Valve apparatus for active process gas isolation and facilitating purge during isolation and related methods

Abstract

An isolation valve assembly is provided that includes a valve body having an inlet and an outlet, a sealing body disposed within an interior cavity of the valve body, and an actuatable closing element disposed within the valve body. The sealing body includes a channel extending between a first opening on a surface of the sealing body and a second opening on an opposing surface of the sealing body. The sealing body is rotatable between a first position allowing gas flow from the inlet to the outlet of the valve body via the passage and a second position preventing gas flow from the inlet to the outlet of the valve body. The actuatable closure element is configured to hold the sealing body stationary in either the first position or the second position.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Serial No. 63 / 347,740, filed on June 1, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present application generally relates to isolation valves used in semiconductor processing. In particular, the present application relates to a multi-position isolation valve and related methods of use to prevent degradation of valve sealing components and enable a remote plasma source and valve body to be purged concurrently with a semiconductor manufacturing process. Background Art

[0004] In order to reduce or prevent damage to wafers and process chambers due to exposure to chemically corrosive plasmas, many semiconductor processing systems use a remote plasma source ("RPS") to generate plasma outside the process chamber and then deliver activated gases (e.g., reactive species, reactive gas) generated by the plasma to the process chamber to process wafers or substrates. It may be desirable to install an isolation valve in the hole or conduit connecting the RPS outlet to the process chamber inlet. Such a valve can be used to isolate the RPS from the process chamber during deposition operations to prevent, for example, gases from the process chamber from entering the RPS and condensing or depositing thin films on the RPS chamber walls. However, limitations of conventional valves largely make them impractical in such applications.

[0005] Conventional valves that have been considered for use in semiconductor processing have generally employed gate valves or bellows-sealed poppet isolation valves.

[0006] Conventional gate valves are typically shorter in the direction of gas flow than their poppet valve counterparts, but are more susceptible to thermal issues. In addition, gate valves typically have a large internal wetted surface area that is exposed to the process gas when the valve is open.

[0007] Conventional bellows-sealed poppet isolation valves have a mechanically or pneumatically actuated piston for extending and retracting a bellows and nozzle to close and open a gas flow path through the valve body. Such valves often have a valve body arranged in a side-port configuration, wherein the valve opening connected to the RPS outlet is positioned at an angle of approximately 90 degrees to the valve opening connected to the process chamber inlet. The nozzle typically includes a sealing element or O-ring that is compressed on the valve body around one of the valve openings to close the gas flow path. Other valves have a straight valve body arranged so that the gas flow path between the RPS outlet and the process chamber inlet is substantially horizontal, and the piston is positioned at an angle to the valve body.

[0008] One problem with the above-described valves is that semiconductor processing systems are often installed in facilities with limited physical space, and such valves can be large due to the space required to support the stroke length required to retract the valve nozzle. In addition, even in the fully open position, the bellows and nozzle cannot be fully retracted by the piston and are thus blocked from the path of the reactive gas flowing through the valve body. This reduces the delivery efficiency of the reactive gas generated by the RPS to the process chamber due to recombination reactions caused by collisions with the valve bellows and nozzle. In addition, when the reactive gas flowing from the RPS contacts the surfaces of the bellows and nozzle, an exothermic reaction occurs, which can rapidly generate enough heat to raise the temperature of the valve components to excessive temperatures beyond their recommended operating range. Therefore, some valves include channels through the valve body and, in some cases, through the nozzle to allow cooling fluid to circulate. In addition to these thermal issues, any stainless steel components (such as the valve bellows) can result in a loss of recombination and delivery efficiency of the reactive gas.

[0009] However, despite advances in addressing cooling and corrosion issues with certain valve components, seal or O-ring degradation remains a significant problem in conventional isolation valves, so they are rarely used in direct flow paths between RPSs and process chambers. For example, O-rings are often made of perfluoroelastomer materials such as DuPont’s or GreeneTweed products. These materials degrade rapidly when exposed to reactive gases such as atomic fluorine, and the rate of degradation is exacerbated when the gases to which the materials are exposed flow at high velocities. Specifically, the surface or sealing face of the O-ring is subjected to the greatest mechanical stress and the greatest chemical attack, and therefore degrades rapidly. Summary of the invention

[0010] Therefore, there is a need for a multi-position isolation valve and related methods of use for preventing degradation of valve sealing components. There is also a need for a multi-position isolation valve and related methods of use for enabling purging of a remote plasma source and valve body simultaneously with a semiconductor manufacturing process. There is also a need for a multi-position isolation valve that can provide a gas flow path through a valve aperture that can be fully opened.

[0011] The isolation valve described herein overcomes the deficiencies of conventional isolation valves in part by exposing the face or sealing surface of its O-ring to less exposure to reactive gases and corrosive chemicals passing through the valve body. As a result, degradation of the O-ring is significantly reduced compared to O-rings used in conventional isolation valves, which can greatly increase the life expectancy or service life of the O-ring. For example, the service life of an O-ring having the features of the isolation valve technology described herein can increase the service life of the O-ring by several times over the service life of a conventional isolation valve. In addition, the isolation valve described herein enables the gas flow path through the valve orifice to be fully open and unimpeded by other valve components (e.g., a valve nozzle) or changes in the direction of the gas flow path through the valve.

[0012] One aspect of the technology is characterized by an isolation valve assembly. The isolation valve assembly includes a valve body having an inlet and an outlet. The isolation valve assembly also includes a sealing plate disposed within an interior cavity of the valve body. The sealing plate is movable between a first position that allows gas to flow from the inlet to the outlet and a second position that blocks gas from flowing from the inlet to the outlet. The isolation valve assembly also includes a closing element disposed within the valve body, the closing element being configured to hold the sealing plate stationary in the first position or the second position. The closing element includes a first sealing element disposed proximate a first surface of the sealing plate. When the sealing plate is stationary, a working surface of the first sealing element is substantially obscured by the gas flow.

[0013] The isolation valve technology may also include any of the following features. In some embodiments, the closing element further comprises a second sealing element located adjacent to the second surface of the sealing plate. In some embodiments, when the sealing plate is stationary, the working surface of the second sealing element is substantially shielded from the airflow. In some embodiments, the closing element is configured to use a compressive force to hold the sealing plate stationary in the first position or the second position.

[0014] In some embodiments, when the sealing plate is stationary, the first sealing element provides a seal to substantially prevent gas flow between the closure element and the first surface of the sealing plate. In some embodiments, when the sealing plate is stationary, the second sealing element provides a seal to substantially prevent gas flow between the closure element and the second surface of the sealing plate.

[0015] In some embodiments, the isolation valve assembly further comprises a first hole formed in the valve body for receiving a purge gas into the interior cavity of the valve body, and a second hole formed in the valve body for removing one or more of the purge gas and the residual gas from the interior cavity of the valve body. In some embodiments, the second hole is formed in the valve body at a position away from the first hole. In some embodiments, the second hole is formed in the valve body at a position on the opposite side of the sealing plate from the first hole. In some embodiments, the second hole is formed in the valve body at a position that substantially maximizes the flow path between the second hole and the first hole in the interior cavity of the valve body.

[0016] In some embodiments, the sealing plate further comprises a channel for directing the gas flow from the inlet to the interior cavity of the valve body when the sealing plate is in the second position. In some embodiments, the isolation valve assembly further comprises a plurality of injection ports for injecting one or more chemical species into the gas flow when the sealing plate is in the first position. In some embodiments, the plurality of injection ports are formed in the sealing plate, in the valve body between the sealing plate and the inlet, or in the valve body between the sealing plate and the outlet.

[0017] In some embodiments, the sealing plate can be moved between the first position and the second position in a rotational motion about the pivot point. In some embodiments, the sealing plate also includes at least one fluid channel connected to the fluid inlet of the pivot point. In some embodiments, the sealing plate can be moved between the first position and the second position in a linear motion.

[0018] In some embodiments, the height of the isolation valve assembly is about 1.5 times to about 2 times the measured diameter of either the inlet and the outlet.

[0019] The technology, in another aspect, features a method for directing an output of a remote plasma source operation through a valve body of an isolation valve assembly. The method includes securing an outlet of the remote plasma source to an inlet of the valve body of the isolation valve assembly. The method also includes positioning a sealing plate disposed within an interior cavity of the valve body in a first position. The sealing plate includes a channel that directs a gas flow from the inlet of the valve body to the interior cavity of the valve body when the sealing plate is in the first position. The method also includes providing the output of the remote plasma source operation to the inlet of the valve body through the outlet of the remote plasma source and evacuating the output of the remote plasma source operation from a first hole disposed within the valve body.

[0020] The method may also include any of the following features. In some embodiments, evacuating further includes simultaneously performing semiconductor processing operations in a process chamber that is fluidly connected to the outlet of the isolation valve assembly. In some embodiments, the output of the remote plasma source operation includes one or more of a purge gas from a gas inlet to an outlet of the remote plasma source, a gas generated during a passivation process performed in the chamber of the remote plasma source, and reactive species generated by a plasma formed in the chamber of the remote plasma source. In some embodiments, the method further includes flowing a purge gas from a gas inlet of the remote plasma source to an outlet of the remote plasma source.

[0021] In some embodiments, the method further comprises performing a passivation process in the chamber of the remote plasma source and flowing the gas generated during the passivation process to the outlet of the remote plasma source. In some embodiments, the method further comprises forming a plasma in the chamber of the remote plasma source and flowing the active species generated by the plasma to the outlet of the remote plasma source. In some embodiments, the plasma is an argon plasma or an oxygen plasma.

[0022] In some embodiments, the method further comprises supplying a purge gas to a second hole disposed in the valve body and evacuating the purge gas from a first hole disposed in the valve body. In some embodiments, evacuating the output of the remote plasma source operation occurs substantially simultaneously with evacuating the purge gas. In some embodiments, residual gas is evacuated from the first hole disposed in the valve body.

[0023] The technology, in another aspect, features a method for reacting a chemical species with a reactive species. The method includes securing an outlet of a remote plasma source to an inlet of a valve body of an isolation valve assembly. The method also includes positioning a sealing plate disposed within an interior cavity of the valve body in a first position. The sealing plate includes a channel for directing a gas flow from the inlet of the valve body to the outlet of the valve body. The method also includes supplying reactive species generated in the remote plasma source to the inlet of the valve body, and injecting one or more chemical species into the reactive species through a plurality of injection ports formed in the sealing plate.

[0024] In another aspect, the technology features an isolation valve assembly that includes a valve body having an inlet and an outlet. The isolation valve assembly also includes a sealing body disposed within an interior cavity of the valve body. The sealing body includes a passage extending between a first opening on a surface of the sealing body and a second opening on an opposing surface of the sealing body. The sealing body is rotatable between a first position that allows gas flow from the inlet of the valve body to the outlet through the passage and a second position that blocks gas flow from the inlet of the valve body to the outlet. The isolation valve assembly also includes an actuatable closing element disposed within the valve body. The actuatable closing element is configured to hold the sealing body stationary in the first position or the second position.

[0025] In some embodiments, the sealing body is substantially spherical. In some embodiments, the sealing body is volumetric with multiple faces.

[0026] In some embodiments, in the first position, the inlet of the valve body is substantially aligned with the first opening of the passage of the sealing body, and the outlet of the valve body is substantially aligned with the second opening of the passage of the sealing body. In some embodiments, in the second position, the inlet of the valve body is substantially aligned with the first sealing surface of the sealing body, and the outlet of the valve body is substantially aligned with the second sealing surface of the sealing body. The first and second sealing surfaces are configured to substantially seal a respective one of the inlet and the outlet of the valve body in the second position. In some embodiments, in the second position, the passage is oriented substantially perpendicular to an axis extending between the inlet and the outlet of the valve body.

[0027] In some embodiments, the closure element is further configured to release physical contact with the sealing body when the sealing body moves between the first position and the second position. In some embodiments, the closure element is configured to use a compressive force to keep the sealing body stationary at the first position or the second position. In some embodiments, the closure element includes at least one O-ring configured to form a seal against an outer surface of the sealing body to keep the sealing body stationary.

