Sealing apparatus for a vacuum processing system
First Claim
1. An apparatus for the vacuum processing of semiconductor wafers comprising a first chamber;
- a second chamber adjacent the first chamber;
a wall separating said first chamber from said second chamber, said wall having an aperture formed therein providing communication between said first and second chambers; and
a valve element engageable with said wall over said aperture and being operable to selectively open and close communication between said first and second chambers;
means applying a closing force to said valve element against said wall, said force applying means comprising a ramp element fixed to said valve element; and
clamp means acting against said ramp element, said clamp means including a contact element movable along said ramp in a direction wherein said contact element is operable to apply an increasing closing force component to said valve element as said contact element moves along said ramp element, and means for moving said contact element along said ramp element.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sealing arrangement for a vacuum processing system for semiconductor wafers which is effective to apply a sealing force to a valve element (66) between chambers of the processing system. The valve element is defined by a platen which holds wafers (30) for transfer between a horizontal receiving position within a staging chamber (14) to a vertical position within a processing chamber (16-19). The sealing arrangement includes a pair of toggle mechanisms (268) which are manually operable from outside the staging chamber and which, in conjunction with the closing force applied by the platen operating mechanism (165) are effective to maintain vacuum integrity within the staging chamber when the process chamber is at atmospheric pressure or removed for servicing.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An apparatus for the vacuum processing of semiconductor wafers comprising a first chamber;
- a second chamber adjacent the first chamber;
a wall separating said first chamber from said second chamber, said wall having an aperture formed therein providing communication between said first and second chambers; and
a valve element engageable with said wall over said aperture and being operable to selectively open and close communication between said first and second chambers;
means applying a closing force to said valve element against said wall, said force applying means comprising a ramp element fixed to said valve element; and
clamp means acting against said ramp element, said clamp means including a contact element movable along said ramp in a direction wherein said contact element is operable to apply an increasing closing force component to said valve element as said contact element moves along said ramp element, and means for moving said contact element along said ramp element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
- a second chamber adjacent the first chamber;
Specification