Pressure control butterfly valve with self-cleaning function and plasma processing equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of semiconductor equipment, in particular to a pressure control butterfly valve with a self-cleaning function and plasma processing equipment, and the pressure control butterfly valve comprises a valve shell, a valve plate, a magnetic field generation part, a by-product detection part and a control part; the valve plate is rotationally arranged in an inner cavity of the valve shell and made of metal materials, the valve shell is made of insulating materials, a gap capable of adjusting the opening degree of the butterfly valve is formed between the circumferential outer wall of the valve plate and the inner side wall of the valve shell, and the magnetic field generating piece is arranged on the inner side wall of the valve shell. The magnetic field generating part is connected with the alternating power supply and generates an alternating magnetic field with magnetic induction lines penetrating through the valve plate when alternating current is introduced; the detection end of the by-product detection piece faces the valve plate; the control piece is connected with the by-product detection piece and the magnetic field generation piece; according to the electromagnetic induction principle, the alternating magnetic field is generated by the magnetic field generating piece, so that eddy current is directly generated in the valve plate to generate spontaneous heating, the energy efficiency is high, and by-products attached to the surface of the valve plate can be rapidly removed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing equipment technology, and in particular to a pressure-controlled butterfly valve with self-cleaning function and a plasma treatment device. Background Technology

[0002] In plasma processing equipment for semiconductor manufacturing, the pressure-controlled butterfly valve is a key component for maintaining the vacuum pressure of the process chamber. After prolonged use (e.g., after processing 1000 wafers), byproducts of the process gas gradually deposit on the surface of the valve plate's moving plate. These deposits alter the valve plate's physical properties, affecting not only the stability of pressure control but also, when they accumulate to a certain thickness, affecting the valve plate's opening and causing it to jam. This leads to equipment downtime, requiring vacuum breaking for disassembly and maintenance, severely impacting production efficiency.

[0003] To alleviate this problem, existing technologies typically employ a method of wrapping heating elements (such as heated foam) around the outside of the extraction pipe and valve to reduce the condensation of byproducts on the valve plate. However, this method has limitations: its heat is conducted from the outside in, failing to effectively and directly heat the core moving valve plate itself, resulting in poor cleaning performance; simultaneously, to avoid exacerbating the risk of jamming due to excessive temperature difference and uneven expansion between the valve body and valve plate, the external heating temperature is strictly limited to a low level, further restricting the cleaning efficiency. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a structure for efficiently cleaning byproducts on the moving valve plate and preventing the moving valve plate from jamming. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a pressure-controlled butterfly valve and plasma treatment equipment with self-cleaning function, which effectively prevents valve plate jamming, ensures pressure control accuracy, improves the operational reliability and production efficiency of plasma treatment equipment, and avoids production interruptions caused by unplanned shutdowns.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a pressure-controlled butterfly valve with self-cleaning function, comprising a valve body, a valve plate, a magnetic field generating element, a by-product detection element, and a control element; The valve plate is rotatably disposed within the inner cavity of the valve housing and is made of metal. The valve housing is made of insulating material. An adjustable butterfly valve opening clearance exists between the outer circumferential wall of the valve plate and the inner sidewall of the valve housing. The magnetic field generating element is disposed on the inner wall of the valve housing and has a gap with the valve plate. The magnetic field generating element is connected to an alternating power supply and generates an alternating magnetic field in which magnetic field lines pass through the valve plate when an alternating current is applied. The detection end of the by-product detection device faces the valve plate to collect by-product deposition information on the valve plate in real time. The control unit is connected to the by-product detection unit and the magnetic field generating unit. The control unit controls the magnetic field generating unit to generate an alternating magnetic field based on the by-product deposition information, so that the valve plate generates eddy currents and self-heats due to electromagnetic induction effect, thereby removing the by-products deposited on the valve plate.

[0006] Optionally, the gap may be less than or equal to 0.2 mm in the radial direction of the valve body.

[0007] Optionally, the number of by-product detection elements is set to several, and the several by-product detection elements are divided into a first group, a second group and a third group. The detection end of the by-product detection element in the first group faces the top surface of the valve plate, the detection end of the by-product detection element in the second group faces the bottom surface of the valve plate, and the detection end of the by-product detection element in the third group faces the circumferential wall surface of the valve plate.

[0008] Optionally, the magnetic field generating device includes a plurality of straight conductors; The straight conductor is arranged along the axial direction of the valve body, and several straight conductors are equally spaced along the circumference on the inner sidewall of the valve body to generate an alternating magnetic field covering at least part of the valve plate when energized. And / or the straight conductor is arranged radially along the valve body, and a plurality of the straight conductors are arranged on a radial surface near the air inlet end of the valve body and / or on a radial surface near the air outlet end of the valve body.

[0009] Optionally, the magnetic field generating component includes a plurality of annular wires arranged circumferentially along the valve housing, and the plurality of annular wires arranged axially on the inner sidewall of the valve housing to generate magnetic field lines that penetrate the valve plate from the top or bottom surface of the valve plate when energized, and the plurality of annular wires are arranged coaxially and / or non-coaxially with the valve housing.

[0010] Optionally, the magnetic field generating component includes a helical coil, which is arranged in a spiral pattern around the inner wall of the valve housing and along the axial direction of the valve housing, so as to generate magnetic field lines that penetrate the valve plate from the top or bottom surface of the valve plate when energized.