[0028] In some embodiments, the isolation valve assembly further comprises a first hole formed in the valve body for receiving a purge gas into the valve body interior cavity, and a second hole formed in the valve body for removing one or more of the purge gas and the residual gas from the valve body interior cavity. The second hole is formed in the valve body at a position away from the first hole.

[0029] In some embodiments, the sealing body further comprises at least one bypass channel configured to direct the purge gas from the inlet of the valve body to the interior cavity of the valve body when the sealing body is in the second position. In some embodiments, the isolation valve assembly further comprises an actuator in electrical communication with the sealing body for rotating the sealing body about the rotation axis between the first position and the second position.

[0030] In some embodiments, the isolation valve assembly further comprises at least one injection feed channel configured to inject one or more chemical species into the gas flow in the channel when the sealing body is in the first position. In some embodiments, the at least one injection feed channel is formed in at least one of the sealing body, the valve body between the sealing body and the inlet, or the valve body between the sealing body and the outlet.

[0031] In some embodiments, the height of the isolation valve assembly is about 1.5 times to about 2 times the measured diameter of at least one of the inlet or the outlet of the valve body.

[0032] In yet another aspect, a method for directing the output of a remote plasma source operation through a valve body of an isolation valve assembly is provided. The method includes securing an outlet of the remote plasma source to an inlet of a valve body of an isolation valve assembly, the isolation valve assembly including a rotatable sealing body disposed within an interior cavity of the valve body. The method includes rotating the sealing body within the interior cavity of the valve body to achieve an open position, in which a first opening of a passage of the sealing body is substantially aligned with the inlet of the valve body, and a second opening of a passage of the sealing body is substantially aligned with an outlet of the valve body. The method also includes providing the output of the remote plasma source operation to the inlet of the valve body through the outlet of the remote plasma source, and directing the output from the inlet of the valve body to a passage disposed within the sealing body in the open position. The method also includes evacuating the output of the remote plasma source operation from the passage of the sealing body through the outlet of the valve body.

[0033] In some embodiments, the method further comprises, in an open position, flowing the reactive gas species from the remote plasma source through the valve body to the process chamber. The outlet of the valve body of the isolation valve assembly may be secured to the inlet of the process chamber. The method may further comprise injecting one or more chemical species into the reactive species through one or more injection ports formed in at least one of the sealing body, the valve body between the sealing body and the inlet, or the valve body between the sealing body and the outlet.

[0034] In some embodiments, the method further comprises rotating the sealing body within the interior cavity of the valve body to achieve a closed position, in which the first sealing surface on the sealing body is substantially aligned with the inlet of the valve body to fluidly seal the inlet, and the second sealing surface on the sealing body is substantially aligned with the outlet of the valve body to fluidly seal the outlet. The closed position prevents gas flow from the inlet of the valve body to the outlet of the valve body. In some embodiments, the method further comprises directing output from the inlet of the valve body to the interior cavity of the valve body through a bypass channel disposed in the sealing body in the closed position, and evacuating the output from an outlet orifice disposed in the valve body in the closed position. The outlet orifice is different from the outlet of the valve body.

[0035] In some embodiments, in the closed valve position, evacuating the output of the remote plasma source also includes simultaneously performing a semiconductor processing operation in the process chamber. The outlet of the valve body of the isolation valve assembly can be fixed to the inlet of the process chamber. In some embodiments, the output of the remote plasma source operation includes one or more of a purge gas from the remote plasma source or a gas generated during a passivation process in the chamber of the remote plasma source. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] Advantages of the systems and methods described herein, as well as other advantages, may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, emphasis instead generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of the described embodiments by way of example only.

[0037] Figure 1A is a block diagram of a semiconductor processing system including an isolation valve according to an embodiment of the techniques described herein.

[0038] Figure 1B is a block diagram of a semiconductor processing system including an isolation valve according to an embodiment of the techniques described herein.

[0039] Figure 2 is a diagram of an RPS connected to an isolation valve according to an embodiment of the technology described herein.

[0040] Figure 3A is a diagram of a first embodiment of an isolation valve according to an embodiment of the technology described herein.

[0041] Figure 3B is a diagram showing 3 views of a second embodiment of an isolation valve in accordance with an embodiment of the technology described herein.

[0042] Figure 4A is a diagram illustrating rotational movement of a sealing plate of an exemplary isolation valve according to an embodiment of the technology described herein.

[0043] Figure 4B is a diagram illustrating linear motion of a sealing plate of an exemplary isolation valve according to an embodiment of the technology described herein.

[0044] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary isolation valve according to an embodiment of the technology described herein.

[0045] Fig. 6A is a block diagram of an RPS connected to an isolation valve according to an embodiment of the technology described herein.

[0046] Figure 6B is a cross-sectional view of an RPS connected to an isolation valve according to an embodiment of the technology described herein.

[0047] Fig. 7A is a cross-sectional view of an example isolation valve in a first operating mode according to an embodiment of the technology described herein.

[0048] Figure 7B is a cross-sectional view of an example isolation valve in a second mode of operation according to an embodiment of the technology described herein.

[0049] Figure 7C is a cross-sectional view of an example isolation valve in a third mode of operation according to an embodiment of the technology described herein.

[0050] Fig.7D is a cross-sectional view of an example isolation valve in a fourth mode of operation according to an embodiment of the technology described herein.

[0051] Figure 8 is a flow chart of a method for directing an output of a remote plasma source operation through a valve body of an isolation valve assembly according to an embodiment of the technology described herein.

[0052] Fig. 9 is a flow chart of a method for reacting a chemical species with a reactive species according to an embodiment of the technology described herein.

[0053] Fig.10 is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary isolation valve according to an embodiment of the technology described herein.

[0054] Fig.11 According to an embodiment of the technology described herein Fig.10 Cross-sectional view of the valve body of an isolation valve.

[0055] Fig.12a and Figure 12b An embodiment according to the technology described herein is shown Fig.10 The respective positions of the first (open) position and the second (closed) position of the sealing body within the isolation valve.

[0056] Fig.13 An embodiment according to the technology described herein is shown Fig.10 A set of exemplary dimensions for an isolation valve.

[0057] Fig.14 An embodiment of the technology described herein is shown with integrated cooling features. Fig.10 A cross-sectional view of an exemplary configuration of a valve body of an isolation valve.

[0058] Fig.15 is connected to an embodiment of the technology described herein Fig.10 Isolation valve for remote plasma source (RPS) (e.g. Figure 2 Block diagram of RPS).

[0059] Fig.16 An embodiment according to the technology described herein is shown Fig.10 Another exemplary configuration of an isolation valve is provided in which a component is configured to perform a purge of the isolation valve.

[0060] Fig.17 An embodiment according to the technology described herein is shown Fig.10 Another exemplary configuration of an isolation valve of the invention is provided wherein the component is configured to inject a chemical into the isolation valve.

[0061] Fig.18 An embodiment of the technology described herein is shown for Fig.10 A flow chart of a method of directing the output of a remote plasma source operation with an isolation valve.

[0062] Fig.19 An embodiment according to the technology described herein is shown Fig.10 An exploded view of an exemplary configuration of an isolation valve. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0063] Figure 1A 1 is a block diagram of a semiconductor processing system 100a including an isolation valve according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. System 100a includes a remote plasma source 104 (hereinafter referred to as "RPS 104"), which is in communication with a process chamber 106 through an isolation valve 110. Process chamber 106 is in communication with isolation valve 110b, which in turn is in communication with a throttle valve 126. In some embodiments, throttle valve 126 is a T3B throttle valve manufactured by MKS Instruments, Inc. of Andover, Massachusetts. Pump 108 is in communication with the outputs of isolation valve 110 and throttle valve 126 for circulating gases within components of system 100a. Gas distributor 102 is in communication with RPS 104, isolation valve 110, process chamber 106, and isolation valve 110b.

[0064] RPS 104 generates active gas species for semiconductor manufacturing processes. For example, using the gas provided by gas distributor 102, RPS 104 can ignite a plasma and generate an active gas (e.g., atomic fluorine) that is typically used to clean a process chamber (e.g., process chamber 106) after a deposition process. In some embodiments, RPS 104 is manufactured by MKS Instruments, Inc. of Andover, Massachusetts. Remote plasma source.

[0065] An isolation valve 110 may be installed in a path between the RPS 104 and the process chamber 106 to provide a flow path for reactive gases when the isolation valve 110 is in an open position and to isolate the RPS 104 from the process chamber 106 when the isolation valve 110 is in a closed position. During deposition operations, the RPS 104 is isolated from the process chamber 106 to prevent, for example, gases from the process chamber 106 from entering the RPS and condensing or depositing thin films on the chamber walls of the RPS 104. Using such a valve to isolate the RPS 104 from the process chamber 106 also allows the RPS 104 to be purged and / or repaired / passivated with an alternative process gas without affecting the process being performed in the process chamber 106. In addition, as described herein, the isolation valve 110 may include features that allow its valve body to be purged with a purge gas provided by the gas distributor 102 and removed from the valve body by the pump 108. For example, the isolation valve 110 may include one or more inlet ports for injecting gas into the valve body, and one or more outlet ports for extracting gas from the valve body. If desired, purge and / or repair / passivation operations may be performed concurrently with processing being performed in process chamber 106. Advantageously, this may reduce non-productive downtime of the semiconductor processing system that is often necessary to perform maintenance operations.

[0066] Isolation valve 110 may also include features for enabling the injection of substances downstream of RPS 104 to enhance semiconductor processing operations performed in process chamber 106. In some embodiments, isolation valve 110 includes features for enabling the injection of water vapor or other process gases into the reactive gas flow provided by RPS 104.

[0067] The gas distributor 102 represents several gas sources and supplies all gases used by the components of the system 100a to perform the various processes described herein. The gas distributor 102 includes an RPS supply 112, which represents the source of one or more process gases supplied to the RPS 104. For example, NF3 and Ar are commonly used for chamber cleaning. Certain cleaning, etching or photoresist stripping applications may use NH3, H2, O2 or other gases. The RPS supply 112 also represents the source of one or more gases used to purge the RPS 104 (e.g., Ar, N2). The gas distributor 102 also includes a valve purge 114, which represents one or more gas sources (e.g., Ar, N2) for purging the isolation valve 110, and a downstream injector 116, which represents one or more gas sources injected downstream of the RPS 104 (e.g., water vapor, N2, H2, NH3, O2). Finally, the gas distributor 102 includes a main process device 118 , which represents one or more process gas sources (eg, TEOS, O 3 , silane, O 2 ) used in the process chamber 106 .

[0068] although Figure 1A It is shown as a single component in FIG, but a person skilled in the art will recognize that the gas distributor 102 may be composed of several gas sources and other supporting components that are not physically juxtaposed with each other. A person skilled in the art will also recognize that Figure 1A The arrows in the figure that indicate the flow direction and connection paths between the various components of the system 100a may be implemented as more than one physical path in practice, and each component of the system 100a may include multiple components. For example, although the pump 108 is shown as a single pump for drawing gas from both the process chamber 106 and the isolation valve 110, in practice the pump 108 may include one or more pumps for drawing gas from a point downstream of the throttle valve 126, and another one or more pumps for drawing purge gas from the isolation valve 110.

[0069] Figure 1B 1 is a block diagram of a semiconductor processing system 100b including an isolation valve according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. System 100b includes many of the same components as system 100a, but may alternatively include an isolation valve 110b in place of isolation valve 124. (Systems 100a and 100b are interchangeably referred to as "system 100" hereinafter unless a specific version of the system is mentioned.) In addition, valve purge 114 is in fluid communication with isolation valve 110b, which is in fluid communication with throttle valve 126 and the output of pump 108.

[0070] In system 100b, isolation valve 110b can be a valve of the same type as isolation valve 110 to enhance the performance of the system. For example, conventional isolation valves located at the outlet of a process chamber are often prone to accumulating byproducts of processes (e.g., SiO2, SiN, or metal oxide deposition processes) carried out in the process chamber. Byproducts from these processes (e.g., SiO2, SiN, or metal oxide powders) tend to accumulate on the valve seat surface of a conventional isolation valve, causing the valve to fail to seal properly. Therefore, based on the features of the isolation valve discussed throughout this disclosure, the use of the isolation valve described herein between the process chamber 106 and the throttle valve 126 can provide advantages for semiconductor processes. For example, the isolation valve's enhanced ability to protect the O-ring from active species and process byproducts can improve the valve's ability to maintain a positive seal. In addition, the ability of the valve to be purged by gas from the valve purge 114 can further reduce or eliminate the negative impact of byproduct accumulation on the valve sealing ability in this location.

