Double slit-valve doors for plasma processing

A substrate processing chamber for use with a sealing door, and enclosing a substrate processing location space, the chamber comprising:

• a hollow chamber body having an exterior surface and an interior surface, the interior surface defining the substrate processing location space, wherein a substrate transfer passage extends through the chamber body from the exterior surface to the interior surface, the substrate transfer passage being sized to pass a substrate therethrough;
• a door seat disposed where the substrate transfer passage terminates at the exterior surface of the hollow chamber body, the door seat being configured to cooperate with the sealing door to selectively seal said substrate transfer passage;
• and
• a passage door disposed inside the hollow chamber body, adjacent to the substrate transfer passage, and being moveable so as to selectively block the substrate transfer passage;
• wherein the passage door is moveable in a vertical direction and is selectively controlled through movement of a bellows assembly via which a support for said door is provided;
• wherein the passage door is supported by two or more support rods;
• and
• wherein a first of the two or more support rods is fixed to the passage door via a tightly clamped connection, wherein a second of the two or more support rods is connected to the passage door via a floating connection while maintaining the orientation of the passage door in a vertical direction and in a direction approximately perpendicular to a long axis of the passage door, the floating connection permitting the second support rod to move with respect to the passage door in a direction approximately along the long axis of the passage door.

A liner assembly for use in a plasma processing chamber th at confines a substrate processing plasma envelope and has a substrate transfer passage sized to permit movement into and out of the chamber of a substrate to be processed, the liner assembly comprising:

• a liner adapted to line the interior surface of the plasma processing chamber to confine the substrate plasma processing envelope and protect interior surfaces of the chamber from deposition of materials from the plasma, wherein the substrate transfer passage passes through the liner, and
• an inner slit passage door selectively movable from an open position to a closed position between the interior surface of the plasma processing chamber and the liner,
• wherein the open position permits the substrate to be processed to pass through the substrate transfer passage, and
• wherein in the closed position the inner slit passage door blocks the substrate transfer passage.

A liner assembly for use in a substrate vacuum processing chamber having a substrate processing location therein, the liner assembly comprising:

• a liner sized to surround the substrate processing location in the vacuum processing chamber, wherein the liner has a substrate transfer opening disposed therethrough, and
• a liner door selectively movable from an open position to a closed position,
• wherein the open position permits a substrate to be processed to pass through the substrate transfer opening,
• wherein in the closed position the liner door is positioned in close proximity to but not touching the liner all around the substrate transfer opening,
• wherein in the closed position the liner door blocks the substrate transfer opening,
• wherein in the closed position the edges of the liner door overlap the edge of the substrate transfer opening;
• wherein the liner door is supported by two support rods;
• and
• where a first of the two support rods is fixed to the liner door through a tightly clamped connection, while a second of the two support rods is connected to the liner door through a floating connection which maintains the liner door's orientation in a vertical direction and in a direction approximately perpendicular to a long axis of the liner door, and is free to move in a direction approximately along the long axis of the liner door.

A plasma processing chamber confining a substrate processing plasma envelope, the chamber being connected to a substrate transfer chamber having an outer slit valve door, the chamber comprising:

• a chamber body enclosing a substrate processing location space, the chamber body including a substrate transfer passage extending from the outer slit valve door to the substrate processing location space, the substrate transfer passage being sized to pass a substrate therethrough;
• a chamber liner lining the interior surface of the chamber body to enclose the substrate processing location space, confine the substrate plasma processing envelope, and protect the interior surface from deposition of materials from the plasma, wherein the substrate transfer passage extends through the chamber liner, and wherein the chamber liner has a door recess formed therein;
• and
• an inner slit passage door disposed in the door recess to selectively block the substrate transfer passage at the chamber liner.

A plasma processing chamber for use with an outer slit valve door, and enclosing a substrate processing location space, the chamber comprising:

• a hollow chamber body having an exterior surface and an interior surface;
• a substrate transfer passage extending from the outer slit valve door into the hollow chamber body to the substrate processing space;
• and
• an inner slit passage door disposed inside the hollow chamber body, adjacent to the substrate transfer passage, and being moveable so as to selectively block the substrate transfer passage;
• and
• a curved chamber liner lining the interior surface of the hollow chamber body to enclose the substrate processing location space and protect the interior surface from deposition of materials from the plasma, the chamber liner having both a slit passage and a door recess formed therein, the slit passage and the door recess being substantially aligned with the substrate transfer passage;
• wherein the passage door is positioned in the door recess, and is curved to match the configuration of the curved chamber liner and entirely block the slit passage when moved so as to selectively block the substrate transfer passage.

A plasma processing chamber confining a substrate processing plasma envelope, the chamber being connected to a substrate transfer chamber having an outer slit valve door, the chamber comprising:

• a chamber body enclosing a substrate processing location space, the chamber body including a substrate transfer passage extending from the outer slit valve door to the substrate processing location space, the substrate transfer passage being sized to pass a substrate therethrough;
• a chamber liner lining the interior surface of the chamber body to enclose the substrate processing location space, confine the substrate plasma processing envelope, and protect the interior surface from deposition of materials from the plasma, wherein the substrate transfer passage extends through the chamber liner;
• and
• an inner slit passage door disposed between the interior surface of the chamber body and the chamber liner to selectively block the substrate transfer passage at the chamber liner.

A plasma processing chamber for use with an outer slit valve door, and enclosing a substrate processing location space, the chamber comprising:

• a hollow chamber body having an exterior surface and an interior surface;
• a substrate transfer passage extending from the outer slit valve door into the hollow chamber body to the substrate processing space;
• and
• an inner slit passage door disposed inside the hollow chamber body, adjacent to the substrate transfer passage, and being moveable so as to selectively block the substrate transfer passage;
• and
• a curved chamber liner lining the interior surface of the hollow chamber body to enclose the substrate processing location space and protect the interior surface from deposition of materials from the plasma, the chamber liner having a slit passage formed therein, the slit passage being substantially aligned with the substrate transfer passage;
• wherein the passage door is curved to match the configuration of the curved chamber liner and entirely block the slit passage when moved so as to selectively block the substrate transfer passage between the interior surface of the hollow chamber body and the chamber liner.

A plasma processing chamber for confining a substrate processing plasma envelope, the chamber being connected to a substrate transfer chamber having an outer slit valve door, the chamber comprising:

• a hollow chamber body having an exterior surface and an interior surface;
• a chamber liner lining the interior surface of the hollow chamber body to confine the substrate plasma processing envelope and protect the interior surface from deposition of materials from the plasma, the chamber liner having a door recess formed therein;
• a substrate transfer passage extending from the outer slit valve door into the hollow chamber body and through the chamber liner;
• and
• an inner slit passage door disposed inside the hollow chamber body and being moveable so as to be positioned in the door recess to selectively block the substrate transfer passage.

A liner assembly for use in a plasma processing chamber that confines a substrate processing plasma envelope and has a substrate transfer passage sized to permit movement into and out of the chamber of a substrate to be processed, the liner assembly comprising:

• a liner adapted to line the interior surface of the plasma processing chamber to confine the substrate plasma processing envelope and protect interior surfaces of the chamber from deposition of materials from the plasma, wherein the substrate transfer passage passes through the liner and wherein the liner has a door recess formed therein, and
• an inner slit passage door selectively movable from an open position to a closed position in the door recess,
• wherein the open position permits the substrate to be processed to pass through the substrate transfer passage, and
• wherein in the closed position in the door recess the inner slit passage door blocks the substrate transfer passage.