Process chamber apparatus, systems, and methods for controlling a gas flow pattern

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9530623-B2
Application number	US-201314091111-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 26, 2013
Priority date	Nov 26, 2013
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

Process chamber gas flow control apparatus may include, or be included in, a process chamber configured to process a substrate therein. The gas flow control apparatus may include a valve configured to seal an exhaust port in the process chamber. The valve may be moveable in the X, Y, and Z directions relative to the exhaust port to adjust a gas flow pattern (including, e.g., flow rate and/or flow uniformity) within the process chamber. Methods of adjusting a flow of a process gas within a process chamber are also provided, as are other aspects.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of adjusting a flow of a process gas within a process chamber, comprising:
providing a process chamber having a process gas inlet, an exhaust port, and a side opening adapted to allow a substrate to be provided to and withdrawn from the process chamber;
providing a valve configured to seal the exhaust port and configured to move in the X, Y, and Z directions relative to the exhaust port; and
adjusting a gas flow pattern in the process chamber by moving the valve in one or more of the X, Y, and Z directions.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting comprises actuating one or more actuators coupled to the valve to move the valve in one or more of the X, Y, and Z directions.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing one or more rotational actuators configured to move the valve in one or more of the X and Y directions.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing one or more linear actuators configured to move the valve in the Z direction.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting an offset between a center of the exhaust port and an axis of rotation.

6. A process chamber gas flow control apparatus, comprising:
a process chamber configured to process a substrate therein, the process chamber having a side opening adapted to allow the substrate to be provided to and withdrawn from the process chamber, a process gas inlet, and an exhaust port; and
a valve configured to seal the exhaust port and configured to move in the X, Y, and Z directions relative to the exhaust port to adjust a gas flow pattern within the process chamber.

7. The process chamber gas flow control apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of actuators coupled to the valve and configured to move the valve in the X, Y, and Z directions.

8. The process chamber gas flow control apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of actuators includes at least one rotational actuator configured to move the valve in the X and Y directions.

9. The process chamber gas flow control apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of actuators includes at least one linear actuator configured to move the valve in the Z direction.

10. The process chamber gas flow control apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising:
a plurality of actuators configured to move the valve in the X, Y, and Z directions;
a support arm assembly coupled to the plurality of actuators; and
a slide member coupled to one of the plurality of actuators and to the valve and configured to adjust an offset between a center of the exhaust port and an axis of rotation.

11. The process chamber gas flow control apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising:
a plurality of linear actuators configured to move the valve in the Z direction;
a rotational actuator configured to move the valve in the X and Y directions; and
a plurality of rotatable-joint arms each coupled to the valve and to a respective one of the plurality of linear actuators, wherein one of the plurality rotatable-joint arms is coupled to the rotational actuator.

12. The process chamber gas flow control apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising an actuator and an arm, the arm having a first end rotatably coupled to the valve at a location offset from the center of the valve and a second end rotatably coupled to the actuator, wherein the arm is configured to move in the Z direction via a coupling at the second end.

13. An electronic device manufacturing system, comprising:
a process chamber configured to process a substrate therein, the process chamber having an exhaust port and a side opening adapted to allow the substrate to be provided to and withdrawn from the process chamber;
a process gas inlet coupled to the process chamber and configured to direct a process gas into the process chamber; and
a valve configured to seal the exhaust port and configured to move in the X, Y, and Z directions relative to the exhaust port to adjust a gas flow pattern within the process chamber.

14. The electronic device manufacturing system of claim 13 , further comprising at least one actuator coupled to the valve and configured to move the valve in the X, Y, and Z directions.

15. The electronic device manufacturing system of claim 14 , further comprising a controller coupled to the at least one actuator and configured to drive the at least one actuator to move the valve in the X, Y, and Z directions.

16. The electronic device manufacturing system of claim 13 , wherein the process gas inlet and the exhaust port are on opposite sides of the process chamber.

17. The electronic device manufacturing system of claim 13 , further comprising a valve seat disposed about the periphery of the exhaust port.

18. The electronic device manufacturing system of claim 13 , further comprising:
a plurality of actuators configured to move the valve in the X, Y, and Z directions;
a support arm assembly coupled to the plurality of actuators; and
a slide member coupled to one of the plurality of actuators and to the valve and configured to adjust an offset between a center of the exhaust port and an axis of rotation.

19. The electronic device manufacturing system of claim 13 , further comprising:
a plurality of linear actuators configured to move the valve in the Z direction;
a rotational actuator configured to move the valve in the X and Y directions; and
a plurality of rotatable-joint arms each coupled to the valve and to a respective one of the plurality of linear actuators, wherein one of the plurality rotatable-joint arms is coupled to the rotational actuator.

20. The electronic device manufacturing system of claim 13 , further comprising an actuator and an arm, the arm having a first end rotatably coupled to the valve at a location offset from the center of the valve and a second end rotatably coupled to the actuator, wherein the arm is configured to move in the Z direction via a coupling at the second end.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Merry Nir
• Sapkale Chandrakant M
• Kremerman Izya
• Hudgens Jeffrey C

Classifications

• Y10T137/0318

  Processes · CPC title

• H01J37/32449 Primary

  Gas control, e.g. control of the gas flow · CPC title

• Y10T137/8593

  Systems · CPC title

• F16K51/02

  specially adapted for high-vacuum installations · CPC title

• F16K1/24

  with valve members that, on opening of the valve, are initially lifted from the seat and next are turned around an axis parallel to the seat · CPC title