METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEALING AN OPENING OF A PROCESSING CHAMBER

• US 20120103989A1
• Filed: 01/12/2012
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Kurita, Shinichi, Matsumoto, Takayuki, Tiner, Robin L., White, John M., Anwar, Suhail
• Granted Patent: US 9,458,538 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 220/260
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45517 Confinement of gases to vicinity of substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/54 Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating

Abstract

A method and apparatus for sealing an opening of a processing chamber are provided. In one embodiment, the invention generally provides a closure member integrated within a wall of a process chamber for sealing an opening within the wall of the chamber. In another embodiment, the invention provides a closure member configured to seal an opening in the wall of a processing chamber from the inside of the chamber.

Claims

1. A processing chamber, comprising:

a chamber body having a bottom, a first wall, and a second wall, the first wall and second wall having a processing volume defined between the first wall and second wall, the second wall having a rear plate and a front plate, the front plate having a first opening extending to the processing volume, a second opening extending through the rear plate, wherein the first and second opening form a substrate transfer opening through the second wall, and wherein a closure member is integrated into the chamber body and disposed between the front plate and the rear plate of the second wall; and

a deployment mechanism configured to move the closure member with respect to the opening.

2. The processing chamber of claim 1, wherein the closure member comprises a door member configured to contact the front plate to seal the opening and a bracing member moveable with respect to the door member configured to contact the rear plate.

3. The processing chamber of claim 2, further comprising an actuator configured to move the bracing member away from the door member and into contact with the rear plate so as to brace the door member against the front plate.

4. The processing chamber of claim 3, further comprising a conductive bumper to establish electrical contact between the door member and the front plate.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the door member comprises resilient member.

6. The processing chamber of claim 5, wherein the wall comprises an upper portion with a groove disposed in a lower surface thereof and a lower portion with a lip extending therefrom.

7. The processing chamber of claim 6, wherein the closure member has a tongue member extending from an upper surface thereof and a recess with an electrically conductive resilient member disposed thereon.

8. The processing chamber of claim 7, wherein the electrically conductive resilient member is a conductive elastomer.

9. The processing chamber of claim 7, wherein the electrically conductive resilient member comprises a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum plated stainless steel, high nickel alloy steel, and chromium-nickel alloy steel.

10. The processing chamber of claim 7, wherein the wall comprises a wall member attached to the floor and a plate member fastened to the wall member above the opening.

11. The processing chamber of claim 10, wherein a recess is formed in the plate member.

12. The processing chamber of claim 4, such that an RF return path is configured to extend through the first opening, across the closure member and back through the first opening along an interior chamber surface of the first plate.

13. The processing chamber of claim 12, wherein the distance between the interior chamber surface of the first plate and the closure member is about 10 cm or less.

14. The processing chamber of claim 12, wherein the RF return path extending into the first opening is 10 cm or less.

15. The processing chamber of claim 12, wherein the RF return path extends partially through the substrate transfer opening.