Aperture for linear control of vacuum chamber pressure
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorLin Kun Tzu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The linear controlling of the pressure of a vacuum chamber, such as a plasma etch chamber used in semiconductor processing, is disclosed. A plasma etch chamber pressure control mechanism includes an aperture diaphragm and a number of aperture blades rotatably mounted on the aperture diaphragm. The diaphragm defines a contractible and expandable aperture for controlling the pressure of the chamber. Rotation of the aperture blades in a first direction contracts the aperture by causing movement of the blades towards the aperture, increasing the pressure of the chamber. Rotation of the aperture blades in a second direction opposite to the first direction expands the aperture by causing movement of the blades away from the aperture, decreasing the pressure of the chamber.
Claims9
A mechanism for linearly controlling pressure of a vacuum chamber comprising:
- an aperture diaphragm defining a contractible and expandable aperture for controlling the pressure of the vacuum chamber;
- a plurality of aperture blades rotatably mounted on the aperture diaphragm, such that rotation of the plurality of aperture blades in a first direction contracts the aperture, increasing the pressure of the vacuum chamber, and such that the rotation of the plurality of aperture blades in a second direction opposite to the first direction expands the aperture, decreasing the pressure of the vacuum chamber;
- and
- a rotatable circular frame around the aperture diaphragm having a plurality of inward-facing gear teeth, wherein each aperture blade is rotatably mounted to the aperture diaphragm by a circular gear having a number of gear teeth there around that interlock with the inward-facing gear teeth of the frame, such that rotation of the frame in the first direction causes the rotation of the plurality of aperture blades in the first direction, and such that the rotation of the frame in the second direction causes the rotation of the plurality of aperture blades in the second direction, said rotatable circular frame comprises a plurality of magnets situated there around in a substantially equally spaced configuration, such that application of a magnetic field around the frame causes rotation of the frame.
A mechanism for linearly controlling pressure of a vacuum chamber comprising:
- an aperture diaphragm defining a contractible and expandable aperture for controlling the pressure of the vacuum chamber;
- a plurality of aperture blades, where rotation of the plurality of aperture blades in a first direction contracts the aperture, increasing the pressure of the vacuum chamber, and where the rotation of the plurality of aperture blades in a second direction opposite to the first direction expands the aperture, decreasing the pressure of the vacuum chamber;
- a rotatable circular frame around the aperture diaphragm having a plurality of inward-facing gear teeth, said rotatable circular frame insulates the aperture diaphragm and the plurality of aperture blades in an airtight manner;
- and,
- a plurality of circular gears corresponding to the plurality of aperture blades and rotatably mounting the plurality of aperture blades to the aperture diaphragm, the plurality of circular gears interlocking with the inward-facing gear teeth of the frame, such that rotation of the frame in the first direction causes the rotation of the plurality of aperture blades in the first direction, and such that the rotation of the frame in the second direction causes the rotation of the plurality of aperture blades in the second direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.