[0071] Figure 2 2 is a diagram 200 showing an exemplary RPS connected to an isolation valve according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. As shown in diagram 200, isolation valve 110 may be installed directly at or adjacent to the outlet of RPS 104.

[0072] Figure 3A 300a is an illustration of a first embodiment of an isolation valve according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. The isolation valve 310a includes a valve body 345a, which generally has a rectangular cuboid shape. The sealing plate 305a is contained in the valve body 345a and pivots about the pivot point 315a to expose different parts of the sealing plate 305a to the hole 330a to allow or prevent gas from flowing through the hole 330a. As used throughout the specification with respect to the isolation valve technology, the term "hole" can refer to a complete flow path that allows gas to flow through the valve body or prevents gas from flowing through the valve body, including any inlet and outlet. The inlet can refer to an opening or conduit through which gas or other substances flow in, and the outlet can refer to an opening or conduit through which gas or other substances flow out. In some embodiments, a pneumatic actuator is used to apply a rotational force to the pivot point 315a to control which part of the sealing plate 305a is exposed to the hole 330a. In some embodiments, a mechanical or electromechanical actuator is used to apply a rotational force to the pivot point 315a.

[0073] like Figure 3A As shown, the sealing plate 305a is a "double throw" sealing plate, including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion including an opening that allows gas to flow through the hole 330a, and the second portion blocks the gas from flowing through the hole 330a. In some embodiments, the sealing plate 305a includes multiple portions with openings of different sizes, each opening allowing a different amount of gas to flow through the hole 330a.

[0074] Figure 3Bis an illustration of 3 views of a second embodiment of an isolation valve according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. View 300b-1 is an outline view of isolation valve 310b, making its surface transparent. View 300b-2 is an outline view of isolation valve 310b. View 300b-3 is an outline view of a cross section of isolation valve 310b.

[0075] The components of isolation valve 310b are similar to those of isolation valve 310a, but the size and shape of valve body 345b has been optimized around the size of sealing plate 305b in isolation valve 310b. The reduced size of optimized valve body 345b can facilitate installation of system 100, which is often located in facilities with limited physical space. In some embodiments, the valve body of the isolation valve has an irregular shape (e.g., kidney shape), triangular shape, or box shape to best fit the physical space in which the isolation valve is installed.

[0076] Figure 4A 400a is a diagram illustrating the rotational movement of a sealing plate of an exemplary isolation valve according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. For example, an isolation valve 410a may include a sealing plate 405a configured to rotate about a pivot point 415a in a valve body with a rotational movement 422a. Alternatively, as Figure 4B As shown in the diagram 400b of FIG. 400b, the sealing plate 405b can move within the isolation valve 410b according to the linear motion 422b. In some embodiments, the type of motion of the sealing plate can be selected to best suit the physical location where the semiconductor processing system is installed. In addition, although Figure 4A and 4B The sealing plates 405a and 405b in FIG. 4 are each shown as having two positions, but embodiments of the valve technology described herein may include sealing plates having three or more positions and may also combine features of other embodiments described herein.

[0077] An isolation valve according to an embodiment of the technology described herein can include one or more closure elements configured to hold a sealing plate stationary in a fixed position. In addition, the closure element can include a sealing element (e.g., an O-ring, a gasket, etc.) positioned to contact a surface of the sealing plate when the closure element is actuated to hold the sealing plate stationary in a fixed position.

[0078] Figure 55 is a cross-sectional view 500 of an exemplary isolation valve 510 according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. Isolation valve 510 includes a valve body 545, in which a sealing plate 505, bellows actuator feedthroughs 550a and 550b (collectively, bellows actuator 550), upper and lower pneumatic pistons 515a and 515b (collectively, pistons 515), upper and lower springs 535a and 535b (collectively, springs 535), upper and lower calipers 520a and 520b (collectively, calipers 520), upper and lower main seals 525a and 525b (collectively, main seals 525), upper and lower covers 595a and 595a (collectively, covers 595), and an orifice 530 are mounted. The hole 530 may be formed in the valve body 545, having portions located above and below the sealing plate 505, and providing a path for the flow of gas from its inlet portion to its outlet portion when the sealing plate 505 is positioned accordingly, from which gas flows into or flows out of the isolation valve 510. The isolation valve 510 may also include structural components that accommodate other sealing elements for preventing gas from flowing in areas of the valve body 545 other than the interface between the sealing plate 505 and the caliper 520.

[0079] In some embodiments, valve components such as valve body 545, sealing plate 505, and caliper 520 are made of aluminum (e.g., 6061 aluminum) and anodized. In some embodiments, height 502 of isolation valve 510 is 1.5 to 2 times the diameter of hole 530. In some embodiments, height 502 is about 2 to about 5 times the diameter of hole 530. Thus, the valve technology described herein provides isolation that meets or exceeds the specifications of conventional poppet valves while maintaining the compact geometry of conventional gate valves.

[0080] like Figure 5 As shown, the main seal 525 is embedded in a dovetail groove formed in the caliper 520. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other techniques may be used to secure or embed the main seal 525 in the caliper 520. In some embodiments, the main seal 525 is embedded in the top and bottom sides of the seal plate 505. In some embodiments, the main seal is embedded in the caliper 520 and in the top and bottom sides of the seal plate 505, and the main seals are horizontally offset from each other.

[0081] like Figure 5As shown, the isolation valve 510 includes two bellows actuator feedthroughs (upper bellows actuator feedthrough 550a and lower bellows actuator feedthrough 550b) located on opposite sides of the valve body 545. In some embodiments, the isolation valve 510 includes more than two bellows actuators. For example, one or more additional upper bellows actuators and one or more additional lower bellows actuators can be located on opposite sides of the valve body 545, respectively, so that they are positioned substantially equidistant from the bellows actuator 550. In some embodiments, the bellows component of the bellows actuator for the isolation valve 510 is made of spring steel (e.g., stainless steel). In some embodiments, a thin layer of aluminum oxide coating is applied to the outer surface of each bellows as a measure to reduce corrosion caused by exposure to active species generated in a plasma (e.g., a fluorine-based plasma). In some embodiments, the bellows are coated with an ALD AL2O3 coating. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that in some embodiments, the isolation valve 510 may alternatively incorporate a dynamic linear sliding actuator or sliding seal in place of the bellows actuator 550 .

[0082] During operation, pneumatic actuators (not shown) fixed to the top and bottom of the valve body 545 simultaneously apply pressure to the piston 515, causing it to move vertically and compress the spring 535 installed between the valve body 545 and the piston 515, and also compress the bellows component of the bellows actuator 550. The vertical linear movement of the piston 515 causes the vertical rod or column in each bellows actuator 550 to move vertically and apply corresponding linear forces to the calipers 520 respectively. The calipers 520 are configured to have a certain vertical range of motion within the valve body 545, within which they can move. In some embodiments, each caliper 520 has a vertical range of motion of less than 1 mm. In some embodiments, each caliper 520 has a vertical range of motion of about 0.5 mm to about 3 mm. In some embodiments, each caliper 520 has a vertical range of motion of about 3 mm to about 5 mm.

[0083] The force applied by the bellows actuator 550 to the caliper 520 in turn causes the caliper 520 to be firmly pressed against the sealing plate 505, which simultaneously locks the sealing plate 505 in place and presses the primary seal 525 against the sealing plate 505. This has the beneficial effect that when the sealing plate 505 is in a position that allows gas flow (e.g., Figure 5 530), substantially sealing the valve body 545 to prevent it from being exposed to any corrosive or etchant gas passing through the hole 530, and likewise, when the sealing plate 505 is in a position to prevent gas flow through the hole 530, the process gas from the process chamber 106 and any residual corrosive or etchant gas from the RPS 104 are substantially prevented from entering the valve body 545.

[0084] Another advantage of the configuration of the isolation valve 510 is that the working surface of each main seal 525 exposed to the corrosive or etchant gas flow through the hole 530 is much smaller than that of a conventional isolation valve. For example, the main sealing element of the most advanced right-angle poppet valve is typically an O-ring installed in the end face of the nozzle, and the nozzle is retracted and extended to open and close the gas flow path through the valve. In the closed position, the nozzle is fully extended and the main sealing element is pressed against the valve seat surface at the inlet of the valve hole, exposing only a small portion of the main sealing element to the gas that may flow into the small gap between the nozzle and the valve seat surface. However, when the nozzle is retracted to open the valve, even if the nozzle is retracted beyond the top of the valve outlet (which is generally impractical due to physical limitations), up to 50% of the surface of the main sealing element will be directly in the path of the gas flowing into the valve inlet.

[0085] This configuration of a conventional right-angle poppet valve can have several negative consequences. First, the primary seal element is typically made of a perfluoroelastomer material that degrades rapidly when exposed to reactive gases such as atomic fluorine, and the rate of degradation is exacerbated when the gas flows at high velocities. As a result, the service life of the primary seal used in a conventional right-angle poppet valve may be less than expected under the conditions required by certain processes. In addition, the delivery efficiency of the system is negatively affected because gases such as atomic fluorine, when flowing through the valve, suffer a higher degree of losses from recombination caused by collisions with the nozzle, the primary seal element, and the bore walls that include a right-angle turn in the path between the valve inlet and outlet. In addition, because the nozzle is typically not fully retracted due to physical limitations, a portion of it protrudes into the valve bore, thereby reducing the maximum achievable gas flow rate through the valve and increasing recombination. Even when using valves designed with a stroke length sufficient to fully retract the nozzle (which typically makes them impractical from a physical size perspective), losses due to recombination will still occur due to exposure of the nozzle and primary seal element to the gas flow, even if only tangentially. Finally, recombination is an exothermic reaction that generates a large amount of heat that is conducted into the valve components. The temperature inside the valve body may quickly exceed the rated operating temperature of the primary sealing element (typically about 210°C) and reach 300°C or higher.

[0086] An alternative to the right-angle poppet valve is an inline valve with an angled seat, which can reduce some of the negative effects mentioned above. For example, when the nozzle of such an inline valve is retracted to open the valve, the main sealing element is generally not directly located in the gas path flowing between the valve inlet and the valve outlet, which are horizontally aligned to form a straight flow path. This configuration can reduce the number of collisions between the gas flowing through the valve hole and the components of the valve (such as the nozzle, the main sealing element, and the hole wall). However, since the nozzle and the main sealing element are exposed to the gas flow, even if only tangentially, there will still be a significant loss of conveying efficiency due to compounding. In addition, although the service life of the main sealing element of the angle seat isolation valve can generally exceed the service life of the main sealing element of the right-angle poppet valve, it is still significantly insufficient under certain conditions. For example, the portion of the main seal located closest to the valve inlet when the angle seat valve is opened will accelerate deterioration when exposed to a large amount of gas flowing at high speed.

[0087] Compared with right-angle poppet valves and inline isolation valves, the isolation valve 510 described herein significantly reduces or eliminates the above negative effects. First, the configuration of the isolation valve 510 substantially protects the main seal 525 from any corrosive or etchant gas, regardless of whether the sealing plate 505 is positioned so that the gas flow path through the hole 530 is fully open, partially open, or closed, because each main seal 525 is only exposed to a minimum portion. In part, this is because during the operation of the isolation valve 510, the main seal 525 is compressed and sealed on the sealing plate 505. When the main seal 525 is compressed on the sealing plate 505, there are only small cracks or gaps (e.g., gaps 540a and gaps 540b, collectively referred to as "gaps 540") between the top and bottom surfaces of the sealing plate 505 and the corresponding surfaces of the valve body 545 and the caliper 520. In some embodiments, when the main seal 525 is in a compressed state, about 0.5% to about 1% of the surface of each main seal 525 is exposed to the gas flowing through the gap 540. In some embodiments, when the primary seals 525 are in a compressed state, about 1% to about 5% of the surface of each primary seal 525 is exposed to the gas flowing through the gap 540. In some embodiments, when the primary seals 525 are in a compressed state, about 5% to about 10% of the surface of each primary seal 525 is exposed to the gas flowing through the gap 540.

