Isolation valves

Details Isolation valves Isolation valves

2000-02-22

2001-10-30

Shaver, Kevin (Department: 3754)

Valves and valve actuation

With means to increase head and seat contact pressure

With positive reduction

C251S175000, C251S195000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06308932

ABSTRACT:

RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application is related to U.S. Pat. No. 6,235,634, issued May 22, 2001, and entitled “Modular On-Line Processing System,” as well as the following U.S. patent: (1) “Method and Apparatus for Substrate Transfer and Processing” U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,704issued Apr. 10, 2001; (2) “Multi-Function Chamber For A Substrate Processing System,”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,362, issued Jul. 11, 2000; (3) “An Automated Substrate Processing System,”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,215,897, issued Apr. 10, 2001; (4) “Substrate Transfer Shuttle Having a Magnetic Drive,”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,176, issued Mar. 27, 2001; (5) “Substrate Transfer Shuttle,”; U.S. Pat. No. 09/082,484, filed May 20, 1998; (6) “In-Situ Substrate Transfer Shuttle,”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,668, issued Jan. 23, 2001; and (7) “Modular Substrate Processing System”. U.S. Pat. No. 08/946,922.
The foregoing patent applications, which are assigned to the assignee of the present application, are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUND
The present invention relates generally to substrate processing systems, and, in particular, to isolation valves for substrate processing systems.
Glass substrates are being used for applications such as active matrix television and computer displays, among others. Each glass substrate can form multiple display monitors each of which contains more than a million thin film transistors.
The processing of large glass substrates often involves the performance of multiple sequential steps, including, for example, the performance of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes, physical vapor deposition (PVD) processes, or etch processes. Systems for processing glass substrates can include one or more process chambers for performing those processes.
The glass substrates can have dimensions, for example, of 550 mm by 650 mm. The trend is toward even larger substrate sizes, such as 650 mm by 830 mm and larger, to allow more displays to be formed on the substrate or to allow larger displays to be produced. The larger sizes place even greater demands on the capabilities of the processing systems.
Some of the basic processing techniques for depositing thin films on the large glass substrates are generally similar to those used, for example, in the processing of semiconductor wafers. Despite some of the similarities, however, a number of difficulties have been encountered in the processing of large glass substrates that cannot be overcome in a practical way and cost effectively by using techniques currently employed for semiconductor wafers and smaller glass substrates.
For example, efficient production line processing requires rapid movement of the glass substrates from one work station to another, and between vacuum environments and atmospheric environments. The large size and shape of the glass substrates makes it difficult to transfer them from one position in the processing system to another. As a result, cluster tools suitable for vacuum processing of semiconductor wafers and smaller glass substrates, such as substrates up to 550 mm by 650 mm, are not well suited for the similar processing of larger glass substrates, such as 650 mm by 830 mm and above. Moreover, cluster tools require a relatively large floor space.
Similarly, chamber configurations designed for the processing of relatively small semiconductor wafers are not particularly suited for the processing of these larger glass substrates. The chambers must include apertures of sufficient size to permit the large substrates to enter or exit the chamber. Moreover, processing substrates in the process chambers typically must be performed in a vacuum or under low pressure. Movement of glass substrates between processing chambers, thus, requires the use of valve mechanisms which are capable of closing the especially wide apertures to provide vacuum-tight seals and which also must minimize contamination.
Furthermore, relatively few defects can cause an entire monitor formed on the substrate to be rejected. Therefore, reducing the occurrence of defects in the glass substrate when it is transferred from one position to another is critical. Similarly, misalignment of the substrate as it is transferred and positioned within the processing system can cause the process uniformity to be compromised to the extent that one edge of the glass substrate is electrically non-functional once the glass has been formed into a display. If the misalignment is severe enough, it even may cause the substrate to strike structures and break inside the vacuum chamber.
Other problems associated with the processing of large glass substrates arise due to their unique thermal properties. For example, the relatively low thermal conductivity of glass makes it more difficult to heat or cool the substrate uniformly. In particular, thermal losses near the edges of any large-area, thin substrate tend to be greater than near the center of the substrate, resulting in a non-uniform temperature gradient across the substrate. The thermal properties of the glass substrate combined with its size, therefore, makes it more difficult to obtain uniform characteristics for the electronic components formed on different portions of the surface of a processed substrate. Moreover, heating or cooling the substrates quickly and uniformly is more difficult as a consequence of its poor thermal conductivity, thereby reducing the ability of the system to achieve a high throughput.
In the past, a variety of isolation valves have been used to isolate two regions from one another. In an exemplary construction, a gate slides into and out of a path, transversely to the path, to open and close the valve. With the gate in a closed position, a seal can be formed between the gate and a valve seat to prevent flow through the valve. Slide valves offer particular compactness, in other words, a small size as measured in a direction along the flow path.
One recently proposed system for processing large glass substrates is a modular in-line processing system, such as the system described in the previously mentioned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/946,922. Such a system can be used for CVD or other thermal substrate processing and can include multiple back-to-back processing chambers through which a substrate is transferred. The process chambers typically are operated under vacuum or under very low pressure. Thus, there is a relatively uniform pressure distribution between the chambers which is insufficient by itself to provide the required tight seal between the gate and the valve seat.
SUMMARY
In general, the invention discloses various improved isolation valves. According to one aspect, an isolation valve for selectively sealing a first region from a second region includes a housing. The housing defines a channel between the first region and the second region, and the channel extends at least between a first port and a second port. The valve also includes a gate disposed within the housing. The gate is displaceable between a stowed position in which communication is permitted between the first region and the second region, and a deployed position in which the gate spans the channel.
The gate includes first and second sealing members, each of which has a respective outward-facing surface. Further, the gate has an expandable member disposed between the first sealing member and the second sealing member, wherein the expandable member is expandable from a first condition to a second condition and can be contracted from the second condition to the first condition.
In the first condition, the gate is moveable between the stowed and deployed positions. In the second condition, with the gate in the deployed position, the first and second sealing members are biased apart from each other by expansion of the expandable member so that the outward-facing surface of the first sealing member is sealingly engaged to the first port so as to seal the first region from the second region. The outward-facing surface of the second sealing member is engaged to the housing.
In some implementations, such as where two

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Isolation valves does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Isolation valves, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Isolation valves will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2604558