Valve device and related method for facilitating isolation of reaction process gas and purge during isolation

Abstract

An isolation valve assembly is provided that includes a valve body having an inlet and an outlet, a sealing body disposed within an internal cavity of the valve body, and an operable closure 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 opposite surface of the sealing body. The sealing body is rotatable between a first position that allows gas flow from the inlet to the outlet of the valve body through the channel and a second position that prevents gas flow from the inlet to the outlet of the valve body. The operable closure element is configured to hold the sealing body stationary in the first position or the second position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application generally relates to isolation valves used in semiconductor processing. Specifically, this application relates to a multi-position isolation valve and related methods of use for preventing degradation of valve sealing elements and enabling remote plasma sources and valve bodies to be purged simultaneously with a semiconductor manufacturing process.

Background Art

[0002] To reduce or prevent damage to wafers and process chambers that can be caused by exposure to chemically corrosive plasmas, many semiconductor processing systems use a remote plasma source (RPS) to generate plasma outside of the process chamber and then deliver the activated gas (e.g., reactive species, reactive gas) generated by the plasma to the process chamber for processing the wafer or substrate. It may be desirable to install an isolation valve in the opening or conduit connecting the outlet of the RPS to the inlet of the process chamber. Such valves can be used to isolate the RPS from the process chamber during deposition operations, for example, to prevent gas from the process chamber from entering the RPS and condensing or depositing a film on the RPS chamber walls. However, limitations of conventional valves have mainly made their use for this application impractical.

[0003] Conventional valves that have been considered for use in semiconductor processing systems typically utilize gate valves or bellows-sealed poppet isolation valves. Conventional gate valves are typically shorter in the direction of gas flow than their poppet valve counterparts but may be more susceptible to thermal problems. Further, gate valves typically have a large internal wetted surface area that is exposed to process gases when the valve is open.

[0004] Conventional bellows-sealed poppet isolation valves have a mechanical or pneumatic actuated piston for extending and retracting the bellows and nose piece to open and close the gas flow path through the valve body. Such valves often have a valve body arranged in a side port configuration where the valve opening connected to the RPS outlet is disposed at a substantially 90-degree angle from the valve opening connected to the process chamber inlet. The nose piece typically includes a sealing element or O-ring that is compressed against the valve body surrounding one of the valve openings to close the gas flow path. Other valves have a straight valve body arranged such that the gas flow path between the RPS outlet and the process chamber inlet is substantially horizontal and the piston is disposed at an angle to the valve body.

[0005] One problem with the valves described above 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 necessary to retract the valve nose piece. Further, even in the fully open position, the bellows and nose piece cannot be fully retracted by the piston such that they are hidden from the path of the reactive gas flowing through the valve body. This reduces the transport efficiency of the reactive gas generated by the RPS reaching the process chamber due to recombination reactions caused by collisions with the valve bellows and nose piece. Additionally, when the reactive gas flowing from the RPS contacts the surfaces of the bellows and nose piece, there is an exothermic reaction that rapidly generates enough heat to raise the valve components to excessive temperatures outside of their recommended operating ranges. Accordingly, some valves include channels routed through the valve body and sometimes the nose piece to allow a cooling fluid to circulate. In addition to these thermal problems, any stainless steel components such as valve bellows can cause recombination of the reactive gas and loss of transport efficiency.

[0006] However, despite improvements made to address cooling and corrosion of certain valve components, degradation of the sealing element or O-ring remains a significant problem in conventional isolation valves that are rarely used in the direct flow path between the RPS and the process chamber. For example, O-rings are typically manufactured from perfluoroelastomer materials such as DuPont's Kalrez® or Greene Tweed's Chemraz® products. These materials degrade rapidly when exposed to reactive gases such as atomic fluorine, and the rate of degradation increases when the gas to which the material is exposed is flowing at high speed. In particular, the face or sealing surface of the O-ring is subjected to the greatest mechanical stress and is exposed to the greatest chemical attack, and thus degrades rapidly. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] Accordingly, there is a need for a multi-position isolation valve and related method of use for preventing degradation of the valve sealing element. There is also a need for a multi-position isolation valve and related method of use that allows a remote plasma source and valve body to be purged simultaneously with the semiconductor manufacturing process. Additionally, there is a need for a multi-position isolation valve that can provide a gas flow path through a valve opening that can be fully opened and is not obstructed by other valve components such as valve nose pieces or changes in the direction of the gas flow path through the valve.

[0008] The isolation valve described herein partially overcomes the drawbacks of conventional isolation valves by having far less exposure of the face or sealing surface of its O-ring to the reactive gases and corrosive chemicals passing through the valve body. Accordingly, degradation of the O-ring is significantly reduced, which can substantially increase the average or useful life of the O-ring compared to those used in conventional isolation valves. For example, the useful life of an O-ring having the characteristics of the isolation valve technology described herein can be increased several-fold compared to the useful life of an O-ring in a conventional isolation valve. Additionally, the isolation valve described herein allows the gas flow path through the valve opening to be fully opened and not obstructed by other valve components such as valve nose pieces or changes in the direction of the gas flow path through the valve.