[0088] Furthermore, the gas residing in or flowing through the hole 530 can reach the main seal 525 only by traveling perpendicularly to the main flow of the gas through the gap 540. Even so, when the gas flows toward the main seal 525 through the gap 540, the corrosive gas such as atomic fluorine is usually reduced to a less corrosive and reactive form (e.g., molecular fluorine) through a complex reaction caused by the collision of the atomic fluorine with the surfaces of the valve body 545 and the sealing plate 505.

[0089] In some embodiments, the valve body 545 is constructed so that the path between the main seal 525 and the gap 540 is a "maze" with one or more changes in direction. In this configuration, the compounding effect of the gas flowing through the gap 540 can be increased, thereby further reducing the possibility that the corrosive gas can reach the main seal 525. In some embodiments, the position where the main seal 525 is mounted on the caliper 520 is changed to increase the horizontal distance between the main seal 525 and the hole 530, thereby increasing the number of collisions between the gas and the surfaces of the valve body 545 and the sealing plate 505 when the gas flows to the main seal 525 through the gap 540. In some embodiments, the main seal 525 is about 5 mm away from the hole 530. In some embodiments, the main seal 525 is between about 10 mm and 20 mm away from the hole 530. In some embodiments, the main seal 525 is between about 20 mm and 40 mm away from the hole 530.

[0090] Reducing the exposure of the working surface of the main seal 525 can significantly increase the useful life of the main seal 525 compared to similar main seal elements used in conventional isolation valves. In some embodiments, the useful life of the main seal 525 is increased by about 2 to 10 times the useful life of similar main seals used in conventional isolation valves. In some embodiments, the useful life of the main seal 525 is increased by about 10 to 50 times the useful life of similar main seals used in conventional isolation valves. In some embodiments, the useful life of the main seal 525 exceeds 1000 hours of operation or normal operation.

[0091] Returning to the operation of the isolation valve 510, in order to release the compressive force applied to the sealing plate 505 by the caliper 520, the pneumatic actuator releases the pneumatic load applied to the piston 515, and the force applied by the spring 535 to reduce the pressure returns the piston 515, the bellows actuator 550 and the caliper 520 to their initial positions, thereby releasing the sealing plate 505 to rotate to another position. Figure 5 As shown, only spring 535a and spring 535b are visible. However, it should be understood that valve 510 may include additional springs installed between valve body 545 and piston 515b. In some embodiments, two or more springs are installed between each piston 515 and valve body 545.

[0092] Figure 5The exemplary isolation valve 510 shown in FIG. 5 has a "spring-open" or "normally open" configuration, which means that when the pneumatic load applied to the piston 515 is released, the force applied by the spring 535 returns the corresponding components of the isolation valve 510 to the "open" position, thereby allowing the sealing plate 505 to rotate to a new position within the valve body 545. Those skilled in the art will understand that in some embodiments, the isolation valve 510 can alternatively have a "spring-closed" or "spring-returned" configuration. In this configuration, a pneumatic load is applied to the piston 515 to move the components of the isolation valve 510 to the "open" position, thereby allowing the sealing plate 505 to rotate to a new position within the valve body 545, and when the pneumatic load applied to the piston 515 is released, the spring returns the corresponding components of the isolation valve 510 to the compressed or "closed" position. In addition, in some embodiments, the isolation valve 510 can be configured to have a "double-acting" or "dual-pneumatic" configuration, which uses the force applied by the pneumatic actuator to alternate the corresponding components of the isolation valve 510 between an open and a closed / compressed state.

[0093] Once the compressive force applied by the caliper 520 is released, the sealing plate 505 can be repositioned so that a different portion of the sealing plate 505 is exposed to the hole 530. For example, as described above with reference to Figure 3A As described above, a pneumatic actuator may be used to move the pivot point ( Figure 5 The sealing plate 505 is rotated to its desired position by applying a rotational force to the pivot point (not shown) to control which portion of the sealing plate 505 is exposed to the aperture 530. In some embodiments, a mechanical or electromechanical actuator may be used to apply a rotational force to the pivot point to control the movement of the sealing plate 505. Once the sealing plate 505 is rotated to the desired position, the above process is repeated to lock the sealing plate 505 in its new position within the valve body 545 and once again press the primary seal 525 against the sealing plate 505.

[0094] Although described herein as distinct components, those skilled in the art will recognize that the caliper 520 can be a unitary or integral component or can be an assembly of two or more components. Additionally, in some embodiments of the isolation valve technology described herein, during operation of the isolation valve 510, only one primary seal 525 is compressed and sealed against the sealing plate 505, thereby substantially shielding or shielding the one primary seal from any corrosive or etchant gas passing through the aperture 530. In some embodiments, the isolation valve 510 includes one primary seal.

[0095] In some embodiments, the isolation valve 510 includes thermal management features to prevent overheating due to energy dissipated by the chemical process and to maintain the temperature of the isolation valve 510 above the freezing point of the exposed process. In some embodiments, the valve body 545 and the sealing plate 505 include a plurality of fluid passages formed therein through which a gas or liquid coolant flows. In some embodiments, the liquid coolant is water, ethylene glycol, CDA, 505. In some embodiments, coolant is supplied to the fluid passage of the sealing plate 505 through its pivot point. In some embodiments, one or more of the piston 515, the bellows actuator 550, and the caliper 520 include a fluid passage for circulating coolant. In some embodiments, heat pipes are included in components of the isolation valve 510 for thermal management. In some embodiments, components of the isolation valve 510 use conduction for thermal management. In one example, when the main seal 525 is in compression, thermal energy from the caliper 520 is conducted to the valve body 545 and the sealing plate 505.

[0096] Fig. 6A 6 is a block diagram 600a of an RPS 104 connected to an isolation valve 610 according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. Isolation valve 610 includes many of the same features and components as isolation valve 510. However, isolation valve 610 utilizes a plurality of pneumatic actuators (e.g., actuator 660) to extend and retract calipers within valve body 645. In some embodiments, actuator 660 is based on an International Organization for Standardization ("ISO") valve actuator.

[0097] like Fig. 6A As shown, the isolation valve 610 includes eight actuators 660, where four upper actuators and four lower actuators are located on opposite sides of the valve body 645. In some embodiments, the isolation valve 610 includes more than eight actuators 660.

[0098] Figure 6B yes Fig. 6A 600b of the embodiment shown in FIG. As shown, a vertical rod or post within each actuator 660 extends into either a caliper 620a or a caliper 620b (collectively referred to as "calipers 620"), respectively, depending on the location of each actuator 660.

[0099] In operation, the actuators 660 operate substantially simultaneously to extend the caliper 620 and compress the main seals 625a and 625b (collectively referred to as "main seals 625") against the seal plate 605. Figure 6B As shown, sealing plate 605 is located in a position within valve body 645 that closes the gas flow path through hole 630. To change the position of sealing plate 605, actuator 660 is operated substantially simultaneously to retract caliper 620, and sealing plate 605 can be moved in the same manner as above with reference to Figure 5 The valve body 645 is rotated to a new position in a substantially similar manner as described above. Figure 5 Like the exemplary isolation valve 510 shown in , the isolation valve 610 can have a "spring to open", "spring to close" or "spring to return" or "double acting" or "double pneumatic" configuration.

[0100] In some embodiments, the sealing plate 605 may include a downstream injector 690 for injecting a process gas or a purge gas into the aperture 630. In some embodiments, the downstream injector is formed in a portion of the aperture 630 between the sealing plate 605 and the outlet of the RPS 104. In some embodiments, the downstream injector is formed in a portion of the aperture 630 below the sealing plate 605.

[0101] The following series of figures illustrate several modes of operation of the isolation valve technology described herein, and the corresponding descriptions detail the advantages provided by the isolation valve.

[0102] Fig. 7A 700a is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary isolation valve 710 in a first operating mode according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. The isolation valve 710 includes Figure 5 For example, isolation valve 710 includes, among other things, sealing plate 705, orifice 730, and valve body 745, which are similar to sealing plate 505, orifice 530, and valve body 545, respectively. In cross-sectional view 700a, the upper piston, bellows actuator feedthrough, caliper, and main seal are represented by 765a, and the lower piston, bellows actuator feedthrough, caliper, and main seal are represented by 765b.

[0103] The isolation valve 710 also includes an orifice or inlet port 770 for injecting a purge gas (e.g., nitrogen, argon) from the valve purger 114 into the interior cavity of the valve body 745, and an orifice or outlet port 775 for extracting the purge gas and residual process gas from the interior cavity of the valve body 745 by the pump 108. In some embodiments, the inlet port 770 includes one or more inlet ports for injecting the purge gas into the valve body 745. In some embodiments, the outlet port 775 includes one or more outlet ports for extracting gas from the valve body 745. As shown in the cross-sectional view 700a, the valve body 745 can be purged when the sealing plate 705 is in a position that blocks gas flow through the orifice 730.

[0104] Those skilled in the art will recognize that forming the outlet port 775 in the valve body 745 at a location away from the inlet port 770 to substantially maximize the flow path of the purge gas through the interior cavity of the valve body 745 can be beneficial to the purge process. Fig. 7A As shown (and described below) Figures 7B-7D770), the outlet port 775 is substantially located on the side of the valve body 745 opposite the inlet port 770. In addition, although the inlet port 770 and the outlet port 775 are depicted as being formed in the top and bottom surfaces of the valve body 745, respectively, according to embodiments of the valve technology described herein, either or both of the inlet port 770 and the outlet port 775 may be formed in the top, side, or bottom surface of the valve body 745. In some embodiments, multiple inlet ports and outlet ports are formed at various locations in the valve body 745, and a subset of the inlet ports and outlet ports may be selectively used depending on the type of purge process being performed or the area of ​​the internal cavity that the process is intended to purge.

[0105] Figure 7B 700b is a cross-sectional view of isolation valve 710 in a second mode of operation according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. In cross-sectional view 700b, sealing plate 705 is in a position that enables gas to flow from the outlet of RPS 104 into the inlet portion of orifice 730, where the gas can continue to flow through orifice 730 through the opening in sealing plate 705 and then out of the outlet portion of orifice 730 into process chamber 106. For example, the gas flow from RPS 104 (at Figure 7B The gas stream from the RPS 104 is a purge gas (eg, nitrogen, argon) or a plasma (eg, an argon-based plasma).

[0106] Thus, the configuration of the isolation valve 710 allows the valve body 745 to be purged regardless of whether the sealing plate 705 is in a blocking position (e.g., Fig. 7A ) or allow (for example, Figure 7B ) gas flows through the hole 730. Purging the valve body 745 advantageously removes backflowing process gases (e.g., fluorine or deposition gases) that have penetrated the valve body 745 during processing and otherwise become trapped therein. Thus, continuously or periodically purging the valve body 745 can extend the life of components (e.g., primary seals) that may be damaged by exposure to residual process gases.

[0107] Figure 7C 700c is a cross-sectional view of isolation valve 710 in a third mode of operation according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. In cross-sectional view 700c, sealing plate 705 is in a position to block gas flow from the outlet of RPS 104 through hole 730 to process chamber 106. However, in this embodiment, sealing plate 705 includes a bypass port 780 formed therethrough, which provides for bypassing gas from the RPS side of hole 730 (e.g., as shown in FIG. 1 ). Figure 7C The bypass port 780 is formed by a plurality of ports formed in the sealing plate 705. In addition, although Figure 7C The sealing plate 705 in the figure is shown as having two positions (e.g., "valve hole open" and "valve hole closed with bypass"), as described above, some embodiments of the sealing plate 705 include three or more positions and include features of other embodiments described herein.

[0108] Semiconductor processing systems using an isolation valve with bypass port 780 have several advantages over conventional semiconductor processing systems. As background, in conventional semiconductor processing systems, during periods when the RPS is not providing active gas to a process chamber, the RPS is closed. Although it is desirable to have a purge gas (e.g., argon) flow through the RPS during this state to maintain a known chemical composition within the RPS, this is often difficult to achieve. There is a risk that the flow of purge gas and gas evacuated during the purge process may interfere with or change the dynamics of the deposition process occurring in the process chamber because the flow path from the RPS to the exhaust port of a conventional semiconductor processing system necessarily flows through the process chamber.

