Two-piece slit valve insert for vacuum processing system

• US 6,045,620 A
• Filed: 07/11/1997
• Issued: 04/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Lowrance, Robert B., Tepman, Avi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bryant, David P.
• Application Number:
  US08/893,813
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 29/743, 29/DIG. 44, 29/428, 29/469, 29/525.01, 29/888.3, 29/401.1, 414/217, 414/939, 251/361, 137/527, 118/719, 118/733, 204/298.25
• US Class Current: 118/733
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67126 Apparatus for sealing, encapsulating, glassing, decapsulating or the like processes H01L23/02, H01L23/28
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/139 including wafer charging or discharging means for vacuum chamber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49716 Converting

Abstract

A vacuum processing system has a transfer chamber with a slit valve at which is attached a process chamber and with a slit valve insert disposed in the slit valve for matching up with the process chamber. The slit valve may be made of two pieces, an outer portion that slides into the transfer chamber'"'"'s slit valve opening from the outside of the transfer chamber, and an inner portion that slides into the outer portion from the inside of the transfer chamber. The portions of the insert permit any process chamber to be attached to any slit valve opening. The outer portion may not be removed from the slit valve opening when a process chamber is attached to the transfer chamber, but the inner portion may be easily removed for servicing regardless of in whether a process chamber is attached.

Claims

1. A slit valve adapter for matching a first vacuum chamber opening with a second vacuum chamber opening, comprising:

a first portion for inserting into the first vacuum chamber opening; and

a second portion for inserting into the first portion and including a valve door seating surface;

wherein the adapter defines a transfer passageway providing communication between the first vacuum chamber and the second vacuum chamber.

2. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the second portion defines the transfer passageway.

3. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the first vacuum chamber is a transfer chamber.

4. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the second portion is at least slidably disposed in the first portion and is secured thereto by fasteners.

5. The adapter of claim 1, further comprising a slit valve door to selectively engage the valve door seating surface and seal the first vacuum chamber from the second vacuum chamber.

6. The adapter of claim 1 further comprising cooperating holes in each of the first and second portions to enable selective coupling of the first and second portions by inserting fasteners through the holes.

7. A slit valve adapter for matching a transfer chamber opening with a process chamber opening, the adapter comprising:

an outer portion for inserting into the transfer chamber opening; and

an inner portion for inserting into the outer portion;

wherein the outer portion and the inner portion have substantially conforming, corresponding sliding surfaces, whereby the inner portion slides into the outer portion;

wherein the inner portion includes a valve door seating surface.

8. The adapter of claim 7 wherein:

the inner portion includes an opening for matching with the process chamber opening.

9. The adapter of claim 7 wherein:

the valve door seating surface is an angled rear surface for receiving a biasing pressure for forming an airtight seal.

10. The adapter of claim 7 wherein:

the outer portion is a substantially rectangular block and includes;

a substantially planar front face;

a substantially planar rear face;

a substantially rectangular hole extending from the rear face to the front face;

a bottom wall having a top surface defining a bottom wall of the substantially rectangular hole;

a front wall extending partially along the front face upwardly from the bottom wall, the front wall having a top face and an inner rear face; and

a top wall having a substantially rectangular cut-out extending forwardly from the rear face and having a bottom surface, the cut-out defining an inward rear face of the top wall; and

the inner portion includes;

a substantially planar front face, the front face of the inner portion being substantially flush with the front face of the outer portion;

an upper angled rear face;

a substantially rectangular hole extending from the upper angled rear face to the front face of the inner portion;

a lower angled rear face joining the upper angled rear face at an inner angle; and

a multiplanar outer surface that substantially conforms to the bottom surface and the inward rear face of the top wall of the outer portion, to the top surface of the bottom wall of the outer portion, and to the top face and inner rear face of the front wall of the outer portion;

whereby;

the inner portion slides into the outer portion along the bottom surface of the top wall of the outer portion, the top surface of the bottom wall of the outer portion and the top face of the front wall of the outer portion with corresponding conforming outer surfaces of the multiplanar outer surface of the inner portion.

11. The adapter of claim 7, wherein the adapter defines a wafer transfer passageway.

12. The adapter of claim 7 further comprising cooperating holes in each of the inner and outer portions to enable selective coupling of the inner and outer portions by inserting fasteners through the holes.

13. The adapter of claim 7 wherein the transfer chamber includes a valve door disposed therein to selectively engage the valve door seating surface and seal the process chamber from the transfer chamber.

14. A slit valve adapter for matching a first chamber opening with a second chamber opening, the adapter comprising:

an outer portion for inserting into the first chamber opening, the outer portion comprising;

a first front face;

a rear face; and

an inner surface defining an opening extending between the first front face and the rear face; and

an inner portion at least partially slidably disposed on the inner surface of the outer portion, comprising;

a second front face, the second front face and the first front face defining a substantially planar front surface;

a rear valve door seating surface; and

a transfer passageway extending between the second front face and the rear seating surface.

15. The adapter of claim 14 further comprising a seal disposed on the second front face.

16. The adapter of claim 14 further comprising cooperating holes in each of the inner and outer portions to enable selective coupling of the inner and outer portions by inserting fasteners through the holes.

17. The adapter of claim 14 wherein a first chamber having the first chamber opening formed therein includes a valve door disposed therein to selectively engage the valve door seating surface and seal the first chamber from a second chamber having the second chamber opening formed therein.