[0009] In one aspect, the present technology features an isolation valve assembly. The isolation valve assembly includes a valve body having an inlet and an outlet. The isolation valve assembly further includes a seal plate disposed within the internal cavity of the valve body. The seal plate is movable between a first position that allows gas flow from the inlet to the outlet and a second position that prevents gas flow from the inlet to the outlet. The isolation valve assembly further includes a closure element disposed within the valve body and configured to hold the seal plate stationary in the first or second position. The closure element includes a first sealing element disposed adjacent to the first surface of the seal plate. The working surface of the first sealing element is substantially concealed from the gas flow when the seal plate is stationary.

[0010] The isolation valve technology can further include any of the following features. In some embodiments, the closure element further includes a second sealing element disposed adjacent to the second surface of the seal plate. In some embodiments, the working surface of the second sealing element is substantially concealed from the gas flow when the seal plate is stationary. In some embodiments, the closure element is configured to use a compressive force to hold the seal plate stationary in the first or second position.

[0011] In some embodiments, the first sealing element provides a seal that substantially prevents gas flow between the closure element and the first surface of the seal plate when the seal plate is stationary. In some embodiments, the second sealing element provides a seal that substantially prevents gas flow between the closure element and the second surface of the seal plate when the seal plate is stationary.

[0012] In some embodiments, the isolation valve assembly further includes a first opening formed in the valve body to receive purge gas into the internal cavity of the valve body, and a second opening formed in the valve body to remove one or more of the purge gas and the residual gas from the internal cavity of the valve body. In some embodiments, the second opening is formed in the valve body at a position remote from the first opening. In some embodiments, the second opening is formed in the valve body at a position opposite to the first opening of the seal plate. In some embodiments, the second opening is formed in the valve body at a position that substantially maximizes the flow path between the second opening and the first opening within the internal cavity of the valve body.

[0013] In some embodiments, the seal plate further includes a channel that directs the gas flow from the inlet to the internal cavity of the valve body when the seal plate is in the second position. In some embodiments, the isolation valve assembly further includes a plurality of injection ports for injecting one or more chemical species into the gas flow when the seal plate is in the first position. In some embodiments, the plurality of injection ports are formed within the seal plate, within the valve body between the seal plate and the inlet, or within the valve body between the seal plate and the outlet.

[0014] In some embodiments, the seal plate is movable between a first position and a second position about a pivot point in a rotational motion. In some embodiments, the seal plate further comprises at least one fluid channel in communication with the fluid inlet of the pivot point. In some embodiments, the seal plate is movable between a first position and a second position in a linear motion.

[0015] In some embodiments, the height of the isolation valve assembly is about 1.5 to about 2 times the measured diameter of either the inlet or the outlet. In another aspect, the present technology features a method of directing the output of a remote plasma source operation through a valve body of an isolation valve assembly. The method includes fixing an outlet of the remote plasma source to an inlet of the valve body of the isolation valve assembly. The method further includes disposing a seal plate disposed within an internal cavity of the valve body in a first position. The seal plate includes a channel that directs a gas flow from the inlet of the valve body to the internal cavity of the valve body when the seal plate is in the first position. The method further includes providing the output of the remote plasma source operation to the inlet of the valve body via the outlet of the remote plasma source and discharging the output of the remote plasma source operation from a first opening disposed in the valve body.

[0016] The method can further include any of the following features. In some embodiments, discharging further includes simultaneously performing a semiconductor processing operation within a process chamber in fluid communication with an 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 within a chamber of the remote plasma source, and reactive species generated by a plasma formed within a 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.

[0017] In some embodiments, the method further includes performing a passivation process within a chamber of the remote plasma source and flowing a gas generated during the passivation process to an outlet of the remote plasma source. In some embodiments, the method further includes forming a plasma within a chamber of the remote plasma source and flowing reactive species generated by the plasma to an outlet of the remote plasma source. In some embodiments, the plasma is an argon plasma or an oxygen plasma.

[0018] In some embodiments, the method further includes supplying purge gas to a second opening disposed in the valve body and discharging purge gas from a first opening disposed in the valve body. In some embodiments, discharging the output of the remote plasma source operation is performed substantially simultaneously with discharging the purge gas. In some embodiments, residual gas is discharged from a first opening disposed in the valve body.

[0019] In another aspect, the present technology features a method of reacting a chemical species with a reactive species. The method includes fixing an outlet of a remote plasma source to an inlet of a valve body of an isolation valve assembly. The method further includes disposing a seal plate disposed within an internal cavity of the valve body in a first position. The seal plate includes a channel for directing a gas flow from an inlet of the valve body to an outlet of the valve body. The method further includes supplying reactive species generated by 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 seal plate.