[0011] Optionally, the number of the spiral coils is set to N, where N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2; N spiral coils are arranged sequentially at intervals along the axial direction of the valve body, and the central axis of each of the N spiral coils coincides with the central axis of the valve body, so that when energized, the magnetic field lines generated by the N spiral coils pass through the same position of the valve plate. And / or N spiral coils are sequentially sleeved along the radial direction of the valve housing and toward a direction away from the central axis of the valve housing, and the central axis of each spiral coil may or may not coincide with the central axis of the valve housing.

[0012] Optionally, the pitch of the helical coil gradually decreases along the axial direction of the valve housing from the rotation axis region near the valve plate to the edge region of the valve plate, so that the number of turns of the helical coil located in the edge region of the valve plate is more dense than the number of turns of the helical coil located in the rotation axis region of the valve plate, thereby generating a stronger alternating magnetic field in the edge region of the valve plate than in the rotation axis region of the valve plate.

[0013] Optionally, the magnetic field generating component includes at least one of several annular wires and several helical coils. Both the annular wires and the helical coils include an inner coil and an outer coil along the radial direction of the valve housing, and the inner coils and the outer coils are wound in opposite directions, so that the alternating magnetic fields generated when the inner coils and the outer coils are energized are superimposed on each other in the axial direction and constrained on each other in the radial direction. The inner coils are arranged close to the central axis of the valve housing.

[0014] Optionally, the magnetic field generating device includes at least one of several straight conductors, several loop conductors, and several spiral coils, each of the straight conductors, each of the loop conductors, and each of the spiral coils being independently connected to the alternating power supply to generate an alternating magnetic field for selective heating in different regions of the valve plate.

[0015] Optionally, the inner wall of the valve housing has a recessed portion, and the magnetic field generating element is disposed in the recessed portion; The magnetic field generating component is embedded in the recessed portion; Alternatively, a portion of the magnetic field generating element may protrude beyond the recess, and the radial dimension of the portion of the magnetic field generating element protruding from the recess along the valve housing may be less than or equal to 0.05 mm.

[0016] Optionally, the inner wall of the valve housing is provided with a plurality of axially extending guide grooves at equal intervals along its circumference to guide the gas from the inlet end to the outlet end of the valve housing, thereby reducing the vortex effect generated by the gas.

[0017] Optionally, the valve housing is provided with a plurality of temperature sensors, which are respectively oriented toward the top surface, bottom surface and circumferential sidewall of the valve plate to monitor the temperature on the top surface, bottom surface and circumferential sidewall of the valve plate in real time. The temperature sensors are connected to the control component.

[0018] Optionally, the valve plate has a hollow cavity inside, which is filled with a phase change energy storage material to maintain the temperature of the valve plate after power failure by utilizing the heat storage characteristics of the phase change energy storage material itself.

[0019] Optionally, the pressure-controlled butterfly valve with self-cleaning function further includes a valve controller and a connector. The valve controller is located outside the valve body, and the connector is located on the valve body and is used to connect the valve controller and the valve plate to transmit the driving force of the valve controller to rotate the valve plate inside the valve body, thereby adjusting the opening degree of the butterfly valve.

[0020] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention also provides a plasma processing device, including a process chamber, a vacuum pump, a vacuum switch valve, a plasma generating element, and a pressure-controlled butterfly valve with a self-cleaning function. The process chamber and the vacuum pump are connected by a pipeline. The pressure-controlled butterfly valve with a self-cleaning function is disposed on the pipeline. The vacuum switch valve is disposed between the pressure-controlled butterfly valve with a self-cleaning function and the vacuum pump. The plasma generating element is disposed in the process chamber.

[0021] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention utilizes the principle of electromagnetic induction, where an alternating magnetic field is generated by a magnetic field generator, causing eddy currents to be directly generated inside the valve plate, resulting in self-heating. This "inside-out" heating mechanism has high energy efficiency and can quickly remove byproducts adhering to the valve plate surface. At the same time, with the help of real-time monitoring by the byproduct detection device and intelligent judgment by the control device, the equipment maintenance method is transformed from passive or periodic intervention to predictive maintenance performed on demand. This effectively prevents valve plate jamming, ensures pressure control accuracy, significantly improves the operational reliability and production efficiency of plasma processing equipment, and completely avoids production interruptions caused by unplanned shutdowns. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the plasma processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the valve body structure in the pressure-controlled butterfly valve with self-cleaning function according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the valve body, magnetic field generating element, and valve plate in the pressure-controlled butterfly valve with self-cleaning function according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the valve body, magnetic field generating element, and valve plate in the pressure-controlled butterfly valve with self-cleaning function according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 5This is a schematic diagram of the inner and outer coils in a pressure-controlled butterfly valve with self-cleaning function according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the valve plate in a pressure-controlled butterfly valve with self-cleaning function according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Valve body; 2. Valve plate; 3. Gap; 4. Magnetic field generating component; 41. Straight wire; 42. Ring wire; 421. Inner coil; 422. Outer coil; 6. Guide groove; 7. Controller; 8. Connector; 9. Air pump; 10. Air pumping switch valve; 11. Plasma generating component; 12. Process chamber. Detailed Implementation

[0024] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this invention. Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used herein should have the ordinary meaning understood by those skilled in the art. The terms "comprising" and similar expressions used herein mean that the element or object preceding the word covers the element or object listed following the word and its equivalents, but do not exclude other elements or objects.

[0025] To address the problems existing in the prior art, embodiments of the present invention provide a pressure-controlled butterfly valve with a self-cleaning function, such as... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, it includes a valve body 1, a valve plate 2, a magnetic field generating component 4, a by-product detection component, and a control component.

