US 2004/0164267 A1 · MODIFIED BLADES FOR PROCESS CHAMBER THROTTLE VALVE

Abstract

The valve blades of the present invention facilitate delayed onset and gradual or fine variations in the flow of gas through the throttle valve to achieve a process interval of interior chamber gas pressures over a broader valve blade step range, achieve aggressive PI over a broad range for enhanced tool throughput, enhance stability of interior chamber gas pressures during substrate processing, and increase tool uptime and production efficiency. In one embodiment, each of the two valve blades in the throttle valve includes at least one, and typically, multiple notches or gaps for a delayed onset, and finely-graded increase, in flow of gas through the valve throughout the step range of the valve blades. In another embodiment, the semicircular valve blades have a cam-shaped configuration and are capable of varying the radius of the circle defined by the two blades.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A throttle valve comprising:

a valve frame having a valve opening for receiving a gas;
a pair of semicircular valve blades each including a generally convex sealing surface pivotally mounted in said valve opening for reversibly sealing said valve opening;
wherein said pair of valve blades can be positioned between a closed position defining a circle of first radius wherein said sealing surface engages said valve frame and opened positions defining circles of successively decreasing radius less than said first radius wherein said sealing surface disengages said valve frame;
and
a blade positioning mechanism operably engaging said valve blades for positioning said valve blades between said closed position and said opened positions in said valve opening.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Modified blades for process chamber throttle valve

Life of this patent

Modified blades for process chamber throttle valve

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20