Two-piece slit valve door with molded-in-place seal for a vacuum processing system

• US 6,089,543 A
• Filed: 07/11/1997
• Issued: 07/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Freerks, Frederik W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hepperle, Stephen M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bastianelli, John
• Application Number:
  US08/893,812
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 251/356, 251/357
• US Class Current: 251/357
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/0227 Packings
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 51/02 specially adapted for high-vacuum installations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67126 Apparatus for sealing, encapsulating, glassing, decapsulating or the like processes H01L23/02, H01L23/28

Abstract

A vacuum processing system may have a two-piece slit valve door, including a seal plate mounted on a mounting member, for closing the slit valve in a vacuum chamber. The seal plate, the piece that actually contacts the slit valve, may have a molded-in-place seal for making the contact and preventing metal-to-metal contact between the door and the valve. The seal may have a parabolic profile and be adhesively bonded within a groove in order to enhance its compressive and sealing capabilities. The seal plate may be removable for ease of service or replacement. Any particles generated by metal-to-metal contact between the seal plate and its mounting member may be captured by an O-ring statically sealed around the periphery between the two pieces.

Claims

1. A vacuum processing system comprising:

two or more chambers in fluid communication with each other;

an opening disposed between the two or more chambers;

a seal plate disposed adjacent the opening and removably mounted to a mounting member;

a groove formed in the seal plate near a periphery of the seal plate and having a seal molded at least partially thereon; and

a seal ring disposed between the mounting member and the seal plate along a periphery of the mounting member and the seal plate.

2. The vacuum processing system of claim 1 wherein:

the seal has a substantially parabolic sealing surface.

3. The vacuum processing system of claim 2 wherein the parabolic sealing surface is convex near an apex of the seal and the seal has a convex shape on each side of the parabolic sealing surface.

4. The vacuum processing system of claim 1 wherein the seal plate is mounted to a mounting member disposed within at least one of the chambers, the mounting member having a substantially planar face and a ridge disposed near a periphery of the substantially planar face.

5. A vacuum processing system comprising:

two or more chambers in fluid communication with each other;

an opening disposed between the two or more chambers;

a mounting member disposed within at least one of the chambers;

a seal plate having a seal and being removably mounted to the mounting member; and

a seal ring disposed between the mounting member and the seal plate along a periphery of the mounting member and the seal plate.

6. A vacuum processing system comprising:

two or more chambers in fluid communication with each other;

an opening disposed between the two or more chambers;

a mounting member disposed within at least one of the chambers;

a seal plate mounted to the mounting member on a first side and having a seal on a second side opposing the first side; and

a seal ring disposed between the mounting member and the seal plate along a periphery of the mounting member and the seal plate.

7. The vacuum processing system of claim 6 wherein:

the mounting member has a substantially planar face and further comprises

a ridge disposed near a periphery of the substantially planar face, the ridge being substantially aligned with the seal of the seal plate.

8. The vacuum processing system of claim 7 wherein:

the seal plate has a substantially planar face; and

the seal ring is displaced adjacent an outer surface of the ridge and is taller than the ridge.

9. A valve door for use in a vacuum processing system, the valve door comprising:

a seal plate mounted to a mounting member and disposed adjacent a valve of the vacuum processing system;

a seal ring disposed between the mounting member and the seal plate; and

a groove formed near a periphery of the seal plate and having a seal formed in place on said groove which conforms to the shape of the groove in an uncompressed state.

10. The valve door of claim 9 wherein the seal plate is removably mounted to the mounting member.

11. The valve door of claim 10 wherein the seal ring is disposed along a periphery of the mounting member and the seal plate.

12. The valve door of claim 9 wherein the seal plate is mounted to a mounting member disposed within at least one of the chambers, the mounting member having a substantially planar face and a ridge disposed near a periphery of the substantially planar face.

13. The valve door of claim 9 wherein:

the seal has a substantially parabolic sealing surface.

14. The valve door of claim 13 wherein:

the parabolic sealing surface is convex near an apex of the seal and the seal has a convex shape on each side of the parabolic sealing surface.

15. The valve door of claim 9 wherein:

the seal is adhesively connected to a surface of the groove.

16. A valve door for use in a vacuum processing system, comprising:

a mounting member;

a seal plate having a seal and being removably mounted to the mounting member; and

a seal ring disposed between the mounting member and the seal plate.

17. A valve door for use in a vacuum processing system, comprising:

a mounting member;

a seal plate having a seal, the seal plate being mounted to the mounting member and having a portion that contacts a portion of the mounting member; and

a seal ring disposed between the mounting member and the seal plate along a periphery of the mounting member and the seal plate.

18. The valve door of claim 17 wherein:

the mounting member has a substantially planar face and further comprises a ridge disposed near a periphery of the substantially planar face, the ridge being substantially aligned with the seal of the seal plate.

19. The valve door of claim 18 wherein:

the seal plate has a substantially planar face; and

the seal ring is displaced adjacent an outer surface of the ridge and is taller than the ridge.

21. The vacuum processing system of claim 17 wherein:

the seal plate is removably mounted to the mounting member.

20. A vacuum processing system comprising:

two or more chambers in fluid communication with each other;

a valve disposed between the two or more chambers;

a seal plate disposed adjacent the valve, the seal plate being mounted to a mounting member;

a seal ring disposed between the mounting member and the seal plate along a periphery of the mounting member and the seal plate;

a groove formed in the seal plate near a periphery of the seal plate; and

a seal disposed in the groove.