[0026] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the valve plate 2 is rotatably disposed in the inner cavity of the valve housing 1, and there is an adjustable butterfly valve opening gap 3 between the circumferential outer wall of the valve plate 2 and the inner side wall of the valve housing 1; in this embodiment, the setting of the gap 3 ensures that the valve plate 2 has the degree of rotational freedom in the inner cavity of the valve housing 1 to achieve precise pressure control.

[0027] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2As shown, the magnetic field generator 4 is disposed on the inner wall of the valve housing 1 and has a gap with the valve plate 2. The magnetic field generator 4 is connected to an alternating power supply and generates an alternating magnetic field through which magnetic field lines pass when an alternating current is applied. The non-contact design in this embodiment ensures that the valve plate 2 can rotate freely in the inner cavity of the valve housing 1 to achieve precise pressure regulation. At the same time, the alternating magnetic field directly acts on the metal valve plate 2, causing it to generate eddy currents and self-heat based on electromagnetic induction. This "isolated heating" method not only avoids wear and interference caused by mechanical contact, but also realizes the efficient and directional transfer of energy from the magnetic field to heat, providing the valve plate 2 with an efficient, uniform and controllable self-cleaning heat source, thereby effectively removing process by-products attached to the surface and fundamentally solving the problem of valve plate 2 jamming caused by deposit accumulation.

[0028] In one embodiment, the valve housing 1 is made of an insulating material to effectively block the eddy current loop induced in the valve plate 2 by the alternating magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator 4 from forming a short circuit through the valve housing 1. This ensures that most of the magnetic field energy is efficiently concentrated inside the valve plate 2 to be converted into heat energy, significantly improving the efficiency of electromagnetic induction heating. At the same time, the insulating material prevents the valve housing 1 from heating up due to the induced current.

[0029] In one embodiment, the insulating material can be high-purity alumina ceramic, aluminum nitride ceramic, or silicon nitride ceramic. The ceramic material not only has excellent electrical insulation properties, which can effectively block the eddy current loop induced in the valve plate 2 by the alternating magnetic field from forming a short circuit through the valve body 1, thereby ensuring that the magnetic field energy is efficiently concentrated in the valve plate 2 to be converted into heat energy, but also has good mechanical strength, high temperature resistance and resistance to plasma erosion, which can meet the high cleanliness, high stability and long life operation requirements of semiconductor process equipment.

[0030] In one embodiment, the valve plate 2 is made of metal, which can effectively couple with the alternating magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator 4, causing the valve plate 2 to generate significant eddy currents through electromagnetic induction and rapidly self-heating, thereby achieving efficient "inside-out" self-cleaning. Compared with non-metallic materials or external heating methods, it has higher thermal efficiency and can quickly remove process by-products attached to the surface of the valve plate 2, fundamentally solving the valve plate 2 jamming problem caused by deposit accumulation, and ensuring the pressure regulation accuracy and long-term operational reliability of the pressure-controlled butterfly valve.

[0031] In one embodiment, the metal material can be stainless steel, Hastelloy, or titanium alloy, which have good electrical conductivity and high temperature resistance. This metal material can not only efficiently couple with the alternating magnetic field to generate a significant eddy current heating effect, realizing rapid and uniform self-heating of the valve plate 2, but also has excellent corrosion resistance and mechanical strength, and can withstand the corrosive gas erosion and thermal stress impact in the plasma process environment. Thus, while ensuring efficient self-cleaning function, it ensures the long-term operational stability and service life of the pressure-controlled butterfly valve under harsh working conditions.

[0032] In one embodiment, the detection end of the by-product detection element faces the valve plate 2 to collect by-product deposition information on the valve plate 2 in real time, thereby achieving in-situ, real-time monitoring of by-product deposition information on the surface of the valve plate 2. In some specific embodiments, the by-product detection element can directly collect information reflecting the by-product deposition thickness and / or by-product coverage area, providing accurate feedback for the control components. This transforms the equipment maintenance strategy from traditional periodic or passive cleaning to on-demand predictive maintenance based on actual operating conditions. This ensures the timeliness and effectiveness of cleaning actions, prevents the valve plate 2 from jamming due to excessive deposition, and avoids energy waste caused by over-cleaning, significantly improving the intelligence level and operational reliability of the pressure-controlled butterfly valve in plasma processes.

[0033] In one embodiment, the byproduct detection device can be a laser scattering particulate sensor, an optical interferometer for film thickness measurement, or an infrared spectrometer. This enables non-contact, real-time monitoring of the deposition thickness or coverage area of ​​byproducts on the valve plate 2 surface based on optical principles. The collected optical signals are converted into electrical signals containing the corresponding byproduct deposition thickness and / or byproduct coverage area information and transmitted to the control device. This provides accurate data feedback for on-demand predictive cleaning based on the actual deposition state, effectively avoiding the blindness or lag of traditional periodic maintenance.

[0034] In one embodiment, the control unit is connected to the by-product detection unit and the magnetic field generator 4. The control unit controls the start and stop of the magnetic field generator 4 according to the by-product deposition information collected by the by-product detection unit. When the by-product detection unit collects by-product deposition thickness information and / or by-product coverage area information on the valve plate 2 that is equal to or greater than a preset threshold, the control unit controls the magnetic field generator 4 to be energized to generate an alternating magnetic field, causing the valve plate 2 to generate eddy currents and self-heat due to electromagnetic induction effect, so as to remove the by-products deposited on the valve plate 2. The closed-loop control system in this embodiment transforms the equipment maintenance strategy from traditional periodic or post-fault intervention to predictive intelligent maintenance executed on demand. When the by-product detection device detects in real time that the amount of deposits on the surface of the valve plate 2 reaches a preset threshold (in one embodiment, the value of the preset threshold can be 0), the controller automatically activates the magnetic field generator 4 (i.e., controls the magnetic field generator to be connected to the alternating power supply), causing the valve plate 2 to generate induction heating. This ensures that the self-cleaning function is triggered in a timely and accurate manner before the deposits accumulate to a level that may affect the operation of the valve plate 2, effectively preventing jamming. It also avoids energy waste caused by over-cleaning or performance degradation caused by insufficient cleaning, thereby significantly improving the automation and reliability of equipment operation while ensuring pressure control accuracy.