[0020] In another aspect, the present technology features an isolation valve assembly including a valve body having an inlet and an outlet. The isolation valve assembly also includes a sealing body disposed within an internal cavity of 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 opposite surface of the sealing body. The sealing body is rotatable between a first position that allows gas flow from the inlet to the outlet of the valve body through the channel and a second position that prevents gas flow from the inlet to the outlet of the valve body. The isolation valve assembly further includes an operable closure element disposed within the valve body. The operable closure element is configured to hold the sealing body stationary in the first position or the second position.

[0021] In some embodiments, the sealing body is substantially spherical. In some embodiments, the sealing body is a volume having a plurality of facets. In some embodiments, at the first position, the inlet of the valve body is substantially aligned with the first opening of the channel of the sealing body, and the outlet of the valve body is substantially aligned with the second opening of the channel of the sealing body. In some embodiments, at 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 sealing surface and the second sealing surface are configured to substantially seal the inlet and the outlet of the valve body, respectively, at the second position. In some embodiments, at the second position, the channel is oriented substantially perpendicular to the axis extending between the inlet and the outlet of the valve body.

[0022] In some embodiments, the closure element is further configured to release physical contact with the sealing body when the sealing body is moving between the first position and the second position. In some embodiments, the closure element is configured to use a compressive force to hold the sealing body stationary in the first position or the second position. In some embodiments, the closure element comprises at least one O-ring configured to form a seal against the outer surface of the sealing body to hold the sealing body stationary.

[0023] In some embodiments, the isolation valve assembly further includes a first opening formed in the valve body to receive purge gas into the internal cavity of the valve body, and a second opening formed in the valve body to remove one or more of the purge gas and the residual gas from the internal cavity of the valve body. The second opening is formed in the valve body at a position remote from the first opening.

[0024] In some embodiments, the sealing body further comprises at least one bypass channel configured to direct purge gas from the inlet of the valve body into the internal cavity of the valve body when the sealing body is in the second position. In some embodiments, the isolation valve assembly further includes an actuator in electrical communication with the sealing body to rotate the sealing body between the first position and the second position about a rotation axis.

[0025] In some embodiments, the isolation valve assembly further comprises at least one injection supply channel configured to inject one or more chemical species into the gas flow within the channel when the seal is in the first position. In some embodiments, the at least one injection supply channel is formed in at least one of the seal, the valve body between the seal and the inlet, or the valve body between the seal and the outlet.

[0026] In some embodiments, the height of the isolation valve assembly is about 1.5 to about 2 times the measured diameter of at least one of the inlet or outlet of the valve body. In yet another aspect, a method is provided for directing the output of a remote plasma source operation through the valve body of an isolation valve assembly. The method includes fixing the outlet of the remote plasma source to the inlet of the valve body of an isolation valve assembly that includes a rotatable seal disposed within an internal cavity of the valve body. The method includes rotating the seal within the internal cavity of the valve body to achieve an open position where a first opening of the channel of the seal is substantially aligned with the inlet of the valve body and a second opening of the channel of the seal is substantially aligned with the 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 via the outlet of the remote plasma source, and directing the output from the inlet of the valve body into a channel disposed within the seal in the open position. The method further includes discharging the output of the remote plasma source operation from the channel of the seal via the outlet of the valve body.

[0027] In some embodiments, the method further includes flowing reactive gas species from the remote plasma source through the valve body to the process chamber in the open position. The outlet of the valve body of the isolation valve assembly can be fixed to the inlet of the process chamber. The method can further include injecting one or more chemical species into the reactive species via one or more injection ports formed in at least one of the seal, the valve body between the seal and the inlet, or the valve body between the seal and the outlet.

[0028] In some embodiments, the method further includes rotating a seal body within an internal cavity of a valve body to achieve a closed position where a first seal surface on the seal body is substantially aligned with an inlet of the valve body to fluidly seal the inlet and a second seal surface on the seal body is substantially aligned with an 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 includes, in the closed position, directing an output from the inlet of the valve body into the internal cavity of the valve body via a bypass channel disposed within the seal body and, in the closed position, discharging an output from an outlet opening disposed in the valve body. The outlet opening is different from the outlet of the valve body.

[0029] In some embodiments, discharging the output of the remote plasma source in the closed valve position further includes simultaneously performing semiconductor processing operations within 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 performed within the chamber of the remote plasma source.

[0030] The advantages of the systems and methods described herein, together with further advantages, can be better understood by reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and instead generally focus on showing the principles of the embodiments described as examples.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0031]

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] Figure 1A 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, “RPS 104”) that communicates with a process chamber 106 via an isolation valve 110. The process chamber 106 communicates with an isolation valve 110b, which in turn communicates with a throttle valve 126. In some embodiments, the throttle valve 126 is a T3B throttle valve manufactured by MKS Instruments, Inc. (Andover, MA). A pump 108 communicates with the outputs of the isolation valve 110 and the throttle valve 126 to circulate gas within the components of system 100a. A gas distribution unit 102 communicates with the RPS 104, the isolation valve 110, the process chamber 106, and the isolation valve 110b.