[0109] Because of these issues, when the RPS is not in use to generate plasma, it is typically turned off and placed in a "cold" state, thereby reducing regulation of the chemical composition of its internal environment. This can cause a number of problems. For example, without a purge gas flowing through the RPS, residual gases, deposition gases, may migrate upstream and condense in or upstream of the RPS. If this byproduct is deposited upstream of the location where the plasma is generated by the residual process gas, it will not be removed during the chamber cleaning process and the byproduct may become a permanent source of particulate matter or contaminants. In addition, the temperature difference between the hot gases flowing upstream into the cold chamber of the RPS may cause condensation to form. Coupled with the fact that the chemical composition of its internal environment is not regulated when in the off state, the re-ignition performance of the RPS may become inconsistent, which causes unwanted delays in semiconductor processing operations.

[0110] Semiconductor processing systems utilizing the isolation valve technology described herein overcome the deficiencies of conventional semiconductor processing systems. Specifically, bypass port 780 enables valve body 745 and RPS 104 to be purged simultaneously while other processes (e.g., deposition) are being performed within process chamber 106. For example, a purge gas (e.g., nitrogen, argon) can flow through valve body 745 while flowing through a de-energized or "passive" RPS 104 to prevent any process gas from entering the RPS 104 upstream. Finally, a known chemical composition can be maintained within RPS 104, thereby eliminating or significantly reducing the RPS re-ignition problem encountered by conventional semiconductor processing systems.

[0111] In addition to providing a means for purging the valve body 745 and RPS 104 when in a passive or de-energized state, the bypass port 780 also enables simultaneous purging of the valve body 745 and RPS 104 while the RPS 104 remains in a standby mode (wherein it remains energized and generating plasma). For example, after reactive gas species are delivered to the process chamber 106 and a subsequent deposition process is ongoing, the RPS 104 can remain energized and continue to generate plasma (e.g., argon plasma). The plasma generated using a gas such as argon is not sufficiently corrosive to damage components of the isolation valve 710. Therefore, before the sealing plate 705 can be rotated or moved from a position that allows gas flow through the aperture 730 to a position that blocks gas flow through the aperture 730, the RPS 104 need not be disabled, but rather a flow path is provided from the outlet of the RPS 104 to the interior of the valve body 745 via the bypass port 780.

[0112] Operation in this mode eliminates the above-described problem of RPS re-ignition failures experienced by conventional semiconductor processing systems, since the RPS 104 is never powered down. Additionally, when operating in this mode, the RPS 104 is subjected to far fewer thermal cycles, which subjects components of the RPS 104 to less thermal shock and results in significantly less condensation on chamber surfaces of the RPS 104 and nearby components.

[0113] Furthermore, operation in the aforementioned mode allows for preventive maintenance of the RPS 104 without removing it from the system 100 and without affecting the process chamber 106. Specifically, when the sealing plate 705 is located as shown in FIG. Figure 7C In the case of the position shown, a plasma can be generated in RPS104 with oxygen or other conditioning gas to passivate the chamber surfaces of RPS104. For example, when performed on a remote plasma source having chamber surfaces composed of anodized aluminum, the process can convert aluminum difluoride (AlF2) and / or aluminum fluoride (AlF3) formed on the chamber surfaces during operation into aluminum oxide (Al2O3). AlF2 / AlF3 will fall off the surface walls over time and become a source of contaminant particles for the wafers being processed. Therefore, performing the passivation process before this occurs can reduce or eliminate AlF2 / AlF3 from the chamber surfaces, thereby extending the service life of the chamber block. In addition, these conditioning and maintenance operations are not limited to processing chamber surfaces composed of anodized aluminum. The valve technology described herein enables the conditioning and maintenance processes to be performed on chamber surfaces composed of materials such as quartz materials, sapphire materials, aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, yttrium oxide, silicon carbide, boron nitride and / or metals such as aluminum, nickel or stainless steel.

[0114] Fig.7D700d is a cross-sectional view of isolation valve 710 in a fourth mode of operation according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. In cross-sectional view 700d, sealing plate 705 is in a position to enable gas to flow from the outlet of RPS 104 through hole 730 to process chamber 106. However, in this embodiment, sealing plate 705 includes one or more channels 785 formed therein for injecting different gases or chemical compositions downstream of RPS 104. For example, sealing plate 705 may include one or more inlets (not shown) in communication with downstream injectors 116 for supplying process or purge gases (e.g., chemical species, forming gases, water vapor) into channel 785 for injection into hole 730 through one or more downstream injectors 790. In some embodiments, gas is supplied to channel 785 through a conduit in a pivot point (not shown) of sealing plate 705.

[0115] As noted above, system 100 is often installed in facilities with limited physical space. Therefore, the described configuration of isolation valve 710 can save valuable space for system 100 because no additional equipment needs to be routed into the gas flow path to inject different gases or chemical compositions downstream of RPS 104.

[0116] In some embodiments, one or both of the channel 785 and the downstream injector 790 are formed in the wall of the hole 730 in the valve body 745 below the sealing plate 705. In some embodiments, one or both of the channel 785 and the downstream injector 790 are formed in the wall of the hole 730 in the valve body 745 above the sealing plate 705. The downstream injector 790 can be positioned either above the sealing plate 705 or below the sealing plate 705.

[0117] In addition, despite Fig.7D The sealing plate 705 in the figures is depicted as having two positions (e.g., "valve orifice closed" and "valve orifice open with downstream injection"), but as described above, some embodiments of the sealing plate 705 include three or more positions and include features of other embodiments described herein.

[0118] Figure 8 800 is a flow chart of a method 800 for directing an output of a remote plasma source operation through a valve body of an isolation valve assembly according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. The method 800 includes securing (805) an outlet of a remote plasma source to an inlet of a valve body of an isolation valve assembly. For example, as described above with reference to system 100, the outlet of RPS 104 can be mounted directly to or near the inlet of the valve body of isolation valve 110.

[0119] The method 800 also includes positioning (810) a sealing plate disposed within the interior cavity of the valve body in a first position, wherein the sealing plate includes a channel that directs airflow from an inlet of the valve body to the interior cavity of the valve body when the sealing plate is in the first position. Figure 7C The isolation valve of the sealing plate of the features described in the above reference Figure 5 The valve inlet is described as being positioned to present a bypass path for gas flowing from the RPS 104 into the valve inlet.

[0120] The method 800 includes providing (815) an output of a remote plasma source operation to an inlet of a valve body through an outlet of the remote plasma source, and evacuating (820) the output of the remote plasma source operation from a first aperture disposed in the valve body.

[0121] For example, a purge operation may be performed in the RPS 104. The RPS supply 112 may supply a purge gas, such as argon, to a gas inlet of the RPS 104. Referring again to Figure 7C , the purge gas from RPS104 (at Figure 7C 745 ) can flow into the inlet of the isolation valve 710 , where the bypass port 780 directs it to the internal cavity of the valve body 745 and is evacuated through the outlet port 775 .

[0122] In some embodiments, the output of the remote plasma source operation is a gas produced during a passivation process performed in RPS 104. In some embodiments, the output of the remote plasma source operation is reactive species produced by a plasma formed in RPS 104 (eg, argon plasma, oxygen plasma).

[0123] In some embodiments, valve body 745 is purged. For example, a purge gas may be supplied to inlet port 770 and may flow from inlet port 770 to outlet port 775 where it is evacuated by a vacuum created by pump 108. In some embodiments, at least one of residual gas and particulate matter is also evacuated from valve body 745.

[0124] In some embodiments, evacuation of the remote plasma source operation and / or the output of the remote plasma source operation occurs substantially simultaneously with the purging of the valve body 745. Furthermore, because the sealing plate 705 remains isolated from the process chamber 106 when the sealing plate 705 is in this position, semiconductor processing operations can be performed simultaneously with any of the operations described above.

[0125] Fig. 9900 is a flow chart of a method 900 for reacting a chemical species with a reactive species according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. The method 900 includes securing (905) an outlet of a remote plasma source to an inlet of a valve body of an isolation valve assembly. For example, as described above with reference to system 100, the outlet of RPS 104 can be mounted directly to or near the inlet of the valve body of isolation valve 110.

[0126] The method 900 also includes positioning (910) a sealing plate disposed within the interior cavity of the valve body in a first position, wherein the sealing plate includes a channel for directing airflow from the valve body inlet to the valve body outlet. Fig.7D The isolation valve of the sealing plate of the features described in the above reference Figure 5 The depiction is positioned to present the flow path from the RPS 104 , through the isolation valve 710 , and into the inlet of the process chamber 106 .

[0127] Method 900 includes supplying (915) reactive species generated in a remote plasma source to an inlet of a valve body. For example, as described above, the reactive species may be generated in RPS 104 and flow into isolation valve 710. Method 900 also includes injecting (920) one or more chemical species into the reactive species through a plurality of injection ports formed in a sealing plate. For example, again referring to Fig.7D , the sealing plate 705 may include one or more inlets (not shown) in communication with the downstream injector 116 for supplying one or more chemical species into the passage 785 for injection into the hole 730 via the downstream injector 790. Injecting one or more chemical species into the hole 730 while the reactive species are flowing through may enhance or improve the effectiveness of the process. In addition, the design of the isolation valve 710 enables the valve body 745 to be purged substantially simultaneously with the steps of the method 900 as described above.

[0128] Fig.101 is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary isolation valve 1000 according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. The isolation valve 1000 can provide similar functions to the various isolation valve designs described above (e.g., isolation valve 510), while being compatible with, but not limited to, active gas services. As shown, the isolation valve 1000 generally defines an inlet 1004 and an outlet 1006, which are openly connected to an internal cavity 1008 disposed in the valve body 1002. The valve body 1002 is a mechanical housing that is configured to support one or more sealing elements, ports for vacuum and gas feed channels, and thermal management of fluids or components. In some embodiments, a sealing body 1010 and a set of one or more closing elements (hereinafter referred to as calipers) 1012 are housed in the internal cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002 for selectively preventing and allowing gas to flow from the inlet 1004 of the isolation valve 1000 to the outlet 1006. The sealing body 1010 can be used as the main working element of the valve 1000. In some embodiments, the isolation valve 1000 additionally includes an actuator 1014 coupled to the valve body 1002 and in communication with the seal body 1010 and / or the caliper 1012. Alternatively, the actuator 1014 may be located external to and / or remote from the isolation valve 1000. The isolation valve 1000 may also include structural components that house other sealing elements for use in place of or in addition to the seal body 1010 and the caliper 1012 to prevent and allow gas flow within the region of the valve body 1002.

[0129] In some embodiments, the sealing body 1010 is a volume element, such as Fig.10 1000. Alternatively, the sealing body 1010 may have a shape other than a sphere, but still provide substantially the same functionality as a sphere, such as an ovoid, cylindrical, or square shape. The shape of the sealing body 1010 may be multi-faceted (e.g., 2, 3, or 4 faces), have one or more shaped (e.g., non-planar or substantially non-planar) surfaces, or substantially planar surfaces. Furthermore, as will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, the remaining components of the isolation valve 1000 may be appropriately configured to accommodate the selected shape of the sealing body 1010. Fig.10As shown, the sealing body 1010 generally defines a central channel 1018 extending between a first opening 1020 on a surface of the sealing body 1010 and a second opening 1022 on an opposite surface of the sealing body 1010. The first opening 1020 and the second opening 1022 can have substantially the same size as the size of each of the inlet 1004 and the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002. In addition, the outer surface of the sealing body 1010 can define two sealing areas 1024, 1026, which are configured to form a fluid-impermeable seal with each of the inlet 1004 and the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002. The two sealing areas 1024, 1026 can be oriented at a certain degree of rotation (e.g., 90 degrees) relative to the two openings 1020, 1022 on the sealing body surface.

