Center feed symmetric flow valve for plasma chambers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12560243-B2
Application number	US-202318225673-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 24, 2023
Priority date	Jul 24, 2023
Publication date	Feb 24, 2026
Grant date	Feb 24, 2026

Abstract

Embodiments of symmetric flow valves for use in substrate processing chambers are provided herein. In some embodiments, a symmetric flow valve includes: a valve body having sidewalls, a bottom plate, and a top plate that together define an interior volume, wherein the top plate includes a plurality of axisymmetrically disposed openings arranged in a non-linear manner, and wherein the bottom plate includes a port opening; an actuator disposed above the top plate and coupled to a central region of the top plate radially inward of the plurality of axisymmetrically disposed openings; and a poppet disposed in the interior volume and coupled to the actuator to move the poppet vertically within the interior volume, wherein the poppet is configured to selectively seal the plurality of axisymmetrically disposed openings or the port opening.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A symmetric flow valve for use in a substrate processing chamber, comprising:
a valve body having sidewalls, a bottom plate coupled to the sidewalls, and a top plate coupled to the sidewalls, wherein the sidewalls, the bottom plate, and the top plate together define an interior volume, wherein the top plate sits atop the sidewalls and includes a plurality of axisymmetrically disposed openings arranged in a non-linear manner, wherein the plurality of axisymmetrically disposed openings are arc shaped openings, and wherein the bottom plate includes a port opening; an actuator disposed above the top plate and coupled to a central region of the top plate radially inward of the plurality of axisymmetrically disposed openings; and a poppet disposed in the interior volume and coupled to the actuator to move the poppet vertically within the interior volume, wherein the poppet is configured to selectively seal the port opening, and wherein the plurality of axisymmetrically disposed openings are disposed radially outward of the poppet.

2 . The symmetric flow valve of claim 1 , wherein the top plate includes a central recess, and the actuator is coupled to the central recess, and further comprising a flange disposed in the central recess and coupled to the top plate between the actuator and the top plate.

3 . The symmetric flow valve of claim 1 , wherein the sidewalls include a service cover and a block coupled to the service cover to at least partially define the interior volume.

4 . The symmetric flow valve of claim 3 , wherein the sidewalls, including the block, define a cylindrically-shaped interior volume.

5 . The symmetric flow valve of claim 1 , wherein the poppet is configured to selectively seal the port opening, and wherein the poppet comprises a plate having no through holes radially outward of an interface between the actuator and the poppet.

6 . The symmetric flow valve of claim 5 , further comprising a seal ring disposed about the port opening, wherein at least one of the seal ring or the poppet includes an o-ring groove for accommodating an o-ring configured to provide a seal between the poppet and the seal ring.

7 . A symmetric flow valve for use in a substrate processing chamber, comprising:
a valve body having sidewalls, a bottom plate, and a top plate that together define an interior volume, wherein exterior surfaces of the sidewalls comprise one or more rounded walls and a plurality of linearly extending walls, wherein the plurality of linearly extending walls are linear along a vertical direction and a horizontal direction, wherein the top plate includes a plurality of axisymmetrically disposed openings arranged in a non-linear manner, and wherein the bottom plate includes a port opening; an actuator disposed above the top plate and coupled to a central region of the top plate radially inward of the plurality of axisymmetrically disposed openings; and a poppet disposed in the interior volume and coupled to a shaft of the actuator at a center of the poppet to move the poppet vertically within the interior volume, wherein the poppet is configured to selectively seal the plurality of axisymmetrically disposed openings or the port opening, and wherein the interior volume is asymmetrical about the shaft.

8 . The symmetric flow valve of claim 7 , wherein the poppet is configured to selectively seal the plurality of axisymmetrically disposed openings, and wherein the poppet includes a plurality of raised portions corresponding to the plurality of axisymmetrically disposed openings.

9 . The symmetric flow valve of claim 8 , wherein a lower surface of the top plate includes a protrusion disposed about each of the plurality of axisymmetrically disposed openings and configured to engage with a seal disposed about each of the plurality of raised portions.

10 . The symmetric flow valve of claim 7 , wherein the poppet is configured to selectively seal the plurality of axisymmetrically disposed openings, wherein the poppet includes an outer ring, and inner plate, and a plurality of spokes connecting the outer ring to the inner plate, wherein the shaft of the actuator is coupled to the poppet at the inner plate.

11 . The symmetric flow valve of claim 7 , wherein interior surfaces of the sidewalls are more rounded proximate the bottom plate than proximate the top plate to reduce areas of stagnant flow.

12 . The symmetric flow valve of claim 7 , further comprising an annular o-ring groove disposed in the top plate radially outward of the plurality of axisymmetrically disposed openings.

13 . The symmetric flow valve of claim 12 , wherein the poppet is configured to selectively seal the port opening, and wherein the poppet comprises a plate having no through holes.

14 . The symmetric flow valve of claim 7 , wherein the symmetric flow valve is coupled to a substrate processing chamber.

15 . A substrate processing chamber, comprising:
a chamber body having a floor, wherein the floor includes a plurality of chamber openings; a valve body having sidewalls, a bottom plate, and a top plate that together define an interior volume, wherein the top plate includes a plurality of axisymmetrically disposed openings arranged in a non-linear manner corresponding with the plurality of chamber openings, and wherein the bottom plate includes a port opening; an actuator disposed above the top plate and coupled to a central region of the top plate radially inward of the plurality of axisymmetrically disposed openings; and a poppet disposed in the interior volume and coupled to the actuator to move the poppet vertically within the interior volume, wherein the poppet is configured to selectively seal the plurality of axisymmetrically disposed openings or the port opening.

16 . The substrate processing chamber of claim 15 , wherein the sidewalls comprise one or more rounded walls and a plurality of linearly extending walls.

17 . The substrate processing chamber of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of chamber openings are arc shaped openings.

18 . The substrate processing chamber of claim 15 , wherein the poppet is configured to selectively seal the port opening, and wherein the poppet comprises a plate having no through holes, and wherein an outermost surface of the poppet is disposed radially inward of the plurality of axisymmetrically disposed openings.

19 . The substrate processing chamber of claim 15 , wherein the poppet is configured to selectively seal the plurality of axisymmetrically disposed openings, wherein the poppet includes an outer ring, and inner plate, and a plurality of spokes connecting the outer ring to the inner plate, wherein a shaft of the actuator is coupled to the poppet at the inner plate.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Naik Chetan Ramachandra
• Kumar Anand

Classifications

• Y10T137/86759

  Reciprocating · CPC title

• F16K11/04

  comprising only lift valves · CPC title

• F16K51/02

  specially adapted for high-vacuum installations · CPC title

• F16K27/02 Primary

  of lift valves (for reducing the flow resistance of screw-spindle lift-valves F16K1/06) · CPC title

• H01J37/18

  Vacuum locks {; Means for obtaining or maintaining the desired pressure within the vessel} · CPC title