[0033] The RPS 104 generates active gas species for use in semiconductor manufacturing processes. For example, using the gas supplied by the gas distribution unit 102, the RPS 104 can ignite a plasma and generate a reactive gas (e.g., atomic fluorine) typically used to clean the process chamber (e.g., process chamber 106) after a deposition process. In some embodiments, the RPS 104 is an ASTRON® remote plasma source manufactured by MKS Instruments, Inc. (Andover, MA).

[0034] The isolation valve 110 is installed in the path between the RPS 104 and the process chamber 106, providing a flow path for the reaction gas when the isolation valve 110 is in the open position and isolating the RPS 104 from the process chamber 106 when the isolation valve 110 is in the closed position. The RPS 104 is isolated from the process chamber 106 during the deposition operation, for example, to prevent gas from the process chamber 106 from entering the RPS and condensing or depositing a film on the chamber walls of the RPS 104. By isolating the RPS 104 from the process chamber 106 using such a valve, it is also possible to purge and / or recondition / passivate the RPS 104 with an alternative process gas without affecting the process being performed in the process chamber 106. Further, as described herein, the isolation valve 110 can include features that allow its valve body to be purged with a purge gas that is supplied by the gas distribution unit 102 and removed from the valve body via the pump 108. For example, the isolation valve 110 can include one or more inlet ports for injecting gas into the valve body and one or more outlet ports for withdrawing gas from the valve body. The purge and / or recondition / passivation operations can be performed simultaneously with the process being performed in the process chamber 106, if desired. Advantageously, this can reduce the non - productive downtime of the semiconductor processing system that is typically required to perform maintenance operations.

[0035] The isolation valve 110 can also include features that allow for the injection of substances downstream of the RPS 104 to enhance semiconductor processing operations performed within the process chamber 106. In some embodiments, the isolation valve 110 includes features that allow water vapor or other process gases to be injected into the flow of the reaction gas provided from the RPS 104.

[0036] The gas distribution unit 102 represents several gas sources and supplies all the gases used by the components of system 100a to perform the various processes described herein. The gas distribution unit 102 includes an RPS supply unit 112 that represents a source of one or more process gases supplied to the RPS 104. For example, NF3 and Ar are typically used for chamber cleaning. For certain cleaning, etching, or photoresist stripping applications, NH3, H2, O2, or other gases can be used. The RPS supply unit 112 also represents a source of one or more gases (e.g., Ar, N2) used to purge the RPS 104. The gas distribution unit 102 also includes a valve purge unit 114 that represents a source of one or more gases (e.g., Ar, N2) used to purge the isolation valve 110, and a downstream injection unit 116 that represents a source of one or more gases (e.g., water vapor, N2, H2, NH3, O2) injected downstream of the RPS 104. Finally, the gas distribution unit 102 includes a primary process 118 that represents a source of one or more process gases (e.g., TEOS, O3, silane, O2) used within the process chamber 106.

[0037] Although shown as a single component in FIG. 1A, those skilled in the art will understand that the gas distribution unit 102 can be composed of several gas sources and other support components that are not physically juxtaposed with each other. Those skilled in the art will further understand that the arrows in FIG. 1A indicating the flow directions and connection paths between the various components of system 100a can actually be implemented as two or more physical paths, and that each component of system 100a can include multiple components. For example, the pump 108 is shown as a single pump for withdrawing gas from both the process chamber 106 and the isolation valve 110, but in reality, the pump 108 can include one or more pumps for withdrawing gas from a point downstream of the throttle valve 126 and additional one or more pumps for withdrawing purge gas from the isolation valve 110.

[0038] FIG. 1B 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 alternatively includes an isolation valve 110b instead of isolation valve 124. (Unless a particular version of the system is referenced, systems 100a and 100b are hereinafter interchangeably referred to as "system 100".) Further, the valve purge section 114 is in fluid communication with the output of the throttle valve 126 and the isolation valve 110b that is in fluid communication with the pump 108.

[0039] In system 100b, the isolation valve 110b can be the same type of valve as isolation valve 110 in order to enhance the performance of the system. For example, a conventional isolation valve disposed at the outlet of a process chamber typically receives an accumulation of by-products of a process (e.g., a SiO2, SiN, or metal oxide deposition process) executed within the process chamber. By-products from such processes (e.g., SiO2, SiN, or metal oxide powder) tend to accumulate on the seat surface of a conventional isolation valve, resulting in the inability to properly seal the valve. Thus, by using the isolation valve described herein between the process chamber 106 and the throttle valve 126, advantages can be provided to semiconductor processes based on the characteristics of the isolation valve described throughout this disclosure. For example, the improved ability of the isolation valve to shield the O-ring from reactive species and process by-products can improve the ability of the valve to maintain a secure seal. Further, the ability of the valve to be purged by gas from the valve purge section 114 can further reduce or eliminate the adverse effect of by-product accumulation on the sealing ability of the valve at that location.

