Inflatable door seal

Details Inflatable door seal Inflatable door seal

1999-09-16

2001-01-23

Lund, Jeffrie R. (Department: 1763)

Coating apparatus

Gas or vapor deposition

Chamber seal

C118S715000, C049S499100

Reexamination Certificate

active

06176934

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The field of the invention is semiconductor processing equipment used to process semiconductor articles, such as, substrates, wafers, photo masks, data disks, flat panel displays, and similar articles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Semiconductor processing or manufacturing equipment use various types of processing chemicals in the form of fluids and/or vapors or gases. The processing equipment carries out processes such as, etching, cleaning, plating, stripping, and other processes as well, which typically will be one of many steps involved in manufacturing a semiconductor article. The fluids and/or vapors or gasses applied during processing, include acids, caustics, etchants, solvents, water, and others.
In many applications, the semiconductor articles are rotated at high speed, within a processing module, while the semiconductor articles, most often silicon wafers, are exposed to the processing chemicals.
Various types of semiconductor processing equipment are used. In one common type, a drive head is positioned on top of a process chamber. A door on the drive head seals against the chamber, during processing, to prevent processing chemicals from escaping from the chamber. The door has an inflatable seal. During processing, the seal is inflated using compressed air, to seal the door onto the chamber. The inflatable seal is held into a groove on the door.
While these types of designs have worked well, certain disadvantages remain. The seal may only be inflated to a nominal pressure, to avoid having the seal move or blow out of the groove in the door. Consequently, sealing effectiveness can be limited. In addition, chemical residue can build up behind the sealing door surfaces, reducing the effectiveness of the inflatable seal. Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a semiconductor article processor having an improved door seal.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To this end, in a first aspect of the invention, a semiconductor article processor has a chamber for processing semiconductor articles. A door for sealing the chamber has an annular groove structure formed by first and second spaced apart annular groove walls, extending radially outwardly from an inner groove wall. First and second shoulders on the first and second annular groove walls extend inwardly towards each other. An annular seal support extends radially outwardly from the inner groove wall, in between the first and second annular groove walls. An inflatable annular seal is provided within the annular groove structure. The seal support extends radially outwardly into the inflatable seal. Consequently, the inflatable seal is held tightly in place, and can be inflated to higher pressures.
In a second aspect of the invention, the inflatable seal has first and second arms joined to a seal face. The seal support extends in between the first and second arms, holding the arms into an undercut groove in the door, to securely hold the inflatable groove onto the door.
In a third aspect of the invention, the groove support extends radially outwardly to, but not beyond, the first and second shoulders of the annular groove structure.
In a fourth aspect of the invention, th e seal support has a straight section extending radially outwardly from the inner groove wall, and a tapered section joined to the straight section.
Other features and advantages will appear hereinafter.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5209498 (1993-05-01), Colin

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