Substrate processing system, valve assembly, and processing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10665476-B2
Application number	US-201414335415-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2014
Priority date	Jul 15, 2001
Publication date	May 26, 2020
Grant date	May 26, 2020

Abstract

In one aspect, a valve assembly adapted to seal an opening in a chamber is disclosed. Valve assembly includes a housing being adapted for coupling to a chamber surface having the opening therein, the housing including a threshold portion positioned adjacent to the chamber opening, the threshold portion having one or more inlets adapted to supply gas to an interior region of the housing adjacent to the chamber opening; and a sealing surface adapted to selectively (1) seal the opening, and (2) retract from the opening so as not to obstruct substrate passage. Numerous other system aspects are provided, as are methods and computer program products in accordance with these and other aspects.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A valve assembly adapted to seal a chamber opening in a chamber, comprising:
a housing having a substrate opening on a side of the housing opposite the chamber opening, the housing comprising:
a threshold portion between the substrate opening and the chamber opening, the housing adapted for coupling to a chamber surface having the chamber opening such that a substrate may be transferred through the chamber opening and such that the threshold portion is positioned proximate the chamber opening;
a housing member having a first sealing surface and a second sealing surface to selectively (1) seal the chamber opening with the first sealing surface, (2) seal the substrate opening with the second sealing surface, and (3) retract from the chamber opening and the substrate opening so as not to obstruct substrate passage;
a plurality of gas supply inlets provided in the housing and adapted to direct flow of gas at the housing member, wherein the flow of gas is to produce:
a first curtain of gas parallel to the first sealing surface and across the chamber opening; and
a second curtain of gas parallel to the second sealing surface and across the substrate opening; and

a plurality of exhaust gas openings provided in the housing and adapted to exhaust gas from an interior region of the housing.

2. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing member further comprises an inflatable member coupled to the first sealing surface, the inflatable member configured to selectively inflate and deflate so as to selectively press the first sealing surface against the chamber opening and retract the first sealing surface from the chamber opening.

3. The valve assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pressure detector to detect a pressure in the interior region of the housing;
a pump coupled to the plurality of exhaust gas openings; and
a controller coupled to the pressure detector and to the pump, the controller programmed to:
receive, from the pressure detector, a pressure reading indicative of the pressure in the interior region of the housing; and
adjust the pressure in the interior region of the housing by reconfiguring the pump.

4. A substrate processing system, comprising:
a chamber having a plurality of chamber openings through which a substrate may be transported;
a valve assembly for sealing a first chamber opening of the plurality of chamber openings, comprising:
a housing having a substrate opening on a side of the housing opposite the first chamber opening, the housing comprising:
a threshold portion between the substrate opening and the first chamber opening, the housing adapted for coupling to a chamber surface having the first chamber opening therein, such that a substrate may be transferred through the first chamber opening and such that the threshold portion is positioned adjacent to the first chamber opening;
a housing member having a first sealing surface and a second sealing surface to selectively (1) seal the first chamber opening with the first sealing surface, (2) seal the substrate opening with the second sealing surface, and (3) retract from the first chamber opening and the substrate opening so as not to obstruct substrate passage there through;
a plurality of inlets adapted to direct a flow of gas at the housing member, wherein the flow of gas is to produce:
a first curtain of gas parallel to the first sealing surface and across the chamber opening; and
a second curtain of gas parallel to the second sealing surface and across the substrate opening; and

a plurality of exhaust gas openings provided in the housing and adapted to exhaust gas from an interior region of the housing.

5. The substrate processing system of claim 4 , further comprising a controller programmed to:
unseal the chamber opening and the substrate opening by retracting the first sealing surface from the chamber opening and the second sealing surface from the substrate opening; and
prior to unsealing the chamber opening and the substrate opening, initiate the flow of gas through the plurality of inlets to produce the first curtain of gas across the chamber opening and the second curtain of gas across the substrate opening.

6. The substrate processing system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a controller programmed to:
control a flow of gas through the plurality of inlets into an interior region of the housing; and
control a flow of gas through the plurality of gas exhaust openings out of the interior region of the housing.

7. The substrate processing system of claim 4 , further comprising a vacuum pump coupled to the plurality of exhaust gas openings.

8. A valve assembly adapted to seal a chamber opening in a chamber, comprising:
a housing adapted for coupling to a chamber surface having the chamber opening therein, the housing having a substrate opening on a side of the housing opposite the chamber opening, the housing comprising:
a threshold portion positioned between the substrate opening and the chamber opening,
a housing member having a first sealing surface and a second sealing surface to selectively (1) seal the chamber opening with the first sealing surface, (2) seal the substrate opening with the second sealing surface, and (3) retract from the chamber opening and the substrate opening so as not to obstruct substrate passage;
a plurality of inlets adapted to direct a flow of an inert gas at the housing member, wherein the flow of the inert gas is to produce:
a first curtain of the inert gas parallel to the first sealing surface and across the chamber opening; and
a second curtain of the inert gas parallel to the second sealing surface and across the substrate opening; and

a plurality of exhaust gas openings provided in the housing and adapted to exhaust gas from an interior region of the housing.

9. The valve assembly of claim 8 , wherein the housing member further comprises an inflatable member coupled to the first sealing surface, the inflatable member configured to selectively inflate and deflate so as to selectively press the first sealing surface against the chamber opening and retract the first sealing surface from the chamber opening.

10. The valve assembly of claim 9 , wherein the inflatable member is also coupled to the second sealing surface, the inflatable member configured to selectively inflate and deflate so as to selectively press the second sealing surface against the substrate opening and retract the second sealing surface from the substrate opening.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Quiles Efrain
• Behdjat Mehran
• Lowrance Robert B
• Rice Michael R
• Vopat Brent

Classifications

• Y10T137/0318

  Processes · CPC title

• F24F9/00

  Use of air currents for screening, e.g. air curtains · CPC title

• H10P72/7602

  the wafers being placed on a robot blade or gripped by a gripper for conveyance · CPC title

• H10P72/3402

  Mechanical parts of transfer devices · CPC title

• H10P72/0441

  Apparatus for sealing, encapsulating, glassing, decapsulating or the like · CPC title