[0040] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram 200 showing an exemplary RPS connected to an isolation valve, according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. As shown in schematic diagram 200, the isolation valve 110 can be attached directly or adjacent to the outlet of the RPS 104.

[0041] FIG. 3A is a schematic view 300a 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 generally having a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The seal plate 305a is housed within the valve body 345a and pivots about a pivot point 315a to expose different portions of the seal plate 305a to the opening 330a, allowing or preventing the flow of gas through the opening 330a. As used throughout this specification with respect to isolation valve technology, the term opening can refer to any inlet and outlet, and can refer to the entire flow path through the valve body through which gas is allowed to flow or is prevented from flowing. An inlet can refer to an opening or conduit through which gas or other substances flow in, and an 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 portion of the seal plate 305a is exposed to the opening 330a. In some embodiments, a mechanical or electromechanical actuator is used to apply a rotational force to the pivot point 315a.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 3A, the seal plate 305a is a "double-throw" seal plate that includes a first portion including an opening for allowing the flow of gas through the opening 330a and a second portion for blocking the flow of gas through the opening 330a. In some embodiments, the seal plate 305a includes a plurality of portions having openings of different sizes, each of which allows a different amount of gas flow through the opening 330a.

[0043] FIG. 3B is a figure showing three views of a second embodiment of an isolation valve according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. Schematic view 300b-1 is a schematic view of an isolation valve 310b with its surface made transparent. Schematic view 300b-2 is a schematic view of the isolation valve 310b. Schematic view 300b-3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the isolation valve 310b.

[0044] The components of isolation valve 310b are the same as those of isolation valve 310a, but the size and shape of valve body 345b are optimized around the dimensions of seal plate 305b within isolation valve 310b. The reduction in the optimized size of valve body 345b can be beneficial for the installation of system 100, which is often in facilities with limited physical space. In some embodiments, the body of the isolation valve has an irregular shape (e.g., kidney shape), triangular shape, or box shape to best fit the physical space where the isolation valve is installed.

[0045] FIG. 4A is a schematic diagram 400a showing the rotational movement of an exemplary seal plate of an isolation valve according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. For example, isolation valve 410a can include a seal plate 405a configured to rotate within the valve body about pivot point 415a in rotational movement 422a. Alternatively, as shown in schematic diagram 400b of FIG. 4B, seal plate 405b can move within isolation valve 410b according to linear movement 422b. In some embodiments, the type of movement of the seal plate can be selected to best fit within the physical location where the semiconductor processing system is installed. Further, although seal plates 405a and 405b of FIGS. 4A and 4B are shown as having two positions each, embodiments of the valve technology described herein can include a seal plate having three or more positions and can incorporate features of other embodiments described herein.

[0046] Isolation valves according to embodiments of the technology described herein can include one or more closure elements configured to hold the seal plate stationary in a fixed position. Further, the closure element can include a sealing element (e.g., O-ring, gasket, etc.) arranged to contact the surface of the seal plate when the closure element is actuated to hold the seal plate stationary in a fixed position.

[0047] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view 500 of an exemplary isolation valve 510 according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. The isolation valve 510 includes a valve body 545 that houses a seal plate 505, bellows actuators 550a and 550b (collectively referred to as bellows actuator 550), upper pneumatic pistons 515a and lower pneumatic pistons 515b (collectively referred to as piston 515), upper springs 535a and lower springs 535b (collectively referred to as spring 535), upper calipers 520a and lower calipers 520b (collectively referred to as caliper 520), upper primary seals 525a and lower primary seals 525b (collectively referred to as primary seal 525), upper caps 595a and lower caps 595a (collectively referred to as cap 595), and an opening 530. The opening 530 can be formed in the valve body 545 having portions above and below the seal plate 505, and when the seal plate 505 is disposed accordingly, provides a path for the gas flow from its inlet portion where gas flows in or is injected to its outlet portion where the gas flow exits the isolation valve 510. The isolation valve 510 can also include structural components that house other sealing elements for preventing gas flow in regions of the valve body 545 other than the interface between the seal plate 505 and the caliper 520.

[0048] In some embodiments, valve components such as the valve body 545, the seal plate 505, and the caliper 520 are made of aluminum (e.g., 6061 aluminum) and anodized. In some embodiments, the height 502 of the isolation valve 510 is 1.5 to 2 times the diameter of the opening 530. In some embodiments, the height 502 is about 2 to about 5 times the diameter of the opening 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.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 5, the primary seal 525 is embedded in a double-tail groove formed in the caliper 520. Those skilled in the art will understand that other techniques can be used to fix or embed the primary seal 525 in the caliper 520. In some embodiments, the primary seal 525 is embedded on the upper and lower sides of the seal plate 505. In some embodiments, the primary seal is embedded in the caliper 520 and on the upper and lower sides of the seal plate 505, and the primary seals are horizontally offset from each other.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 5, the isolation valve 510 incorporates two bellows actuator feed-throughs (upper bellows actuator feed-through 550a and lower bellows actuator feed-through 550b) disposed on both sides of the valve body 545. In some embodiments, the isolation valve 510 incorporates three or more bellows actuators. For example, one or more additional upper bellows actuators and one or more additional lower bellows actuators can be disposed on both sides of the valve body 545 such that the valve body 545 is disposed substantially equidistant from each of the bellows actuators 550. In some embodiments, the bellows components of the bellows actuators utilized in the isolation valve 510 are formed from spring steel (e.g., stainless steel). In some embodiments, a thin coating of aluminum oxide is applied to the outer surface of each bellows as a means of reducing corrosion caused by exposure to reactive species generated in a plasma such as a fluorine-based plasma. In some embodiments, the bellows are coated with an ALD AL2O3 coating. Those skilled in the art will understand that in some embodiments, the isolation valve 510 can alternatively incorporate a dynamic linear sliding actuator or a sliding seal instead of the bellows actuators 550.