[0035] In one embodiment, the control unit can be a programmable logic controller, a microcontroller unit, or an industrial computer; the control unit is configured to receive by-product deposition thickness information and / or by-product coverage area information from the by-product detection unit, and based on a preset cleaning threshold and algorithm logic, precisely control the start-up, shutdown, output power, and action time of the magnetic field generator 4, thereby achieving on-demand, adaptive, predictive intelligent cleaning and effectively improving the automation level and operational reliability of the pressure-controlled butterfly valve.

[0036] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the gap 3 has a radial dimension of less than or equal to 0.2 mm in the valve body 1, ensuring sufficient space for movement between the valve plate 2 and the valve body 1 to avoid interference during rotation. This ensures the normal opening adjustment function of the butterfly valve while minimizing the cross-sectional area of ​​the gas leakage path, thereby effectively improving the valve's sealing performance and pressure control accuracy. At the same time, the smaller gap 3 can significantly limit the deposition space of process byproducts in the gap 3 area, structurally reducing the risk of valve plate 2 jamming due to particulate matter accumulation, and creating favorable conditions for subsequent self-cleaning functions based on electromagnetic induction.

[0037] In one embodiment, the number of by-product detection elements is set to several, and these elements are divided into a first group, a second group, and a third group. The detection ends of the by-product detection elements in the first group face the top surface of the valve plate 2, the detection ends of the by-product detection elements in the second group face the bottom surface of the valve plate 2, and the detection ends of the by-product detection elements in the third group face the circumferential wall surface of the valve plate 2. This embodiment, through a multi-point distributed layout, enables comprehensive and real-time monitoring of the by-product residue status on different surfaces of the valve plate 2 (including easily deposited areas). This provides the control components with more comprehensive and accurate deposition distribution data, ensuring that the self-cleaning operation can intelligently trigger and optimize the cleaning strategy based on the overall actual by-product deposition status of the valve plate 2. This effectively avoids incomplete or over-cleaning problems caused by local monitoring blind spots, significantly improving the targeting of the cleaning process and the reliability of system operation.

[0038] In one embodiment, the magnetic field generating element 4 includes a plurality of straight conductors 41.

[0039] In one embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, the straight conductor 41 is arranged along the axial direction of the valve housing, that is, the axial direction of several straight conductors 41 is parallel to the axial direction of the valve housing 1, and several straight conductors 41 are evenly spaced along the circumference on the inner wall of the valve housing 1, so as to generate an alternating magnetic field covering at least part of the valve plate 2 when energized, so that it can generate a uniformly distributed alternating magnetic field along the circumference of the valve plate 2. When an alternating current is passed through the conductor, the magnetic field lines can effectively penetrate the valve plate 2, causing the interior to generate uniform eddy currents due to electromagnetic induction and self-heating, thereby realizing rapid and uniform heating and self-cleaning of the surface of the valve plate 2. At the same time, the circumferential arrangement of the straight conductors 41 is simple and easy to achieve compact installation on the inner wall of the valve housing 1, which is beneficial to the magnetic field generating component 4.

[0040] It is worth noting that, according to the Abe rule, the alternating magnetic field generated in this embodiment enters the valve plate 2 from one side wall and exits from the other side wall of the valve plate 2.

[0041] In one embodiment, such as Figure 4As shown, the straight conductor 41 is arranged radially along the valve housing, and several of the straight conductors 41 are arranged on one radial surface near the air inlet end of the valve housing 1 and / or one radial surface near the air outlet end of the valve housing 1. This allows for the generation of a local strong magnetic field in the upstream and / or downstream regions of the airflow on the valve plate 2, causing the corresponding edge regions of the valve plate 2 to preferentially and centrally generate induction heating, thereby efficiently removing byproducts that are more likely to accumulate on the valve plate 2 due to changes in gas flow direction or due to the pressure difference between the top and bottom surfaces of the valve plate 2. At the same time, this partitioned arrangement is simpler than the circumferentially fully covered coil structure, and can reduce the investment cost and energy consumption of the magnetic field generator 4 while ensuring efficient self-cleaning in key areas. It is especially suitable for working conditions where byproduct deposition has a clear directional characteristic.

[0042] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the magnetic field generating component 4 includes several annular wires 42 arranged circumferentially along the valve housing 1, and several annular wires 42 axially arranged on the inner wall of the valve housing 1 to generate magnetic field lines penetrating the valve plate 2 from the top or bottom surface when energized. The annular wires 42 are coaxially and / or non-coaxially arranged with the valve housing 1. This embodiment allows for flexible configuration of the magnetic field penetration path and intensity distribution according to the cleaning requirements of different areas of the valve plate 2. When the annular wires 42 are coaxially arranged with the valve housing 1, a magnetic field that uniformly penetrates the top or bottom surface of the valve plate 2 along the axial direction can be generated, achieving uniform heating over a large area. When they are non-coaxially arranged, a locally enhanced magnetic field can be generated in a specific area of ​​the valve plate 2, achieving targeted and enhanced cleaning. This ensures efficient coverage of the valve plate 2 by the magnetic field while allowing adjustment of the spatial arrangement and density of the annular wires 42, providing a flexible structural basis for optimizing heating uniformity and targeted cleaning.