[0130] In some embodiments, the sealing body 1010 can be rotated between the following positions: (i) a first position (hereinafter referred to as the "open" position) allowing gas flow from the inlet 1004 of the valve body 1002 to the outlet 1006 through the central passage 1018 of the sealing body 1010; and (ii) a second position (hereinafter referred to as the "closed" position) preventing gas flow from the inlet 1004 of the valve body 1002 to the outlet 1006. The first position and the second position can be achieved by rotating the sealing body 1010 within the internal cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002 by a predetermined rotation degree (e.g., 90 degrees).

[0131] In addition, the seal body 1010 may include features for supporting one or more components, ports for full gas flow, definition of vacuum sealing surfaces (e.g., by surface treatment or cutting sealing element grooves), and interfaces with thermal management, as described in detail below. In addition, elements may be added to the seal body 1010 to enhance the functionality of the isolation valve 1000, such as bypassing incoming gas flow to other valve output ports, as described in detail below.

[0132] In some embodiments, the isolation valve 1000 includes one or more supports configured to provide bearing support for the sealing body 1010. These supports, for example, define the axis of rotation of the sealing body 1010 while providing features for centering the sealing body 1010 within the internal cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002. In some embodiments, the supports integrate a set of translatable dynamic seals to provide a vacuum seal between the sealing body 1010 and the external atmosphere. In some embodiments, the supports provide channels to enable cooling / thermal management of internal valve components. These support features will be described in detail below.

[0133] Fig.11 According to an embodiment of the technology described herein Fig.10FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a valve body 1002 of an isolation valve 1000 . Fig.11 A more detailed view of the caliper 1012 and accompanying elements that enable the caliper 1012 to move relative to the sealing body 1010 is provided. In general, a set of one or more calipers 1012 can be actuatable to conform to the outer surface of the sealing body 1010 and provide a seal, such as a vacuum seal, between the sealing body 1010 and the interior cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002 while maintaining the sealing body 1010 substantially stationary within the valve body 1002. For example, the caliper 1012 can hold and vacuum seal the sealing body 1010 within an interior chamber 1114 of the interior cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002, wherein the interior chamber 1114 is defined by a set of inner walls 1106 and portions of the valve body 1002. Fig.11 As shown, two dual opposing calipers 1012 are used to form a seal against the outer surface of the sealing body 1010 relative to the valve body 1002. More specifically, each caliper 1012 provides an actuable seal around an upper region or a lower region of the sealing body 1010. In other configurations, one caliper or more than two calipers may be used, which is reasonable to a person of ordinary skill in the art. In some embodiments, the group of one or more calipers 1012 is pneumatically actuated and operates in coordination to apply substantially equal compressive forces on the sealing body 1010 (e.g., toward the center of mass of the sealing body 1010) to achieve sealing while keeping the sealing body 1010 stationary within the inner chamber 1114. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the actuation of the calipers 1012 is not limited to pneumatics and can be achieved in other ways, such as electric actuation using a solenoid valve.

[0134] like Fig.11As shown, the set of calipers 1012 includes an upper caliper 1012a and a lower caliper 1012b. In some embodiments, each caliper 1012 includes a circumferential plate 1011 having one or more circumferential mechanical arms 1102, the circumferential mechanical arms 1102 having a circumferential seal (e.g., an O-ring) 1100, and the circumferential seal 1100 is embedded in a corresponding dovetail groove formed in the mechanical arms 1102. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other techniques can be used to fasten or embed the seal 1100 in the caliper 1012. More specifically, each circumferential plate 1011 of the caliper 1012 may include two circumferential mechanical arms 1102a, 1102b (collectively referred to as 1102), and the circumferential mechanical arms 1102a, 1102b have respective seals of a circumferential main seal 1100a and a circumferential body seal 1100b (collectively referred to as seals 1100) respectively fixed thereto. The first mechanical arm 1102a-main seal 1100a pair is configured to engage with the upper surface or the lower surface of the sealing body 1010. The second mechanical arm 1102b-main seal 1100b pair is configured to fasten the caliper 1012 to the top wall or the bottom wall of the valve body 1002. The plate 1011 of each caliper 1012 is in turn connected to a piston 1104 coupled to the valve body 1002, wherein the piston 1104 is configured to actuate the corresponding caliper 1012 between an extended position and a retracted position, the extended position is used to seal and hold the sealing body 1010 in place, and the retracted position is used to release the holding / sealing of the sealing body 1010. The piston 1104 is configured to apply sufficient force to actuate the corresponding caliper 1012, thereby sealing the sealing body 1010 in a vacuum environment. In some embodiments, four such pistons 1104 are associated with each of the upper caliper 1012a and the lower caliper 1012b. For example, four pistons 1104 for each of the two calipers 1012 may be arranged at four upper or lower corners of the internal cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002. Alternatively, each caliper 1012 may be equipped with more or fewer such pistons 1104, such as 1, 2, 3, 5 or more. In some embodiments, each piston 1104 is pneumatically actuated to translate vertically within a channel defined by a pneumatic plug 1108, which is fastened between a side wall of the valve body 1002 and one of the inner walls 1106 disposed in the internal cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002. As described above, the inner wall 1106 forms a portion of the inner chamber 1114 to substantially confine the sealing body 1010 therein, thereby (i) preventing any translational movement of the sealing body 1010 (while promoting rotational movement of the sealing body 1010) and (ii) enabling the caliper 1012 to form a vacuum seal around the inner chamber 1114. In some embodiments, the pneumatic plug 1108 is secured between the side wall and the inner wall 1106 of the valve body 1002 by one or more seal assemblies 1110 .

[0135] In addition, a portion of the side wall of the valve body 1002 adjacent to each piston 1104 may include a set of one or more pneumatic ports 1112 configured to direct air and / or gas therethrough to actuate the corresponding piston 1104 and the caliper 1012 connected to the piston 1104. For example, the set of pneumatic ports 1112 may include a pneumatic opening port 1112a and a pneumatic closing port 1112b for each caliper 1012. In some embodiments, the upper caliper 1012a and the lower caliper 1012b may share one or more pneumatic ports 1112 (e.g., the pneumatic opening port 1112a) to ensure synchronized operation of the calipers 1012.

[0136] In operation, in order to extend a set of calipers 1012 when a pneumatic signal is activated, air and / or gas can be simultaneously supplied to the corresponding pneumatic closing ports 1112b to vertically translate the corresponding pistons 1104. The vertical linear movement of the pistons 1104 causes the plates 1011 of the calipers 1012 to move linearly toward the center of mass of the sealing body 1010. The calipers 1012 are configured to have a linear range of motion within the valve body 1002. In some embodiments, each caliper 1012 has a linear range of motion of less than 1 mm. In some embodiments, each caliper 1012 has a linear range of motion of about 0.5 mm to about 3 mm. In some embodiments, the linear range of motion of each caliper 1012 is about 1 mm to about 5 mm, for example, about 3 mm to about 5 mm, or about 1.25 mm or less. The linear movement of the plate 1011 of the caliper 1012 toward the seal body 1010 in turn causes the corresponding mechanical arms 1102a of the plate 1011 to apply a compressive force to the seal body 1010 to maintain the seal body 1010 stationary in the first (open) position or the second (closed) position. In some embodiments, the compressive force applied by the mechanical arms 1102a of the plate 1011 to the surface of the seal body 1010 enables the corresponding primary seal 1100a fastened to the mechanical arms 1102a to physically contact and compress against the outer surface of the seal body 1010, thereby forming a vacuum seal at these interfaces and sealing the interior chamber 1114.

[0137] The primary seal 1100a ensures that process gas flows through the seal body 1010 but not through the internal cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002, thereby substantially sealing the valve body 1002 to avoid exposure to corrosive or etchant gases flowing through the inlet 1004 when the seal body 1010 is in a first (open) position that allows gas flow, and similarly, substantially preventing process gas from entering the process chamber 106 and preventing any remaining corrosive or etchant gases from the RPS 104 from entering the valve body 1002 when the seal body 1010 is in a second (closed) position that blocks gas flow through the valve body outlet 1006.

[0138] Another advantage of the isolation valve 1000 is that each of the main seal 1100a and the body seal 1100b is exposed to a much smaller working surface of the corrosive or etching gas flowing through the valve body inlet 1004 than conventional isolation valves, similar to the advantages described above with respect to the main seal 525 of the isolation valve 510. For example, the configuration of the isolation valve 1000 described herein substantially shields the main seal 1100a and the body seal 1100b from any corrosive or etching gas, regardless of whether the gas flow path through the main passage 1018 is fully open, partially open, or closed, because only a minimal portion of each of the main seal 1100a and the body seal 1100b is exposed. In part, this is because the main seal 1100a is compressively sealed to the seal body 1010, while the body seal 1100b is compressively sealed to a corresponding portion of the valve body 1002. When these seals 1100 are compressed, only small cracks or gaps are exposed. In some embodiments, when in compression, about 0.5% to about 1% of the surface of each seal 1100 is exposed to gas flowing through the gap. In some embodiments, when in compression, about 1% to about 5% of the surface of each seal 1100 is exposed to gas flowing through the gap. In some embodiments, when in compression, about 5% to about 10% of the surface of each seal 1100 is exposed to gas flowing through the gap. Overall, reducing the exposure of the working surface of the seal 1100 can significantly increase its service life compared to similar sealing elements used in conventional isolation valves.

[0139] In order to retract the caliper 1012 to release the compressive force applied by the caliper 1012 to the sealing body 1010 when the pneumatic signal is activated, air and / or gas can be simultaneously supplied to the corresponding pneumatic opening port 1112a to vertically translate the corresponding piston 1104 in the opposite direction relative to the direction used to extend the caliper 1012. The vertical linear movement of the piston 1104 causes the plate 1011 of the caliper 1012 to move vertically away from the sealing body 1010, which causes the mechanical arm 1102a of the plate 1011 to retract from the sealing body 1010 to release it from the static sealing position, thereby allowing the sealing body 1010 to rotate freely in the internal chamber 1114. More specifically, when the caliper 1012 is retracted, the main seal 1100a of the caliper 1012 breaks physical contact with the sealing body 1010 to allow the sealing body 1010 to rotate to the first (open) or second (closed) position. Once the compressive force applied by the plate 1011 of the caliper 1012 is released, the sealing body 1010 can be rotated to the desired position, after which the pneumatic signal can be activated to repeat the above process so as to lock the sealing body 1010 in its new position by actuating the caliper 1012 and piston 1104 set described herein again. Thus, the caliper 1012 and the position 1104 can achieve a seal (e.g., a substantially complete seal) in both the open and closed states of the isolation valve 1000.

[0140] Fig.12a and 12b The embodiments according to the technology described in this article are respectively shown. Fig.10 The respective positions of the first (open) position and the second (closed) position of the sealing body 1010 within the internal cavity 1008 of the isolation valve 1000. As shown, the sealing body 1010 defines a rotation axis 1200 about which the sealing body 1010 rotates within the valve body 1002 to move between the first (open) position and the second (closed) position. In some embodiments, the actuator 1014 is used to control the movement of the sealing body 1010 by applying a rotational force about the rotation axis 1200 once the caliper 1012 is retracted. Fig.12a and 12b As shown, the actuator 1014 is a dedicated rotary pneumatic actuator that can operate the isolation valve 1000 by pneumatic means. Alternatively, the actuator 1014 can be a mechanical or electromechanical actuator that operates the isolation valve 1000, for example, by a solenoid valve. The actuator 1014 can be controlled onboard or remotely, and can actuate the isolation valve 1000 by means other than pneumatic or electric to rotate the sealing body 1010 at a specified rotation. In some embodiments, the valve body 1002 additionally houses a pneumatic and / or electric manifold and other interlocking components to enable the actuator 1014 to control the movement of the sealing body 1010.

[0141] The sealing body 1010 may be Fig.12a The first (ie, open) position shown is similar to that shown in FIG. Figure 12b 1010. More specifically, in the open position, the inlet 1004 of the valve body 1002 is substantially aligned with the first opening 1020 of the central passage 1018 of the sealing body 1010, and the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002 is substantially aligned with the second opening 1022 of the central passage 1018. This configuration allows gas flow from the inlet 1004 of the valve body 1002 to the outlet 1006 via the central passage 1018 of the sealing body 1010. In the open position, the central passage 1018 is oriented substantially parallel to the axis 1202 extending between the inlet 1004 and the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002. In the closed position, the sealing areas 1024, 1026 on the surface of the sealing body 1010 are substantially aligned with and provide a seal to a corresponding one of the inlet 1004 and the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002. Thus, the closed position of the sealing body 1010 substantially blocks gas flow from the inlet 1004 to the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002. In the closed position, the central passage 1018 is oriented substantially perpendicular to an axis 1202 extending between the inlet 1004 and the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002.