[0051] During operation, pneumatic actuators (not shown) fixed to the upper and bottom of valve body 545 simultaneously apply pressure to piston 515, moving the piston vertically, compressing spring 535 attached between valve body 545 and piston 515, and also compressing the bellows components of bellows actuator 550. The vertical linear movement of piston 515 vertically moves the vertical rod or stem within each bellows actuator 550, applying a corresponding linear force to each of calipers 520. Calipers 520 are configured to have a range of vertical movement within valve body 545 in which they can move. In some embodiments, each of calipers 520 has a range of vertical movement of less than 1 mm. In some embodiments, each of calipers 520 has a range of vertical movement of about 0.5 mm to about 3 mm. In some embodiments, each of calipers 520 has a range of vertical movement of about 3 mm to about 5 mm.

[0052] The force applied to calipers 520 by bellows actuator 550 then firmly presses calipers 520 against seal plate 505, thereby simultaneously locking seal plate 505 in place and compressing primary seal 525 against seal plate 505. This substantially seals valve body 545 from exposure to any corrosive or etching gas passing through opening 530 when seal plate 505 is in a position that allows gas flow (as shown in FIG. 5), and similarly, when seal plate 505 is in a position that prevents gas flow through opening 530, it has the advantageous effect of substantially preventing process gas from process chamber 106 and any remaining corrosive or etching gas from RPS 104 from entering valve body 545.

[0053] A further advantage of the configuration of the isolation valve 510 is that, compared to conventional isolation valves, each working surface of the primary seal 525 exposed to the flow of corrosive or etching gas passing through the opening 530 is much less. For example, the primary sealing element of a state-of-the-art right-angle poppet valve is typically an O-ring attached to the end face of a nose piece that is expanded and contracted to open and close the gas flow path through the valve. In the closed position, the nose piece is fully extended, the primary sealing element is compressed against the seat surface at the inlet of the valve opening, leaving only a small portion of the primary sealing element exposed to the gas that can flow into the small gap between the nose piece and the seat surface. However, when the nose piece is retracted to open the valve, even if the nose piece is retracted beyond the upper part of the valve outlet, up to 50% of the surface of the primary sealing element is directly in the path of the gas flowing into the inlet of the valve, which is typically not practical due to physical constraints.

[0054] This configuration of the conventional right-angle poppet valve can be the cause of several adverse effects. First, the primary sealing element is typically made of a perfluoroelastomer material that can rapidly deteriorate when exposed to reactive gases such as atomic fluorine, and the deterioration rate can increase when the gas is flowing at high speed. Therefore, the service life of the primary seal used in the conventional right-angle poppet valve may be shorter than the desired life under the conditions required for a specific process. Further, the transport efficiency of the system is adversely affected because a higher degree of loss is incurred due to recombination caused by the collision of a gas such as atomic fluorine flowing through the valve with the walls of the opening including a right-angle turning section in the path between the nose piece, the primary sealing element, and the valve inlet and outlet. In addition, since the nose piece typically cannot be fully retracted due to physical constraints, a portion of it protrudes into the valve opening, reducing the maximum achievable gas flow rate through the valve and increasing recombination. Even when using a valve designed to have a stroke length sufficient to fully retract the nose piece (typically not practical from the perspective of physical size), the nose piece and the primary sealing element are exposed to the gas flow even in the tangential direction only, so losses due to recombination still exist. Finally, recombination is an exothermic reaction that generates a large amount of heat, and this heat is conducted to the components of the valve. The temperature inside the valve body can rapidly exceed the rated operating temperature of the primary sealing element (typically about 210 °C) and reach above 300 °C.

[0055] One alternative to a right-angle poppet valve is an in-line valve having an angled seat, which can reduce some of the adverse effects described above. For example, when the nose piece of such an in-line valve is retracted to open the valve, the primary seal element is typically not placed directly within the path of the gas flowing between a valve inlet and a valve outlet that are horizontally aligned to form a straight flow path. This configuration can reduce the number of collisions between the gas flowing through the valve opening and the components of the valve, such as the nose piece, the primary seal element, and the walls of the opening. However, since the nose piece and the primary seal element are exposed to the gas flow even only tangentially, a significant loss of transport efficiency due to recombination still exists. Further, the service life of the angled seat isolation valve primary seal element can typically exceed that of the right-angle poppet valve primary seal element, but is still significantly inadequate under certain conditions. For example, the portion of the primary seal element located closest to the valve inlet when the angled seat valve is open deteriorates at an accelerated rate when exposed to a large volume of gas flowing at high speed.

