Method and apparatus for sealing an opening of a processing chamber

• US 9,458,538 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2012
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Kurita, Shinichi, Matsumoto, Takayuki, Tiner, Robin L., White, John M., Anwar, Suhail
• Primary Examiner(s): Yuan, Dah-Wei D
• Assistant Examiner(s): KITT, STEPHEN A
• Application Number:
  US13/349,307
• Publication Number:
  US 20120103989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,727 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45517 Confinement of gases to vicinity of substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/54 Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating

Abstract

A method and apparatus for sealing an opening of a processing chamber are provided. In one embodiment, the invention generally provides a closure member integrated within a wall of a process chamber for sealing an opening within the wall of the chamber. In another embodiment, the invention provides a closure member configured to seal an opening in the wall of a processing chamber from the inside of the chamber.

Claims

1. A processing chamber, comprising:

a chamber body having a bottom, a first wall, and a second wall, the second wall having a rear plate and a front plate, wherein facing surfaces of the rear plate and the front plate define an enclosure therebetween, wherein facing surfaces of the first wall and the front plate define a processing volume therebetween, wherein the processing volume extends to the surface of the front plate facing the rear plate, the front plate having a first opening defined between the surface of the front plate facing the rear plate and the surface facing the first wall, the opening connecting the enclosure to the processing volume, a second opening extending through the rear plate from the enclosure, wherein the first and second opening form a substrate transfer opening through the second wall, and wherein a closure member is integrated into the chamber body and disposed in the enclosure between the front plate and the rear plate of the second wall, and wherein the closure member is configured to contact the surface of the front plate facing the rear plate and seal the first opening to isolate the enclosure from the processing volume; and

a deployment mechanism configured to move the closure member with respect to the first opening.

2. The processing chamber of claim 1, wherein the closure member comprises a door member configured to contact the front plate to seal the opening and a bracing member moveable with respect to the door member configured to contact the rear plate.

3. The processing chamber of claim 2, further comprising an actuator configured to move the bracing member away from the door member and into contact with the rear plate so as to brace the door member against the front plate.

4. The processing chamber of claim 3, further comprising a conductive bumper to establish electrical contact between the door member and the front plate.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the closure member comprises resilient member.

6. The processing chamber of claim 4, such that an RF conductive path is configured to extend through the first opening, across the closure member and back through the first opening along an interior chamber surface of the first plate.

7. The processing chamber of claim 6, wherein the distance between the interior chamber surface of the first plate and the closure member is about 10 cm or less.

8. The processing chamber of claim 6, wherein the RF conductive path extending into the first opening is 10 cm or less.

9. The processing chamber of claim 6, wherein the RF conductive path extends partially through the substrate transfer opening.