Variable seal pressure slit valve doors for semiconductor manufacturing equipment
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsWon B. Bang, Toan Q. Tran, Yen-Kun Victor Wang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Techniques for a door system for sealing an opening between two chambers in a semiconductor processing system are described. A sealing member seals the opening when a door is in a closed position. To selectively open and close the opening, an actuator moves the door. A valve actuator switch provides a first or second pressure to the actuator depending on the pressure inside a first chamber. In one embodiment, a sensor monitors the pressure inside the first chamber.
Claims14
A method for sealing an opening between two chambers in a semiconductor processing device, the method comprising:
- providing a first chamber;
- providing a second chamber;
- providing a wall separating the first chamber from the second chamber, the opening extending circumferentially along an exterior surface of the wall;
- providing a slit door having an o-ring mounted along edges of the slit door, the slit door configured to move in a direction generally parallel to the exterior surface of the wall between an open position and a closed position, the opening allowing communication between the first chamber and the second chamber when the slit door is in the open position, and the opening being sealed when the slit door is in the closed position;
- moving the slit door from the open position to the closed position using an actuator;
- applying a first pressure to the slit door in the closed position using the actuator, the first pressure applied by the actuator in the direction generally parallel to the exterior surface of the wall;
- and
- applying a second pressure to the slit door in the closed position using the actuator, the second pressure applied by the actuator in the direction generally parallel to the exterior surface of the wall, wherein the first pressure is different than the second pressure, and the first pressure and the second pressure depend on a pressure gradient between the first chamber and the second chamber.
A method for sealing an opening between two regions in a semiconductor processing device, the method comprising:
- providing a first region;
- providing a second region;
- providing a wall separating the first region from the second region, the opening extending circumferentially along an exterior surface of the wall;
- providing a slit door having an o-ring mounted along an edge of the slit door, the slit door configured to seal the opening when in a closed position;
- positioning the slit door in the closed position;
- applying a first sealing pressure on the slit door in the closed position using an actuator, the first sealing pressure applied in a direction generally parallel to the exterior surface of the wall;
- thereafter
- forming a film on a substrate positioned in the first region;
- applying a second sealing pressure on the slit door in the closed position using the actuator, the second sealing pressure applied in the direction generally parallel to the exterior surface of the wall;
- and thereafter
- cleaning the first region;
- wherein the first sealing pressure is greater than the second sealing pressure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.