[0056] In contrast to right angle poppet valves and in-line isolation valves, the isolation valve 510 described herein substantially reduces or eliminates the aforementioned adverse effects. As a first problem, the configuration of the isolation valve 510 is such that only the minimal portions of each of the primary seals 525 are exposed, whether the gas flow path through the opening 530 is fully open, partially open, or closed, as the seal plate 505 is arranged, thereby substantially shielding the primary seals 525 from corrosive or etching gases. In part, this is because the primary seals 525 are compression sealed against the seal plate 505 during operation of the isolation valve 510. When the primary seals 525 are compressed against the seal plate 505, only small cracks or gaps (e.g., gaps 540a and 540b collectively referred to as "gap 540") exist between the upper and lower surfaces of the seal plate 505 and the respective surfaces of the valve body 545 and the caliper 520. In some embodiments, when the primary seals 525 are in a compressed state, about 0.5% to about 1% of each surface of the primary seals 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 each surface of the primary seals 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 each surface of the primary seals 525 is exposed to the gas flowing through the gap 540.

[0057] In addition, the gas present within or flowing through the opening 530 can only reach the primary seals 525 via the gap 540 by moving perpendicular to the main flow of the gas. Even in that case, a corrosive gas such as atomic fluorine is typically reduced to a less corrosive and reactive form (e.g., molecular fluorine) by a recombination reaction caused by the collision of the atomic fluorine with the surfaces of the valve body 545 and the seal plate 505 as the gas travels through the gap 540 towards the primary seals 525.

[0058] In some embodiments, the valve body 545 is constructed such that the path between the primary seal 525 and the gap 540 is a "labyrinth" having one or more direction changes. In such a configuration, the recombination effect of the gas flowing through the gap 540 can be increased, and the possibility of corrosive gas reaching the primary seal 525 can be further reduced. In some embodiments, the position primary seal 525 mounted on the caliper 520 changes to increase the horizontal distance between the primary seal 525 and the opening 530, thereby increasing the number of collisions between the gas and the surfaces of the valve body 545 and the seal plate 505 as the gas travels through the gap 540 towards the primary seal 525. In some embodiments, the primary seal 525 is disposed at approximately 5 mm from the opening 530. In some embodiments, the primary seal 525 is disposed at approximately 10 mm to 20 mm from the opening 530. In some embodiments, the primary seal 525 is disposed at approximately 20 mm to 40 mm from the opening 530.

[0059] By reducing the exposure of the working surface of the primary seal 525, the service life of the primary seal 525 can be significantly increased compared to an equivalently fabricated primary sealing element used in a conventional isolation valve. In some embodiments, the service life of the primary seal 525 is increased by about 2 to 10 times the life of an equivalently fabricated primary seal used in a conventional isolation valve. In some embodiments, the service life of the primary seal 525 is increased by about 10 to 50 times the life of an equivalently fabricated primary seal used in a conventional isolation valve. In some embodiments, the service life of the primary seal 525 is an operating or running time exceeding 1000 hours.

[0060] Returning to the operation of the isolation valve 510, to release the compressive force applied to the seal plate 505 by the caliper 520, the pneumatic actuator releases the pneumatic load applied to the piston 515, and the force applied by the decompression spring 535 returns the piston 515, the bellows actuator 550, and the caliper 520 to their initial positions, and freely rotates the seal plate 505 to other positions. As shown in FIG. 5, only springs 535a and 535b are visible. However, it should be understood that the valve 510 can include additional springs attached between the valve body 545 and the piston 515b. In some embodiments, there are two or more springs attached between each of the pistons 515 and the valve body 545.

[0061] The 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 and can rotate the seal plate 505 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 return" configuration. In such a configuration, a pneumatic load is applied to the piston 515 to move the components of the isolation valve 510 to the "open" position, thereby rotating the seal plate 505 to a new position within the valve body 545. 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. Further, in some embodiments, the isolation valve 510 can be constructed to have a "double acting" or "dual pneumatic" configuration that alternates the corresponding components of the isolation valve 510 between an open state and a closed / compressed state using the force applied by the pneumatic actuator.

[0062] When the compressive force applied by the caliper 520 is released, the seal plate 505 can be repositioned to expose different portions of the seal plate 505 to the opening 530. For example, as described above with reference to FIG. 3A, a pneumatic actuator can be used to apply a rotational force to a pivot point (not shown in FIG. 5) to control which portion of the seal plate 505 is exposed to the opening 530. In some embodiments, a mechanical or electromechanical actuator can be used to apply a rotational force to the pivot point to control the movement of the seal plate 505. When the seal plate 505 is rotated to the desired position, the above process is repeated to lock the seal plate 505 in its new position within the valve body 545 and recompress the primary seal 525 against the seal plate 505.