[0142] To move the sealing body 1010 between the first and second positions, the actuator 1014 rotates the sealing body 1010 within the interior cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002 about the rotational axis 1200 by a predetermined rotational degree, such as approximately 90 degrees. In some embodiments, the passage 1018 may extend along the rotational axis 1200, while the sealing areas 1024, 1026 are positioned along an axis that is offset from the rotational axis 1200 by a predetermined rotational amount (e.g., 90 degrees). Conversely, the sealing areas 1024, 1026 may extend along the rotational axis 1200, while the passage 1018 extends along an axis that is offset from the rotational axis 1200 by a predetermined rotational amount. As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, the sealing body 1010 (including the location of the passage 1018 and the sealing areas 1024, 1026) may be appropriately configured to be capable of rotating about the rotational axis 1200 by other amounts.

[0143] The isolation valve 1000 may have an initial valve state of being open or closed. In an exemplary operation, it is assumed that the isolation valve 1000 is initially in a closed state (second position), wherein the central passage 1018 of the sealing body 1010 is at about 90 degrees (for example) to the inlet 1004 / outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002, such as Figure 12b As shown. The caliper 1012 can be extended to lock / seal the sealing body 1010 in place in the closed state. In an exemplary sequence of operating the valve 1000 from the closed state (second position) to the open state (first position), the caliper 1012 is first retracted by moving the caliper 1012 away from the sealing body 1010, thereby disabling the sealing engagement and providing sufficient clearance to rotate the sealing body 1010. The sealing body 1010 is then rotated a prescribed amount by the actuator 1014 to align the channel 1018 with the inlet 1004 / outlet 1006. The caliper 1012 is then actuated again to move it toward the sealing body 1010 and apply a sufficient load on the seal 1100 to fluidly separate the valve body 1002 from the sealing body 1010. Finally, the valve 1000 achieves an open state, at which point the valve 1000 is ready for full flow operation, as shown in FIG. Fig.12a In some embodiments, this exemplary motion sequence is reversed to return valve 1000 from an open state (first position) to a closed state (second position).

[0144] Fig.13 An embodiment according to the technology described herein is shown Fig.10A set of exemplary dimensions for the isolation valve 1000 of FIG. The height 1302 of the isolation valve 1000 can be about 1.5 times to about 2 times the diameter 1304 of at least one of the inlet 1004 or the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002. For example, the height 1302 of the isolation valve 1000 can be about 4.3 inches. The length 1306 of the isolation valve 1000 can be about 8.4 inches, which includes the length of the valve body 1002 and the length of the housing 1308 that houses the rotary actuator 1014. The width 1310 of the isolation valve 1000 can be about 5.3 inches. In some embodiments, the valve body 1002 itself can be substantially square in length and width. In some embodiments, because the sealing body 1010 is configured as a volume element (e.g., a sphere), the isolation valve 1000 is similar to the above referenced Figures 3A-7D The isolating valve described is more compact than the one described.

[0145] In some embodiments, the valve body 1002, the sealing body 1010, and the caliper 1012 are made of a metal material, such as aluminum or anodized aluminum. In some embodiments, a bushing that can be customized according to a specific process can be set on the wall of the inlet 1004 and / or outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002 and / or the wall of the main channel 1018 of the sealing body 1010. The seal 1100 fixed to the caliper 1012 can be an elastomer. In some embodiments, the isolation valve 1000 includes one or more covers 1312, including an upper cover 1312a and a lower cover 1312b, configured to provide a closure to the valve body 1002 and / or other vacuum interface features. For example, the upper cover 1312a and the lower cover 1312b can substantially cover the inlet 1004 and the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002, respectively.

[0146] In some embodiments, the isolation valve 1000 includes thermal management features to prevent overheating due to energy dissipated by the chemical process and to maintain the temperature of the isolation valve 1000 above the freezing point of the exposed process. In some embodiments, such thermal management is passive (e.g., conductive) by contact with one or more ported supports. For example, when the primary seal 1100a is in compression, thermal energy from the caliper 1012 can be conducted to the valve body 1002 and the seal body 1010. Alternatively, such thermal management can be active (e.g., convective) by passages disposed within the seal body 1010 that are coupled to the ported supports. In some embodiments, the liquid coolant is water, ethylene glycol, CDA, In some embodiments, heat pipes are included in components of isolation valve 1000 for thermal management.

[0147] Fig.14 An embodiment of the technology described herein is shown with integrated cooling features. Fig.101000 . As shown, the thermal management manifold 1402 can be coupled to the valve body 1002 via one or more sets of dynamic seals 1414. The manifold 1402 can have at least one coolant passage 1404 disposed therein for directing a coolant therethrough. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the manifold 1402 (including a portion of the coolant passage 1404) extends into the valve body 1002 and a seal body 1010 located in an interior cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002. However, the manifold 1402 is separated from the central passage 1018 of the seal body 1010, thereby separating the primary airflow 1406 from the coolant flow 1408. During operation, the primary airflow 1406 is adapted to introduce a heat flux 1412 into the seal body 1010 and / or the valve body 1002 via the wall of the central passage 1018. To reduce heat loads and provide a heat sink, manifold 1402 is thermally managed (e.g., cooled) to provide cooling to valve body 1002 and seal body 1010 by conduction at thermal interface 1410 between components. In some embodiments, coolant flow 1408 within coolant passage 1404 provides additional cooling to valve body 1002 and seal body 1010.

[0148] Fig.15 is connected to an embodiment of the technology described herein Fig.10 The isolation valve 1000 of the remote plasma source (RPS) (e.g. Figure 2 The block diagram of RPS104 is shown in the figure. Figure 1A and 1B As described above, RPS 104 can generate reactive gas species for semiconductor manufacturing processes. Isolation valve 1000 can be installed downstream of RPS 104 and between a process chamber (e.g., Figure 1A and 1B 1000) upstream of the process chamber 106, providing a flow path for reactive gas when the isolation valve 1000 is in an open position, and isolating the RPS 104 from the process chamber 106 when the isolation valve 1000 is in a closed position. In addition, as described herein, the isolation valve 1000 may include features that allow its valve body 1002 to be purged / repaired / passivated with a purge gas supplied by a gas distributor (e.g., Figure 1A and 1B The gas is supplied from the gas distributor 102) and is supplied by at least one pump (e.g., Figure 1A and 1B The isolation valve 1000 may be removed from the valve body 1002 to bypass the process chamber 106 without affecting the process performed in the process chamber 106. In addition, as described herein, the isolation valve 1000 may include features to enable the injection of substances downstream of the RPS 104 to enhance semiconductor processing operations performed in the process chamber 106 (e.g., as described below with respect to Fig.17described above).

[0149] In some embodiments, Fig.10 The Isolation Valve 1000 is provided with Figure 1A and 1B The isolation valve 110 has similar functions and can replace the isolation valve 110 with Figure 1A The semiconductor processing system 100a or Figure 1B The semiconductor processing system 100b is integrated.

[0150] The next series of figures illustrate several modes of operation of the isolation valve 1000 described herein. These modes of operation of the isolation valve 1000 have similarities to those described above with respect to Figure 7A-7D In some embodiments, the isolation valve 1000 includes the same advantages as those described above with respect to Figure 7A-7D The valves described have similar features and operate in a similar mode.

[0151] Fig.16 An embodiment according to the technology described herein is shown Fig.10 Another exemplary configuration of the isolation valve 1000 of FIG. 1000 has components configured to perform a purge of the isolation valve 1000. The isolation valve 1000 may include the components described above with reference to FIG. Figure 10-Figure 14 One or more elements described. Fig.16 As shown, the sealing body 1010 of the isolation valve 1000 is in a second (closed) position, which blocks gas flow through the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002 to downstream components, such as the process chamber 106. However, the sealing body 1010 includes at least one bypass port 1602, which provides a flow path from the inlet 1004 of the valve body 1002 (which is in communication with the RPS 104) to at least one outlet hole 1604 on the valve body 1002. The outlet hole 1604 is located at a different location from the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002. In some embodiments, the at least one bypass port 1602 is separated from the central passage 1018 of the sealing body 1010. In some embodiments, the at least one bypass port 1602 includes a plurality of bypass ports disposed in the sealing body 1010, and the at least one outlet hole 1604 includes a plurality of outlet holes disposed on the valve body 1002.

[0152] This configuration of the isolation valve 1000 enables the valve body 1002 and the RPS 104 to be purged simultaneously while other processes (e.g., deposition) are being performed within the process chamber 106. For example, a purge gas (e.g., nitrogen, argon) 1600 may flow into the interior cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002 via the main inlet 1004 of the valve body 1002. The bypass port 1602 then directs the purge gas from the main inlet 1004 to the outlet port 1604, from which substantially all of the purge gas is evacuated, for example, using the pump 108.

[0153] In some embodiments, the central passage 1018 of the sealing body 1010 can also direct the purge gas received from the main inlet 1004 of the valve body to the outlet hole 1604 to evacuate the interior cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002. In some embodiments, at least one (e.g., one or both) of the bypass port 1602 or the central passage 1018 is used to direct the purge gas to the outlet hole 1604.

[0154] In some embodiments, the valve body 1002 includes additional holes, such as hole 1608, to provide additional purge gas inlet or outlet locations. In some embodiments, at least one of the additional holes 1608 or the main inlet 1004 (e.g., one or both) is used to receive the purge gas into the valve body 1002. In some embodiments, at least one of the additional holes 1608 or the outlet holes 1604 (e.g., one or both) is used to evacuate the purge gas from the valve body 1002 using the pump 108. In some embodiments, in accordance with embodiments of the valve technology described herein, the additional holes 1608 and the outlet holes 1604 can be formed in the top, side, and / or bottom surfaces of the valve body 1002. In some embodiments, multiple additional holes 1608 and / or outlet holes 1604 are formed in different locations in the valve body 1002, and a subset of these holes can be selectively used depending on the type of purge process being performed or the area of ​​the internal cavity 1008 that the process is intended to purge. In some embodiments, Fig.16 The isolation valve can be used with the above reference Figure 7C The valves described operate in essentially the same manner.

[0155] Fig.17 An embodiment according to the technology described herein is shown Fig.10Another exemplary configuration of the isolation valve 1000 of FIG. 1000 has components configured to perform chemical injection into the isolation valve 1000. In this operating mode, the sealing body 1010 is in a first (open) position such that gas flows from the outlet of the RPS 104 into the inlet 1004 of the valve body 1002, wherein the gas continues to flow through the central channel 1018 of the sealing body 1010 and then flows out of the valve body 1002 to the process chamber 106 via the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002. For example, the gas flow 1700 from the RPS 104 can be a reactive gas species, such as atomic fluorine. In addition, the valve body 1002 can include one or more injection feed channels 1702 in fluid communication with a booster chamber 1703 in the valve body 1002, both of which are located downstream (e.g., below) of the sealing body 1010, such as between the sealing body 1010 and the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002. The plenum 1703 is in turn in fluid communication with a set of one or more injection holes 1706 located at the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002. A process or purge gas (e.g., chemical species, forming gas, water vapor) 1704 may be supplied to the injection feed passage 1702, passed through the plenum 1703, and distributed from the injection holes 1706 to mix with the main gas flow 1700 flowing from the central passage 1018.

[0156] In some embodiments, the injection feed channel 1702 and the plenum chamber 1703 may be formed in the sealing body 1010 and fluidly connected to the injection hole 1706 located in the central channel 1018 of the sealing body 1010 to provide a process gas or a purge gas 1702 for mixing with the main gas flow 1700 as the main gas flow 1700 flows through the central channel 1018. In some embodiments, the injection feed channel 1702 and the plenum chamber 1703 are formed in the valve body 1002 and are located upstream (e.g., above) the sealing body 1010, such as between the sealing body 1010 and the inlet 1004 of the valve body 1002, in which case the injection hole 1706 may be located at the inlet 1004 of the valve body 1002. In some embodiments, Fig.17 The isolation valve can be used in accordance with the above reference Fig.7D The valves described operate in essentially the same manner.