[0043] In this embodiment, the magnetic field lines generated by the annular conductor 42 enter the valve plate 2 from the top surface of the valve plate 2 and exit from the bottom surface of the valve plate 2; or the magnetic field lines enter the valve plate 2 from the bottom surface of the valve plate 2 and exit from the top surface of the valve plate 2.

[0044] In one embodiment, the magnetic field generator 4 includes a helical coil, which is coiled around the inner wall of the valve housing 1 and arranged in a helical pattern along the axial direction of the valve housing 1 to generate magnetic field lines that penetrate the valve plate 2 from the top or bottom surface when energized. This embodiment can generate an alternating magnetic field that is distributed and concentrated along the axial direction of the valve housing 1, so that the magnetic field lines can efficiently penetrate the top or bottom surface of the valve plate 2 in an approximately perpendicular direction, thereby inducing a uniformly distributed strong eddy current inside the valve plate 2, achieving rapid and uniform self-heating of the valve plate 2. Compared with local point or line magnetic fields, this helical arrangement can achieve a larger area of ​​coverage heating on the surface of the valve plate 2, effectively avoiding cleaning dead corners and significantly improving the overall removal efficiency and uniformity of attached by-products.

[0045] In one embodiment, the number of spiral coils is set to N, where N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2; the N spiral coils are arranged sequentially at intervals along the axial direction of the valve housing 1, and the central axis of the N spiral coils coincides with the central axis of the valve housing 1, so that when energized, the magnetic field lines generated by the N spiral coils pass through the same position of the valve plate 2; this allows the alternating magnetic field generated by the N coils to achieve superposition and enhancement of magnetic field strength at the same axial position of the valve plate 2 (such as the central region), thereby generating significantly stronger induced eddy currents and thermal effects in this critical area; this design is particularly suitable for localized enhanced heating of specific high-temperature areas of the valve plate 2, or for compensating for temperature unevenness caused by rapid heat dissipation, achieving efficient and concentrated removal of stubborn deposits without overheating the entire valve plate 2, thus improving the targeting and energy efficiency of self-cleaning.

[0046] In one embodiment, N spiral coils are sequentially arranged along the radial direction of the valve housing 1 and toward a direction away from the central axis of the valve housing 1, and the central axis of each spiral coil coincides with the central axis of the valve housing 1. This allows for the superposition and enhancement of multiple magnetic fields within the same radial projection area of ​​the valve plate 2, enabling the energy of the alternating magnetic field to penetrate the valve plate 2 more concentratedly, thereby inducing eddy currents with significantly enhanced intensity inside the valve plate 2, achieving efficient and concentrated heating of this area. This design is particularly suitable for localized enhanced cleaning of specific radial locations (such as the central area or easily deposited areas) of the valve plate 2, effectively improving the removal capability of stubborn byproducts without overheating the entire valve plate 2, while optimizing the spatial utilization rate of magnetic field energy.

[0047] In one embodiment, N spiral coils are sequentially arranged along the radial direction of the valve housing 1 and in a direction away from the central axis of the valve housing 1, and the central axis of each spiral coil does not coincide with the central axis of the valve housing 1; this allows the alternating magnetic field generated by each spiral coil to be focused on different radial positions of the valve plate 2, thereby forming multiple independent local strong heating zones inside the valve plate 2; this design can address the uneven deposition of by-products on the surface of the valve plate 2 by selectively or gradient-enhanced heating of specific radial annular areas, effectively improving the targeting and overall cleaning efficiency of removing non-uniform deposits, while avoiding unnecessary energy input to areas with no or little deposition.

[0048] In one embodiment, the pitch of the helical coil gradually decreases along the axial direction of the valve housing 1 from the region near the rotation axis of the valve plate 2 towards the edge region of the valve plate 2. This results in a denser number of turns for the helical coil located at the edge region of the valve plate 2 compared to the region near the rotation axis, thereby generating a stronger alternating magnetic field at the edge region of the valve plate 2. In this embodiment, the variable pitch structure allows for a denser distribution of coil turns at the edge region of the valve plate 2, resulting in a significantly enhanced alternating magnetic field in that region. Through electromagnetic induction, the edge region of the valve plate 2 will induce stronger eddy currents and obtain higher heating power, effectively compensating for the uneven axial temperature distribution of the valve plate 2 caused by rapid heat dissipation in the central region near the rotation axis and slow heat dissipation at the edge region during actual operation. Ultimately, this achieves uniform heating of the entire valve plate 2, avoiding incomplete local cleaning or overheating damage, and significantly improving the uniformity and reliability of the self-cleaning effect.

[0049] In one embodiment, such as Figure 5As shown, the magnetic field generating device includes at least one of several annular wires 42 and several helical coils. The annular wires 42 and the helical coils each include an inner coil 421 and an outer coil 422 along the radial direction of the valve housing 1. The inner coil 421 and the outer coil 422 are wound in opposite directions so that the alternating magnetic fields generated when the inner coil 421 and the outer coil 422 are energized are superimposed on each other in the axial direction and constrained on each other in the radial direction. The inner coil is arranged close to the central axis of the valve housing. This embodiment utilizes the principle of magnetic field superposition generated by reverse current to enhance the magnetic fields generated by the inner coil 421 and the outer coil 422 in the axial direction of the valve body 1, thereby significantly improving the axial magnetic field strength penetrating the valve plate 2. Simultaneously, in the radial direction, the alternating magnetic fields generated by the reverse-wound inner coil 421 and the outer coil 422 form a mutual constraint effect, thereby concentrating the magnetic field energy more effectively within the area where the valve plate 2 is located, effectively reducing magnetic field leakage. This not only significantly improves the efficiency and energy utilization of electromagnetic induction heating, but also reduces magnetic interference to the internal and surrounding components of the valve body 1, achieving more precise and controllable directional heating and self-cleaning effects for the valve plate 2.

