Methods and apparatus to reduce shock in a slit valve door

• US 9,752,703 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2015
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Kho, Jeffrey A.
• Primary Examiner(s): McManmon, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Do, Hailey K
• Application Number:
  US14/682,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20150345660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 251193, 251195, 251196, 251197, 251198, 251199, 251200, 251202, 251326-329, 251333, 251334, 251170, 251356-358, 251167, 251171, 251332
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/10 with special arrangements for separating the sealing faces or for pressing them together
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/18 by movement of the closure members
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 39/04 for sliding valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 47/00 Means in valves for absorbing fluid energy for pipes F16L55/00
• 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 apparatus and methods for sealing a vacuum chamber with a slit valve assembly that in one embodiment includes a housing having side walls and at least one substrate transfer port formed therein, the housing having an interior volume defined by the side walls, a slit valve door disposed within the housing and positionable between an open position clear of the substrate transfer port and a closed position sealing the substrate transfer port, and a bumper assembly disposed on an edge of at least one face of the slit valve door, the bumper assembly comprising a first bumper member made of a first material and a second bumper made of a second material that is different than the first material.

Claims

1. A slit valve assembly, comprising:

a housing having side walls and at least one substrate transfer port formed therein, the housing having an interior volume defined by the side walls;

a slit valve door disposed within the housing and positionable between an open position clear of the at least one substrate transfer port and a closed position sealing the at least one substrate transfer port; and

a bumper assembly disposed on an edge of at least one face of the slit valve door, the bumper assembly comprising a plurality of first bumper members made of a first material and a plurality of second bumper members made of a second material that is different than the first material, wherein the plurality of first bumper members alternate with the plurality of second bumper members along parallel sides of the at least one face of the slit valve door.

2. The slit valve assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of first bumper members project from the at least one face to a first distance and each of the plurality of second bumper members project from the at least one face to a second distance, the second distance being greater than the first distance.

3. The slit valve assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of first bumper members project orthogonally from the at least one face to a first plane and each of the plurality of second bumper members project orthogonally from the at least one face to a second plane, the first plane being different than the second plane.

4. The slit valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the bumper assembly comprises a plurality of first bumper members and a plurality of second bumper members, and at least one of cacti of the plurality of first bumper members or at least one of the plurality of second bumper members comprise a conductive material.

5. The slit valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the first material includes a first hardness and the second material includes a second hardness, wherein the first hardness is greater than the second hardness.

6. The slit valve assembly of claim 5, wherein the bumper assembly comprises a plurality of first bumper members and a plurality of second bumper members, and each of the plurality of first bumper members alternate with each of the plurality of second bumper members along parallel sides of the at least one face.

7. A slit valve assembly, comprising:

a housing having side walls and at least one substrate transfer port formed therein, the housing having an interior volume defined by the side walls;

a slit valve door disposed within the housing and positionable between an open position clear of the substrate transfer port and a closed position sealing the at least one substrate transfer port;

an actuator coupled to the slit valve door and operable to move the slit valve door between the open and closed positions; and

a bumper assembly disposed on parallel edges of at least one face of the slit valve door, the bumper assembly comprising a plurality of first bumper members made of a first material and a plurality of second bumper members aligned with the first bumper members along a length of the parallel edges and made of a second material that is different than the first material, wherein each of the plurality of first bumper members project from the at least one face to a first distance and the plurality of second bumper members project from the at least one face to a second distance, the second distance being greater than the first distance.

8. A slit valve assembly, comprising:

a housing having side walls and at least one substrate transfer port formed therein, the housing having an interior volume defined by the side walls;

a slit valve door disposed within the housing and positionable between an open position clear of the substrate transfer port and a closed position sealing the at least one substrate transfer port;

an actuator coupled to the slit valve door and operable to move the slit valve door between the open and closed positions; and

a bumper assembly disposed on parallel edges of at least one face of the slit valve door, the bumper assembly comprising a plurality of first bumper members made of a first material and a plurality of second bumper members aligned with the first bumper members along a length of the parallel edges and made of a second material that is different than the first material, wherein each of the plurality of first bumper members alternate with each of the plurality of second bumper members.

9. The slit valve assembly of claim 8, wherein at least one of each of the plurality of first bumper members or at least one of each of the plurality of second bumper members comprise a conductive material.

10. A slit valve assembly, comprising:

a housing having side walls and at least one substrate transfer port formed therein, the housing having an interior volume defined by the side walls;

a slit valve door disposed within the housing and positionable between an open position clear of the at least one substrate transfer port and a closed position sealing the at least one substrate transfer port; and

a plurality of first bumper members and a plurality of second bumper members disposed on an edge of at least one face of the slit valve door, one of the plurality of first bumper members and one of the plurality of second bumper members being aligned along a length of the slit valve door, wherein each of the plurality of first bumper members project from the at least one face to a first distance and each of the plurality of second bumper members project from the at least one face to a second distance, the second distance being greater than the first distance.

11. A slit valve assembly, comprising:

a housing having side walls and at least one substrate transfer port formed therein, the housing having an interior volume defined by the side walls;

a slit valve door disposed within the housing and positionable between an open position clear of the at least one substrate transfer port and a closed position sealing the at least one substrate transfer port; and

a plurality of first bumper members and a plurality of second bumper members disposed on an edge of at least one face of the slit valve door, one of the plurality of first bumper members and one of the plurality of second bumper members being aligned along a length of the slit valve door, wherein each of the plurality of first bumper members alternate with each of the plurality of second bumper members along parallel sides of the face.

12. A slit valve assembly, comprising:

a housing having side walls and at least one substrate transfer port formed therein, the housing having an interior volume defined by the side walls;

a slit valve door disposed within the housing and positionable between an open position clear of the at least one substrate transfer port and a closed position sealing the at least one substrate transfer port; and

a plurality of first bumper members and a plurality of second bumper members disposed on an edge of at least one face of the slit valve door, one of the plurality of first bumper members and one of the plurality of second bumper members being aligned along a length of the slit valve door, wherein each of the plurality of first bumper members comprise a material having a first hardness and each of the plurality of second bumper members comprise a material having a second hardness, wherein the first hardness is greater than the second hardness.

13. The slit valve assembly of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of first bumper members comprise a conductive material.