[0157] Fig.18 An output for directing operation of a remote plasma source according to an embodiment of the technology described herein is shown. Fig.10 18. The method 1800 includes securing an outlet of a remote plasma source to an inlet 1004 of a valve body 1002 of the isolation valve 1000 (step 1805). For example, as described above with reference to the system 100, the outlet of the RPS 104 can be mounted directly to the valve body inlet 1004 or mounted near the valve body inlet 1004.

[0158] For the isolation valve 1000, the method 1800 also includes rotating the sealing body 1010 within the internal cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002 to achieve the open position of the isolation valve 1000 (step 1810). Fig.12a As described above, in the open position, the first opening 1020 and the second opening 1022 of the main channel 1018 of the sealing body 1010 are substantially aligned with the corresponding one of the inlet 1004 and the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002 to allow gas to flow through the main channel 1018. More specifically, the open position substantially allows gas to flow from the inlet 1004 to the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002 via the main channel 1018. In some embodiments, the isolation valve 1000 has one or more of the following features: (i) the above reference Fig.16 The features described above are used to provide a bypass path for gas flowing from RPS 104 into valve inlet 1004; and / or (ii) the above reference Fig.17 Features are described to present the injection of additional gas into the main channel 1018.

[0159] Method 1800 further includes providing an output of a remote plasma source operation (e.g., in the form of a gas flow) to an inlet 1004 of a valve body 1002 through an outlet of the remote plasma source (step 1815); directing the gas flow from the inlet 1004 of the valve body 1002 to a main channel 1018 located in a sealing body 1010 of the valve body 1002 (step 1820); and evacuating the gas flow from the main channel 1018 and the valve body 1002 through the valve body outlet 1006 (step 1825).

[0160] In some embodiments, in the open position of the isolation valve 1000, the output of the remote plasma source operation supplied to the inlet 1004 of the valve 1000 is a reactive species generated by a plasma (e.g., argon plasma, oxygen plasma) formed in the RPS 104. In some embodiments, in the open position of the isolation valve 1000, the reactive gas species from the RPS 104 can flow to the process chamber 106 via the central passage 1018 of the valve body 1002. The outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002 of the isolation valve 1000 can be fixed to the inlet of the process chamber 106.

[0161] In some embodiments, Fig.17 In the illustrated open position of isolation valve 1000, one or more chemical species may be injected into the reactive species directed through central passage 1018 through one or more injection ports 1702 formed in at least one of seal body 1010, valve body 1002 between seal body 1010 and inlet 1004, or valve body 1002 between seal body 1010 and outlet 1006. Injecting one or more chemical species while the reactive species flows through central passage 1018 may enhance or improve the effectiveness of the process.

[0162] In some embodiments, to achieve the closed position of the isolation valve 1000, the sealing body 1010 is rotated within the internal cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002, as described above with reference to Figure 12b As described above, at this time, the first sealing surface 1024 of the sealing body 1010 is substantially aligned with the inlet 1004 of the valve body 1002, and the second sealing surface 1026 of the sealing body 1010 is substantially aligned with the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002. This closed position prevents gas from flowing from the inlet 1004 of the valve body 1002 to the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002.

[0163] In some embodiments, when the isolation valve 1000 is in the closed position, the isolation valve 1000 can be purged. For example, a purge operation can be performed in the RPS 104. The RPS supply 112 can supply a purge gas such as argon to the gas inlet of the RPS 104. Fig.16 , purge gas 1600 from RPS 104 can flow into inlet 1004 of isolation valve body 1002, wherein bypass port 1602 directs purge gas 1600 to interior cavity 1008 of valve body 1002, which is evacuated through outlet orifice 1604 different from outlet 1006 of valve body 1002. In some embodiments, in the closed position, bypass port 1602 and main passage 1018 of sealing body 1010 can be used simultaneously for purging, and purge gas can be evacuated through outlet orifice 1604 of valve body 1002.

[0164] Reference again Fig.16 In some embodiments, in the closed position of isolation valve 1000, purge gas can be supplied to orifice 1608 of valve body 1002 and can flow from orifice 1608 to outlet orifice 1604 via bypass port 1602 and / or main passage 1018 of valve body 1002. Purge gas can be evacuated from outlet orifice 1604 by vacuum generated by pump 108. In some embodiments, at least one of residual gas or particulate matter is also evacuated from valve body 1002.

[0165] In some embodiments, in the closed position of the isolation valve 1000, evacuation of the remote plasma source operation and / or the output of the remote plasma source operation occurs substantially simultaneously with the purging of the valve body 1002. In some embodiments, in the closed position of the isolation valve 1000, semiconductor processing operations can be performed in the process chamber 106 simultaneously with any of the operations described above.

[0166] Fig.19 An embodiment according to the technology described herein is shown Fig.10 1000 of an isolation valve 1000. As shown in the figure, a valve body 1002 is first provided. Then a sealing body 1010 (e.g., Fig.191002) is disposed in the internal cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002. In some embodiments, a set of upper calipers 1012a and lower calipers 1012b (collectively referred to as calipers 1012) is provided, wherein each caliper 1012 includes a plate 1011 having two mechanical arms 1102a, 1102b, and a corresponding one of the main seal 1100a and the body seal 1100b is each fixed to the mechanical arm, as described above with reference to Fig.11 Each of the upper caliper 1012a and the lower caliper 1012b can be disposed in the internal cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002, respectively located above and below the sealing body 1002. In some embodiments, an upper cover 1312a and a lower cover 1312b (collectively referred to as covers 1312) are respectively placed on the top surface and the bottom surface of the valve body 1002 to provide protection and interface connection.

[0167] In some embodiments, the caliper actuator 1902 can be housed within the valve body 1002 to actuate movement of the caliper 1012, as described above with reference to Fig.11 The caliper actuator 1902 may be a pneumatic, electric, or electromechanical actuator. In some embodiments, a set of one or more additional components 1904 may be housed in the valve body 1002 to provide structural support, bearings, and / or sealing for the seal body 1010 therein. In some embodiments, a rotary actuator, such as described above with respect to Fig.12a and 12b The actuator 1014 is used to rotate the sealing body 1010 around the rotation axis 1200 between the open and closed positions. The rotary actuator 1014 can be stored in an actuator housing 1308 coupled to the valve body 1002. The rotary actuator 1014 can be pneumatically or electrically operated. In some embodiments, an actuator bracket 1908 is disposed between the actuator housing 1308 and the valve body 1002 to couple the rotary actuator 1014 to the valve body 1002. In some embodiments, a set of auxiliary components (e.g., a pneumatic manifold) is disposed in the actuator housing 1308, the actuator bracket 1908, and / or the valve body 1002 to enable the actuator 1014 to control the movement of the sealing body 1010 within the valve body 1002.

[0168] Those skilled in the art may conceive of variations, modifications and other implementations of what is described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the foregoing illustrative description.

Claims

1. An isolation valve assembly, comprising: a valve body having an inlet and an outlet; a sealing body disposed within the interior cavity of the valve body, the sealing body including a passage extending between a first opening on a surface of the sealing body and a second opening on an opposite surface of the sealing body, the sealing body being rotatable between a first position allowing gas flow from the inlet to the outlet of the valve body through the passage and a second position preventing gas flow from the inlet to the outlet of the valve body; as well as An actuatable closing element is disposed within the valve body and is configured to hold the sealing body stationary in the first position or the second position.

2. The isolation valve assembly of claim 1, wherein: The sealing body is substantially spherical.

3. The isolation valve assembly of claim 1, wherein: The sealing body is volumetric with multiple faces.

4. The isolation valve assembly of claim 1, wherein: In the first position, the inlet of the valve body is substantially aligned with the first opening of the passage of the sealing body, and the outlet of the valve body is substantially aligned with the second opening of the passage of the sealing body.

5. The isolation valve assembly of claim 1, wherein: In the second position, the inlet of the valve body is substantially aligned with the first sealing surface of the sealing body, and the outlet of the valve body is substantially aligned with the second sealing surface of the sealing body, and the first and second sealing surfaces are configured to substantially seal a respective one of the inlet and outlet of the valve body in the second position.

6. The isolation valve assembly of claim 1, wherein: In the second position, the passage is oriented substantially perpendicular to an axis extending between the inlet and the outlet of the valve body.

7. The isolation valve assembly of claim 1, wherein: The closure element is further configured to release physical contact with the sealing body when the sealing body moves between the first and second positions.

8. The isolation valve assembly of claim 1, wherein: The closure element is configured to use a compressive force to hold the sealing body stationary in the first position or the second position.

9. The isolation valve assembly of claim 1, further comprising: a first hole formed in the valve body for receiving a purge gas into the interior cavity of the valve body; as well as A second hole formed in the valve body is used to remove one or more of the purge gas and the residual gas from the inner cavity of the valve body, wherein the second hole is formed in the valve body at a position away from the first hole.

10. The isolation valve assembly of claim 1, wherein: The sealing body also includes at least one bypass passage configured to direct purge gas from the inlet of the valve body to the interior cavity of the valve body when the sealing body is in the second position.

11. The isolation valve assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least one injection feed passage configured to inject one or more chemical species into the gas flow in the passage when the sealing body is in the first position.

12. The isolation valve assembly of claim 11, wherein the at least one injection feed passage is formed in at least one of the sealing body, the valve body between the sealing body and the inlet, or the valve body between the sealing body and the outlet.

13. The isolation valve assembly of claim 1, further comprising an actuator electrically or pneumatically connected to the sealing body for rotating the sealing body about the rotation axis between the first position and the second position.

14. The isolation valve assembly of claim 1, wherein: The height of the isolation valve assembly is about 1.5 times to about 2 times the measured diameter of at least one of the inlet or outlet of the valve body.

15. The isolation valve assembly of claim 1, wherein: The closure element includes at least one O-ring configured to form a seal against an outer surface of the sealing body, thereby holding the sealing body stationary.

16. A method for directing an output of a remote plasma source operation through a valve body of an isolation valve assembly, the method comprising: securing an outlet of a remote plasma source to an inlet of a valve body of an isolation valve assembly, the isolation valve assembly comprising a rotatable sealing body disposed within an interior cavity of the valve body; rotating the sealing body within the interior cavity of the valve body to achieve an open position wherein a first opening of the passageway of the sealing body is substantially aligned with an inlet of the valve body and a second opening of the passageway of the sealing body is substantially aligned with an outlet of the valve body; providing an output of the remote plasma source operation to an inlet of the valve body through an outlet of the remote plasma source; In the open position, the output is directed from the inlet of the valve body to a passage disposed in the sealing body; and The output of the remote plasma source operation is evacuated from the passageway of the sealing body through the outlet of the valve body.

17. The method according to claim 16 further includes rotating the sealing body within the internal cavity of the valve body to achieve a closed position, in which the first sealing surface on the sealing body is substantially aligned with the inlet of the valve body to fluidly seal the inlet, and the second sealing surface on the sealing body is substantially aligned with the outlet of the valve body to fluidly seal the outlet, and the closed position prevents gas from flowing from the inlet of the valve body to the outlet of the valve body.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising: In the closed position, the output is directed from the inlet of the valve body to the internal cavity of the valve body through a bypass passage disposed in the sealing body; and In the closed position, the output is evacuated from an outlet opening provided in the valve body, wherein the outlet opening is different from the outlet of the valve body.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein evacuating further comprises simultaneously performing a semiconductor processing operation in a process chamber, wherein an outlet of the valve body of the isolation valve assembly is secured to an inlet of the process chamber.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the output of the remote plasma source operation comprises one or more of a purge gas from the remote plasma source or a gas generated during a passivation process performed within a chamber of the remote plasma source.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising flowing reactive gas species from the remote plasma source through the valve body to the process chamber in the open position, wherein an outlet of the valve body of the isolation valve assembly is secured to an inlet of the process chamber.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising injecting one or more chemical species into the reactive species via one or more injection ports formed in at least one of the sealing body, the valve body between the sealing body and the inlet, or the valve body between the sealing body and the outlet.

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