Slit valve door able to compensate for chamber deflection

• US 8,567,756 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2009
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Behdjat, Mehran, Kurita, Shinichi, White, John M., Anwar, Suhail, Inagawa, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): KEASEL, ERIC S
• Application Number:
  US12/548,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20100050534A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,524 Days
• Field of Search: 251/77, 251 84- 86, 251/158, 251/159, 251167-169, 251193-204, 251/333, 251/334, 414/217, 414/221, 414/935, 118/715, 118/719, 156/345.31, 156/345.32
• US Class Current: 251/85
• 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

Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to a slit valve door assembly for sealing an opening in a chamber. A slit valve door that is pressed against the chamber to seal the slit valve opening moves with the chamber as the slit valve opening shrinks so that an o-ring pressed between the slit valve door and the chamber may move with the slit valve door and the chamber. Thus, less rubbing of the o-ring against the chamber may occur. With less rubbing, fewer particles may be generated and the o-ring lifetime may be extended. With a longer lifetime for the o-ring, substrate throughput may be increased.

Claims

1. A slit valve door, comprising:

a first body;

a second body coupled to the first body at an edge thereof and spaced from the first body such that a first slit is present between the first body and the second body;

a first bearing plate coupled between the first body and the second body;

a first bellows coupled between the first body and the second body and over the first slit;

a first clamp coupled to the first bellows, the first body and the second body,

a third body coupled to the first body at an edge thereof and spaced from the first body such that a second slit is present between the first body and the third body;

a second bearing plate coupled between the first body and the third body;

a second bellows coupled between the first body and the third body and over the second slit; and

a second clamp coupled to the second bellows, the first body and the third body.

2. The slit valve door of claim 1, further comprising:

a third bellows coupled between the first body and the second body and over a third slit that is substantially perpendicular to the first slit and formed in the top surface of the slit valve door; and

a third clamp coupled to the third bellows, the first body and the second body.

3. The slit valve door of claim 2, further comprising:

a fourth bellows coupled between the first body and the third body and over a fourth slit that is substantially perpendicular to the second slit and formed in the bottom surface of the slit valve door; and

a fourth clamp coupled to the fourth bellows, the first body and the third body.

4. The slit valve door of claim 3, wherein the first bearing plate and the second bearing plate each comprise a material selected from the group consisting of poly ether ether ketone and poly tetrafluoro ethylene.

5. The slit valve door of claim 4, wherein the first body has an opening therein that extends to the first slit and the second slit.

6. The slit valve door of claim 5, further comprising an O-ring coupled to the first body, the second body and the third body.