公开(公告)号：US11328943B2

公开(公告)日：2022-05-10

申请号：US16839360

申请日：2020-04-03

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Kumaresan Kuppannan ,  Ofer Amir ,  Michael Kuchar

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  F16K51/02 ,  H01L21/673 ,  F16K3/18

Abstract: Disclosed is a wafer processing system, a dual gate system, and methods for operating these systems. The dual gate system may have a first gate, a second gate, a gate connector coupled to the first gate and to the second gate, and actuator coupled to the gate connector. The actuator is configured to seal the first gate against a first slot or open the first slot via vertical motion. The actuator is also configured to seal the second gate against a second slot or open the second slot via a combination of vertical motion and horizontal motion.

公开(公告)号：US20210313204A1

公开(公告)日：2021-10-07

申请号：US16839360

申请日：2020-04-03

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Kumaresan Kuppannan ,  Ofer Amir ,  Michael Kuchar

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  F16K51/02 ,  F16K3/18 ,  H01L21/673

Abstract: Disclosed is a wafer processing system, a dual gate system, and methods for operating these systems. The dual gate system may have a first gate, a second gate, a gate connector coupled to the first gate and to the second gate, and actuator coupled to the gate connector. The actuator is configured to seal the first gate against a first slot or open the first slot via vertical motion. The actuator is also configured to seal the second gate against a second slot or open the second slot via a combination of vertical motion and horizontal motion.

公开(公告)号：US20210301929A1

公开(公告)日：2021-09-30

申请号：US16836231

申请日：2020-03-31

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Paul Z. Wirth ,  Ofer Amir ,  Michael C. Kuchar

IPC: F16K3/02 ,  F16K31/124 ,  F16K37/00

Abstract: Disclosed are a slit valve apparatus and a method for controlling a slit valve. The slit valve apparatus includes a slit valve assembly and a servo-control system in communication with the slit valve assembly. The slit valve assembly includes at least one gate able to transition between an open position and a closed position, at least one pneumatic actuator, at least one proportional pneumatic valve including a plurality of controllers, and a continuous position sensor. The servo-control system includes a centralized controller that generates a control signal and adjusts the movement of the at least one gate based on the position trajectory for the gate, a linear position measurement of the gate from the continuous position sensor, and fluid pressure/flow measurements from the plurality of controllers.