[0050] The alternating magnetic fields generated by the reverse-wound inner coil 421 and outer coil 422 create a mutually constraining effect. Specifically, when the inner coil 421 and outer coil 422 are supplied with currents in opposite directions, according to the right-hand screw rule, their respective magnetic fields are opposite in direction in the radial component, resulting in a destructive superposition of magnetic field strengths in the radial space between the inner coil 421 and outer coil 422. This interaction of opposing magnetic fields effectively constrains and concentrates the magnetic field energy in the region of the valve plate 2 near the central axis of the valve body 1, forming a "magnetic confinement ring" that significantly reduces leakage and diffusion of the magnetic field to the outside of the valve body 1. This not only improves the radial magnetic field gradient and energy density acting on the valve plate 2, enhancing the efficiency and localization of electromagnetic induction heating, but also effectively reduces magnetic interference to surrounding components.

[0051] In one embodiment, the magnetic field generating element includes at least one of several straight conductors 41, several loop conductors 42, and several spiral coils. Each of the straight conductors 41, each of the loop conductors 42, and each of the spiral coils is independently connected to the alternating power supply to generate a selectively heated alternating magnetic field in different areas of the valve plate 2. This embodiment, through an independent control structure, enables the controller to selectively heat the magnetic field generating element 4 corresponding to areas with thicker deposits (such as the air inlet end, edge areas, etc.) according to the actual distribution of by-product deposits on the surface of the valve plate 2, thereby achieving localized and precise enhanced cleaning. This zoned independent drive strategy avoids the energy waste caused by traditional overall heating, significantly improves the cleaning targeting and efficiency, effectively reduces the overall energy consumption of the system, and prevents the risk of thermal damage that may be caused by overheating areas with no or thin deposits.

[0052] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the inner wall of the valve housing 1 has a recessed portion (not labeled), and the magnetic field generating component 4 is disposed within the recessed portion. The magnetic field generating component 4 is either embedded within the recessed portion or partially protrudes from the recessed portion, with the radial dimension of the portion protruding from the recessed portion of the magnetic field generating component 4 being less than or equal to 0.05 mm. This allows the magnetic field generating component 4 to be partially or completely embedded within the valve housing 1, making its working surface flush with or only slightly protruding from the inner wall of the valve housing 1 (radial protrusion dimension ≤ 0.05 mm). This minimizes interference with the gas flow field within the valve body, preventing the generation of eddies or local turbulence that could exacerbate particulate deposition. Simultaneously, the recessed portion provides stable installation positioning and mechanical protection for the magnetic field generating component 4, ensuring that the alternating magnetic field effectively penetrates to the valve plate 2 while maintaining the smoothness and airtightness of the valve flow channel. This is beneficial for maintaining pressure control accuracy and extending the component's service life.

[0053] In one embodiment, such as Figure 3As shown, the inner wall of the valve housing 1 is provided with a plurality of axially extending guide grooves 6 at equal intervals along its circumference. That is, the length direction of the cavity of each guide groove 6 is the axial direction of the valve housing 1, so as to guide the gas from the inlet end to the outlet end of the valve housing 1, thereby reducing the eddy effect of the gas. This embodiment effectively guides the gas flowing through the valve cavity, making it flow smoothly from the inlet end to the outlet end along the axial direction of the valve housing 1, significantly reducing the eddy and turbulent phenomena caused by abrupt changes in the flow channel or the obstruction of the valve plate 2. This not only helps to reduce gas flow resistance and maintain stable pressure control, but also effectively suppresses the disorderly deposition of particulate matter in the process gas in the gap 3 region and on the surface of the valve plate 2 through flow field optimization, delaying the accumulation rate of by-products from the source, thereby improving valve sealing performance, extending the self-cleaning cycle, and ensuring the long-term operational stability of the pressure-controlled butterfly valve.

[0054] In one embodiment, a plurality of temperature sensors are disposed within the valve housing 1, with the detection ends of the sensors facing the top surface, bottom surface, and circumferential sidewall of the valve plate 2, respectively, to monitor the temperature on the top surface, bottom surface, and circumferential sidewall of the valve plate 2 in real time. The temperature sensors are communicatively or electrically connected to the control component. This multi-point distributed temperature monitoring layout can acquire the actual temperature distribution data of the valve plate 2 at different surface locations in real time and accurately, providing closed-loop feedback to the control component. The control component can then dynamically adjust the output power or duration of the magnetic field generator 4, thereby achieving precise temperature control of the self-heating process of the valve plate 2. This ensures the effective temperature required for self-cleaning to avoid insufficient cleaning and prevents damage to the valve plate 2 due to localized overheating, significantly improving the safety and reliability of the system operation.

