Electronically actuated valve

An electronically controlled valve assembly, comprising:

• a valve body having a valve seat, and a reactant inlet and a gas outlet below the seat, the gas inlet being in fluid communication with a reactant source, and the gas outlet being in fluid communication with a substrate processing chamber;
• a piston movable within the valve body above the valve seat between an open position and a closed position;
• a diaphragm disposed at an end of the piston, the diaphragm being configured to seal the at least one gas inlet when the piston is moved to its closed position;
• a biasing spring acting on the piston and connected diaphragm;
• a solenoid coil for generating a magnetic field;
• and
• a magnetic member, the magnetic member and the solenoid coil moving relatively away from each other when the solenoid coil is electromagnetically induced, such relative movement selectively moving the piston between its open and closed positions.

A method of injecting a reactant into a substrate processing chamber, comprising the steps of:

• placing a reactant gas source in fluid communication with an electronically controlled valve assembly, the valve assembly comprising:
• a valve body having a valve seat, a reactant inlet and a gas outlet,
• a piston movable within the valve body above the valve seat between an open position and a closed position, the piston being configured to seal the reactant inlet when the piston is moved to its closed position,
• a solenoid coil for generating a magnetic field, and
• a magnetic member, the magnetic member and the solenoid coil moving relatively away from each other when the solenoid coil is electromagnetically induced, such relative movement selectively moving the piston between its open and closed positions;
• and
• directing a current to the solenoid coil to magnetically induce the coil, causing the piston to move relative to the valve seat.