JP2008006437A5 - - Google Patents

Claims (15)

A chamber body having a first substrate access port;
A door member having a sealing surface positionable to selectively seal the first substrate access port;
Lever arm,
A chamber including a ball joint that connects the lever arm and the door member and allows the door member to rotate about at least two axes. A second ball joint;
A second lever having a first end coupled to a second shaft disposed through the chamber body and a second end coupled to the second end of the slit valve door member by a second ball joint. The chamber of claim 1, further comprising an arm.   The chamber of claim 1 wherein the sealing surface has a convex curvature.   The chamber according to claim 1, wherein the chamber is one of a chemical vapor deposition chamber, a measurement chamber, a heat treatment chamber, or a physical vapor deposition chamber, a load lock chamber, a substrate transfer chamber, or a vacuum chamber. A transfer chamber;
A load lock chamber coupled to the transfer chamber;
The load lock chamber
A chamber body having a first substrate access port and at least one substrate transfer chamber having at least a second substrate access port, wherein a substantially flat sealing surface on the substrate transfer chamber surrounds at least the first substrate access port. ,
A door member having a curved sealing surface that is positionable relative to a flat sealing surface of the substrate transfer chamber to selectively seal the first substrate access port;
Lever arm,
The ball joint is a lever so that when the sealing surface of the door member is flattened by making contact with the flat sealing surface of the substrate transfer chamber, the door member rotates relative to the lever arm about the center of the ball joint. And a ball joint coupling the arm to the door member. The ball joint of the load lock chamber
With the ball,
A carrier that captures the ball and allows the ball to rotate therein;
6. The system of claim 5 further comprising a ball and a link member extending through the carrier and connecting the door member to the lever arm.   7. The system of claim 6, wherein the lever arm of the load lock chamber further includes a recess in which the ball and carrier are disposed.   The door member of the load lock chamber further includes a recess having an elastic bushing disposed therein, and the link member is formed through the elastic bushing that causes the link member to move laterally relative to the door member. The system of claim 7, extending through the clearance hole.   The system of claim 6, wherein the load lock chamber door member further comprises a recess in which the ball and carrier are disposed.   The system according to claim 9, wherein the recess of the door member is formed in a sealing surface outside the seal gland.   The lever arm of the load lock chamber further includes a recess having an elastic bushing disposed therein, and the link member is formed through the elastic bushing that causes the link member to move laterally relative to the lever arm. The system of claim 10, extending through the clearance hole. Actuating the first lever arm and the second lever arm to rotate the curved sealing surface of the door member into contact with the flat sealing surface, the flat sealing surface being formed between the load lock chamber and the transfer chamber; The lever access arms are connected to the door members by respective ball joints,
This includes sealing the substrate access port by flattening the curved sealing surface of the door member with respect to the flat sealing surface of the load lock chamber, and the end of the door member rotates about the ball joint by flattening. A method for sealing a substrate access port. Flattening
Rotating the door member about a first axis defined through the ball joint to substantially align the surface with the sealing surface;
Move the end of the door member laterally outward,
Further comprising rotating the end of the door member about second and third axes defined through each ball joint as the door is flattened;
The method of claim 12, wherein the flattening comprises rotating a ball disposed in a recess in the door member or lever arm.   The ball joint includes a link member extending through the ball, the moving the end of the door member outward in the lateral direction further includes moving the end of the link member outward, and the outer side of the link member 14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the ball rotates by directional movement.   Rotating the curved sealing surface of the door member into contact with the flat sealing surface brings the central portion of the door member into contact with the flat sealing surface prior to contacting the end of the door member with the flat sealing surface. The method of claim 12 further comprising: connecting the end of the door member to the lever arm.