[0055] In one embodiment, such as Figure 6 As shown, the valve plate 2 has a hollow cavity inside, which is filled with a phase change energy storage material. This material's inherent heat storage characteristics are utilized to maintain the temperature of the valve plate 2 after power failure. This embodiment leverages the property of phase change materials to absorb or release a large amount of latent heat during phase changes (such as solid-to-liquid phase transitions). Excess heat is stored during the energization phase of the magnetic field generator 4 and slowly released after power failure to maintain the temperature of the valve plate 2. This effectively extends the self-cleaning time and improves the removal effect on stubborn byproducts. Simultaneously, this heat storage characteristic helps to smooth temperature fluctuations in the valve plate 2 during intermittent heating, reducing thermal stress shocks. While ensuring cleaning efficiency, this further improves the stability and service life of the valve plate 2.

[0056] In one embodiment, the phase change energy storage material can be a high latent heat material with a suitable phase change temperature, such as paraffin, hydrated salt, or metal alloy. Such materials can absorb and store a large amount of latent heat during the self-heating stage of the valve plate 2, and effectively maintain the operating temperature of the valve plate 2 by slowly releasing the stored heat after power failure. This extends the self-cleaning time, improves the removal effect on stubborn by-products, and helps to smooth the temperature fluctuation of the valve plate 2 during intermittent heating, thereby enhancing the thermal stability of the system.

[0057] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the pressure-controlled butterfly valve with self-cleaning function also includes a valve controller 7 and a connector 8. The valve controller 7 is located outside the valve housing 1, and the connector 8 is located on the valve housing 1 and is used to connect the valve controller 7 and the valve plate 2, so as to transmit the driving force of the valve controller 7 to make the valve plate 2 rotate inside the valve housing 1, thereby adjusting the opening degree of the butterfly valve.

[0058] In one embodiment, the valve controller 7 can be a servo motor, a stepper motor, or a piezoelectric ceramic actuator. The valve controller 7 can receive pressure control signals from the host system and transmit precise angular or linear displacement to the valve plate 2 through the connector 8, thereby achieving precise and rapid adjustment of the butterfly valve opening to maintain the high-precision vacuum pressure environment required in the plasma process chamber 12. At the same time, its own closed-loop control function can work in conjunction with the control components to ensure the stable and controllable position of the valve plate 2 during the self-cleaning process.

[0059] In one embodiment, the connector 8 can be a metal bellows, a ceramic connecting rod, or a magnetic coupling transmission mechanism; such connector 8 can reliably transmit the driving force of the valve controller 7 to the valve plate 2 to adjust the opening of the butterfly valve, while ensuring the high vacuum sealing inside the valve body 1, and has good high temperature resistance and corrosion resistance to adapt to the harsh working conditions in the plasma process environment and ensure the long-term stable operation of the pressure-controlled butterfly valve.

[0060] In one embodiment, the plasma processing device, such as Figure 1As shown, the system includes a process chamber 12, a vacuum pump 9, a vacuum switch valve 10, a plasma generator 11, and a pressure-controlled butterfly valve with a self-cleaning function. The process chamber 12 and the vacuum pump 9 are connected by a pipeline. The pressure-controlled butterfly valve with a self-cleaning function is located on the pipeline. The vacuum switch valve 10 is located between the pressure-controlled butterfly valve with a self-cleaning function and the vacuum pump 9. The plasma generator 11 is located inside the process chamber 12. This embodiment allows the pressure-controlled butterfly valve to directly and precisely regulate the pressure of the exhaust gas flow in the process chamber 12. Simultaneously, its built-in self-cleaning function can remove byproducts generated by the condensation of process gas on the valve plate 2 online, effectively preventing the valve plate 2 from jamming. This ensures the long-term stability and control accuracy of the vacuum pressure during the plasma process, significantly improving the operational reliability and production efficiency of the entire plasma processing equipment.

[0061] In one embodiment, the plasma processing equipment can be a plasma etching equipment, a plasma chemical vapor deposition equipment, or a plasma photoresist removal equipment. This equipment, by integrating the self-cleaning pressure-controlled butterfly valve into the vacuum pipeline between its process chamber 12 and the vacuum pump 9, can achieve high-precision and high-stability control of the vacuum pressure in the process chamber 12 during key processes such as wafer etching, thin film deposition, or photoresist removal. Simultaneously, the self-cleaning function of the pressure-controlled butterfly valve effectively prevents valve plate 2 from jamming due to byproduct deposition, thereby ensuring the uniformity and repeatability of the plasma process and improving the overall equipment capacity and product yield.

[0062] While embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to these embodiments. However, it should be understood that such modifications and variations fall within the scope and spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention described herein may have other embodiments and can be implemented or carried out in various ways.

Claims

1. A pressure-controlled butterfly valve with self-cleaning function, characterized in that, This includes valve body, valve plate, magnetic field generating components, by-product detection components, and control components; The valve plate is rotatably disposed within the inner cavity of the valve housing and is made of metal. The valve housing is made of insulating material. An adjustable butterfly valve opening clearance exists between the outer circumferential wall of the valve plate and the inner sidewall of the valve housing. The magnetic field generating element is disposed on the inner wall of the valve housing and has a gap with the valve plate. The magnetic field generating element is connected to an alternating power supply and generates an alternating magnetic field in which magnetic field lines pass through the valve plate when an alternating current is applied. The detection end of the by-product detection device faces the valve plate to collect by-product deposition information on the valve plate in real time. The control unit is connected to the by-product detection unit and the magnetic field generating unit. The control unit controls the magnetic field generating unit to generate an alternating magnetic field based on the by-product deposition information, so that the valve plate generates eddy currents and self-heats due to electromagnetic induction effect, thereby removing the by-products deposited on the valve plate.

2. The pressure-controlled butterfly valve with self-cleaning function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gap is less than or equal to 0.2 mm in the radial direction of the valve body.

