprising:
- a first process chamber having a first vacuum pump for maintaining a first operating pressure in a first processing volume of the first process chamber, wherein the first processing volume can be selectively isolated by a first gate valve disposed between the first processing volume and a low pressure side of the first vacuum pump;
a second process chamber having a second vacuum pump for maintaining a second operating pressure in a second processing volume of the second process chamber, wherein the second processing volume can be selectively isolated by a second gate valve disposed between the second processing volume and a low pressure side of the second vacuum pump; and
a shared vacuum pump coupled to the first and second processing volumes for reducing a pressure in each processing volume below a critical pressure level prior to opening the first and second gate valves, wherein the shared vacuum pump can be selectively isolated from any of the first process chamber, the second process chamber, the first vacuum pump, or the second vacuum pump.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for twin chamber processing systems are disclosed, and, in some embodiments, may include a first process chamber having a first vacuum pump to maintain a first operating pressure in a first processing volume selectively isolatable by a first gate valve disposed between the first processing volume and the first vacuum pump; a second process chamber having a second vacuum pump for maintaining a second operating pressure in a second processing volume selectively isolatable by a second gate valve disposed between the second processing volume and the second vacuum pump; and a shared vacuum pump coupled to the first and second processing volumes to reduce a pressure in each processing volume below a critical pressure level, wherein the shared vacuum pump can be selectively isolated from any of the first or second process chambers or the first or second vacuum pumps.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A twin chamber processing system for processing substrates, comprising:
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a first process chamber having a first vacuum pump for maintaining a first operating pressure in a first processing volume of the first process chamber, wherein the first processing volume can be selectively isolated by a first gate valve disposed between the first processing volume and a low pressure side of the first vacuum pump; a second process chamber having a second vacuum pump for maintaining a second operating pressure in a second processing volume of the second process chamber, wherein the second processing volume can be selectively isolated by a second gate valve disposed between the second processing volume and a low pressure side of the second vacuum pump; and a shared vacuum pump coupled to the first and second processing volumes for reducing a pressure in each processing volume below a critical pressure level prior to opening the first and second gate valves, wherein the shared vacuum pump can be selectively isolated from any of the first process chamber, the second process chamber, the first vacuum pump, or the second vacuum pump. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of reducing pressure in each chamber of a twin chamber processing system to a desired operating pressure, comprising:
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reducing a pressure of a first processing volume of a first process chamber of a twin chamber processing system below a critical pressure level using a shared vacuum pump coupled to the first processing volume and a second processing volume of a second process chamber of the twin chamber processing system, wherein the second processing volume is isolated from the first processing volume and the shared vacuum pump; reducing a pressure in the first processing volume from below the critical pressure level to a first operating pressure using a first vacuum pump coupled to the first processing volume after the first processing volume is isolated from the shared vacuum pump; opening the second processing volume to the shared vacuum pump after isolating the first processing volume having a pressure below the critical pressure level from the shared vacuum pump; reducing the second processing volume of the second process chamber below the critical pressure level using the shared vacuum pump; and reducing a pressure in the second processing volume from below the critical pressure level to a second operating pressure using a second vacuum pump coupled to the second processing volume after isolating the second processing volume from the shared vacuum pump. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification