Operating Method of Slit Valve for Semiconductor Wafer Processing Chamber

摘要

This invention proposed a method to operate s slit valve which utilizes existing resources around the valve to minimize the components used while solving problems associated with the mechanism-based slit valve. A slit valve module includes two solenoid valves and a cover plate with magnetic material or magnetically attractable material, one of the solenoid valves is positioned above or under the plate and another one of the solenoid valves is positioned at a side of the plate. These two solenoid valves can respectively generate horizontally and vertically magnetic forces, thereby facilitating operate of the plate. When the slit valve is closed, the slit valve can employ the weight of the plate to fall down. Moreover, when the plate approaches the vacuum chamber, the pressure difference can draw the plate. Therefore, the existing gravity and vacuum resources can be taken advantage of to use minimum magnetic energy to control the slit valve effectively and efficiently. The further simplified version can utilize the existing gas pressure to push the cover plate away from the 0-ring therefore the side solenoid valve can be omitted while normal operation can be achieved.

主权项

1. An operation method of a slit valve for a semiconductor wafer processing chamber, comprising steps of:
providing a pulse to a first controllable magnetic element by a power source, whereby pushing a plate vertically; and providing a pulse to a second controllable magnetic element by a power source, whereby attracting or repulsing said plate to seal or unseal a chamber.