3. The pressure-controlled butterfly valve with self-cleaning function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of by-product detection devices is set to several, and the several by-product detection devices are divided into a first group, a second group and a third group. The detection end of the by-product detection device in the first group faces the top surface of the valve plate, the detection end of the by-product detection device in the second group faces the bottom surface of the valve plate, and the detection end of the by-product detection device in the third group faces the circumferential wall surface of the valve plate.

4. The pressure-controlled butterfly valve with self-cleaning function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The magnetic field generating device includes several straight conductors; The straight conductor is arranged along the axial direction of the valve body, and several straight conductors are equally spaced along the circumference on the inner sidewall of the valve body to generate an alternating magnetic field covering at least part of the valve plate when energized. And / or the straight conductor is arranged radially along the valve body, and a plurality of the straight conductors are arranged on a radial surface near the air inlet end of the valve body and / or on a radial surface near the air outlet end of the valve body.

5. The pressure-controlled butterfly valve with self-cleaning function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The magnetic field generating device includes a plurality of annular wires arranged circumferentially along the valve housing, and the plurality of annular wires arranged axially on the inner sidewall of the valve housing to generate magnetic field lines that penetrate the valve plate from the top or bottom surface of the valve plate when energized. The plurality of annular wires are arranged coaxially and / or non-coaxially with the valve housing.

6. The pressure-controlled butterfly valve with self-cleaning function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The magnetic field generating component includes a spiral coil, which is arranged in a spiral pattern around the inner wall of the valve housing and along the axial direction of the valve housing, so as to generate magnetic field lines that penetrate the valve plate from the top or bottom surface of the valve plate when energized.

7. The pressure-controlled butterfly valve with self-cleaning function according to claim 6, characterized in that, The number of spiral coils is set to N, where N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2; N spiral coils are arranged sequentially at intervals along the axial direction of the valve body, and the central axis of each of the N spiral coils coincides with the central axis of the valve body, so that when energized, the magnetic field lines generated by the N spiral coils pass through the same position of the valve plate. And / or N spiral coils are sequentially sleeved along the radial direction of the valve housing and toward a direction away from the central axis of the valve housing, and the central axis of each spiral coil may or may not coincide with the central axis of the valve housing.

8. The pressure-controlled butterfly valve with self-cleaning function according to claim 7, characterized in that, The pitch of the spiral coil gradually decreases along the axial direction of the valve housing from the rotation axis region near the valve plate to the edge region of the valve plate, so that the number of turns of the spiral coil located in the edge region of the valve plate is more dense than the number of turns of the spiral coil located in the rotation axis region of the valve plate, thereby generating a stronger alternating magnetic field in the edge region of the valve plate than in the rotation axis region of the valve plate.

9. The pressure-controlled butterfly valve with self-cleaning function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The magnetic field generating device includes at least one of several annular wires and several helical coils. Both the annular wires and the helical coils include an inner coil and an outer coil along the radial direction of the valve housing, and the inner coils and the outer coils are wound in opposite directions so that the alternating magnetic fields generated when the inner coils and the outer coils are energized are superimposed on each other in the axial direction and constrained on each other in the radial direction. The inner coils are arranged close to the central axis of the valve housing.

10. The pressure-controlled butterfly valve with self-cleaning function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The magnetic field generating device includes at least one of several straight wires, several loop wires, and several spiral coils. Each of the straight wires, each of the loop wires, and each of the spiral coils is independently connected to the alternating power supply to generate an alternating magnetic field that selectively heats different regions of the valve plate.

11. The pressure-controlled butterfly valve with self-cleaning function according to claim 2, characterized in that, The inner wall of the valve housing has a recessed portion, and the magnetic field generating component is disposed in the recessed portion; The magnetic field generating component is embedded in the recessed portion; Alternatively, a portion of the magnetic field generating element may protrude beyond the recess, and the radial dimension of the portion of the magnetic field generating element protruding from the recess along the valve housing may be less than or equal to 0.05 mm.

12. The pressure-controlled butterfly valve with self-cleaning function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner wall of the valve housing is provided with a number of axially extending guide grooves at equal intervals along its circumference to guide the gas from the inlet end to the outlet end of the valve housing, thereby reducing the vortex effect generated by the gas.

13. The pressure-controlled butterfly valve with self-cleaning function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The valve housing is equipped with several temperature sensors, which are respectively oriented towards the top surface, bottom surface, and circumferential sidewall of the valve plate to monitor the temperature on the top surface, bottom surface, and circumferential sidewall of the valve plate in real time. The temperature sensors are connected to the control component.

14. The pressure-controlled butterfly valve with self-cleaning function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The valve plate has a hollow cavity inside, which is filled with a phase change energy storage material to maintain the temperature of the valve plate after power failure by utilizing the heat storage characteristics of the phase change energy storage material itself.

15. The pressure-controlled butterfly valve with self-cleaning function according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a valve controller and a connector. The valve controller is located outside the valve housing, and the connector is located on the valve housing and is used to connect the valve controller and the valve plate to transmit the driving force of the valve controller to make the valve plate rotate inside the valve housing, thereby adjusting the opening degree of the butterfly valve.

16. A plasma processing device, characterized in that, The device includes a process chamber, a vacuum pump, a vacuum switch valve, a plasma generator, and a pressure-controlled butterfly valve with a self-cleaning function as described in any one of claims 1 to 15. The process chamber and the vacuum pump are connected by a pipeline. The pressure-controlled butterfly valve with the self-cleaning function is disposed on the pipeline. The vacuum switch valve is disposed between the pressure-controlled butterfly valve with the self-cleaning function and the vacuum pump. The plasma generator is disposed in the process chamber.

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