PRESSURE CONTROLLING APPARATUS

• US 20120227830A1
• Filed: 03/09/2012
• Published: 09/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Eto, Hideo, Saito, Makoto, Nishiyama, Nobuyasu
• Granted Patent: US 8,833,388 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/67
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 16/202 actuated by an electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67253 Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1624 Destructible or deformable element controlled
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7761 Electrically actuated valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87917 Flow path with serial valves and/or closures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87925 Separable flow path section, valve or closure in each

Abstract

According to one embodiment, there is provided pressure controlling apparatus including a detecting unit, an exhaust pipe, a regulating valve, and a pressure controlling unit. The regulating valve includes a valve port, a changing unit, and a slide valve. The valve port is communicated with the exhaust pipe. The changing unit changes a shape of the valve port to a different shape whose center is located near the central axis of the exhaust pipe. The slide valve regulates an opening degree of the valve port changed by the changing unit. The pressure controlling unit controls changing of a shape of the valve port by the changing unit and regulation of an opening degree of the valve port by the slide valve.

Claims

1. A pressure controlling apparatus that controls pressure of a processing gas in a processing chamber of a plasma processing apparatus that generates plasma from a processing gas introduced into the processing chamber and processes a processing target substrate, the pressure controlling apparatus comprising:

a detecting unit that detects pressure of a processing gas in the processing chamber;

an exhaust pipe that is communicated with the processing chamber and has a central axis passing a center of the processing chamber;

a regulating valve arranged in the exhaust pipe; and

a pressure controlling unit that controls the regulating valve so that pressure detected by the detecting unit matches a target value, wherein

the regulating valve includes

a valve port communicated with the exhaust pipe,

a changing unit that changes a shape of the valve port to a different shape whose center is located near the central axis of the exhaust pipe, and

a slide valve that regulates an opening degree of the valve port changed by the changing unit, and

the pressure controlling unit controls changing of a shape of the valve port by the changing unit and regulation of an opening degree of the valve port by the slide valve.

2. The pressure controlling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the changing unit includes an orifice unit that has an opening having an area smaller than the valve port and, by inserting the orifice unit into the valve port, changes an area of the valve port to an area smaller than an area before inserting the orifice unit.

3. The pressure controlling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the slide valve is located on an upstream side of the orifice unit in a flow path of the valve port.

4. The pressure controlling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the slide valve is located on a downstream side of the orifice unit in a flow path of the valve port.

5. The pressure controlling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the orifice unit and the slide valve have a common rotation shaft, and

the pressure controlling unit rotates the orifice unit and the slide valve independently from each other.

6. The pressure controlling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the changing unit includes a plurality of orifice units whose opening shape and/or opening area is different from each other.

7. The pressure controlling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an opening shape of the orifice unit is a rectangular shape having a longitudinal direction in a direction in which the slide valve slides.

8. The pressure controlling apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the slide valve is a pendulum valve.

9. The pressure controlling apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the changing unit selectively inserts any of the orifice units into the valve port.

10. The pressure controlling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the orifice unit is inserted into a position spaced from the slide valve and is moved to approach the slide valve along a flow path of the valve port.

11. The pressure controlling apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

the orifice unit includes

a tubular member that defines the valve port,

a first hollow plate that extends outwardly from an end portion of the tubular member on the slide valve side, and

a second hollow plate that extends outwardly from an end portion of the tubular member on an opposite side of the slide valve.

12. The pressure controlling apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the slide valve is located on an upstream side of the orifice unit in a flow path of the valve port, and

the second hollow plate is supported by a rotation shaft and is moved to approach the slide valve via the rotation shaft.

13. The pressure controlling apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the slide valve is located on a downstream side of the orifice unit in a flow path of the valve port, and

the first hollow plate is supported by a rotation shaft and is moved to approach the slide valve via the rotation shaft.

14. The pressure controlling apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the orifice unit includes an accommodation space wall that forms an accommodation space accommodating the first hollow plate, the tubular member, and the second hollow plate.

15. The pressure controlling apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the accommodation space formed by the accommodation space wall is arranged adjacent to the exhaust pipe and is communicated with the exhaust pipe at a position spaced from the slide valve.

16. A pressure controlling apparatus that controls pressure of a processing gas in a processing chamber of a plasma processing apparatus that generates plasma from a processing gas introduced into the processing chamber and processes a processing target substrate, the pressure controlling apparatus comprising:

a detecting unit that detects pressure of a processing gas in the processing chamber;

an exhaust pipe that is communicated with the processing chamber and has a central axis passing a center of the processing chamber;

a regulating valve arranged in the exhaust pipe; and

a pressure controlling unit that controls the regulating valve so that pressure detected by the detecting unit matches a target value, wherein

the regulating valve includes

a valve port communicated with the exhaust pipe,

a changing unit that changes a shape of the valve port to a different shape whose center is located near the central axis of the exhaust pipe, and

a throttle mechanism that continuously changes an opening degree of the valve port changed by the changing unit, and

the pressure controlling unit controls changing of a shape of the valve port by the changing unit and continuous changing of an opening degree of the valve port by the throttle mechanism.

17. The pressure controlling apparatus according to claim 16, wherein

the throttle mechanism includes

a doughnut-shaped member that has an opening corresponding to the valve port and a plurality of rails extending away from the opening, and

a plurality of blades travelling along the rails.

18. The pressure controlling apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the throttle mechanism includes a plurality of ball bearings provided on the rails.

19. The pressure controlling apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the throttle mechanism includes a controller that causes the blades to travel along the rails by rotating the doughnut-shaped member.

20. The pressure controlling apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the controller causes the blades to travel in a direction toward the opening by rotating the doughnut-shaped member clockwise.