[0063] Although described herein as separate components, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the caliper 520 may be a single body or component or an assembly of two or more components. Further, in some embodiments of the isolation valve technology described herein, only one of the primary seals 525 is compression sealed against the seal plate 505 during operation of the isolation valve 510, and thus substantially covers or shields one primary seal from any corrosive or etching gas passing through the opening 530. In some embodiments, the isolation valve 510 comprises one primary seal.

[0064] In some embodiments, the isolation valve 510 incorporates 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 condensation point of the exposed process. In some embodiments, the valve body 545 and the seal plate 505 include a plurality of fluid channels formed therein through which a gas or liquid coolant flows. In some embodiments, the liquid coolant is water, glycol, CDA, a dielectric fluorinated fluid from Galden®, or a similar liquid. In some embodiments, the coolant is supplied to the fluid channels of the seal plate 505 via its pivot point. In some embodiments, one or more of the piston 515, the bellows actuator 550, and the caliper 520 incorporate fluid channels for circulating the coolant. In some embodiments, a heat pipe is incorporated into the components of the isolation valve 510 for thermal management. In some embodiments, the components of the isolation valve 510 use conduction for thermal management. In one example, the thermal energy from the caliper 520 is conducted to the valve body 545 and the seal plate 505 when the primary seal 525 is in a compressed state.

[0065] FIG. 6A is a block diagram 600a of an RPS104 connected to an isolation valve 610, according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. The isolation valve 610 includes many of the same features and components as the isolation valve 510. However, the isolation valve 610 utilizes a plurality of pneumatic actuators (e.g., actuator 660) to expand and contract the caliper within the valve body 645. In some embodiments, the actuator 660 is based on an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) valve actuator.

[0066] As shown in FIG. 6A, the isolation valve 610 incorporates eight actuators 660, with four upper actuators and four lower actuators disposed on both sides of the valve body 645. In some embodiments, the isolation valve 610 incorporates more than eight actuators 660.

[0067] Figure 6B is a cross-sectional view 600b of the embodiment shown in Figure 6A. As shown, the vertical rods or stems within each of the actuators 660 extend into the calipers 620a or 620b (collectively "caliper 620") respectively, depending on the position of each of the actuators 660.

[0068] During operation, the actuators 660 are operated substantially simultaneously to extend the caliper 620 and compress the primary seals 625a and 625b (collectively "primary seal 625") against the seal plate 605. As shown in Figure 6B, the seal plate 605 is in a position within the valve body 645 that closes the gas flow path through the opening 630. To change the position of the seal plate 605, the actuators 660 are operated substantially simultaneously to retract the caliper 620, and the seal plate 605 can rotate to a new position within the valve body 645 in a manner substantially similar to that described above with reference to Figure 5. Similar to the exemplary isolation valve 510 shown in Figure 5, the isolation valve 610 can have a "spring open", "spring closed", or "spring return", or "double acting" or "dual pneumatic" configuration.

[0069] In some embodiments, the seal plate 605 can include a downstream injector 690 for injecting process gas or purge gas into the opening 630. In some embodiments, the downstream injector is formed in a portion of the opening 630 located between the seal plate 605 and the outlet of the RPS 104. In some embodiments, the downstream injector is formed in a portion of the opening 630 located below the seal plate 605.

[0070] The following series of drawings illustrate some of the operating modes of the isolation valve technology described herein, and the corresponding descriptions detail the advantages provided by the isolation valve. FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional view 700a 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 elements similar to those of the isolation valve 510 of FIG. 5. For example, among other things, the isolation valve 710 includes a seal plate 705, an opening 730, and a valve body 745, which are similar to the seal plate 505, the opening 530, and the valve body 545, respectively. In the cross-sectional view 700a, the upper piston, bellows actuator feedthrough, caliper, and primary seal are represented by 765a, and the lower piston, bellows actuator feedthrough, caliper, and primary seal are represented by 765b.

[0071] The isolation valve 710 further includes an opening or inlet port 770 for injecting a purge gas (e.g., nitrogen, argon) from the valve purge section 114 into the internal cavity of the valve body 745, and an opening or outlet port 775 for discharging the purge gas and residual process gas from the internal cavity of the valve body 745 via 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 drawing gas from the valve body 745. As shown in the cross-sectional view 700a, the valve body 745 can be purged when the seal plate 705 is in a position that prevents the flow of gas through the opening 730.

[0072] Those skilled in the art will understand that it may be beneficial for the purge process to form an outlet port 775 at a position within the valve body 745 remote from the inlet port 770 in order to substantially maximize the flow path of the purge gas through the internal cavity of the valve body 745. For example, as shown in FIG. 7A (and FIGS. 7B-7D described below), the outlet port 775 is disposed substantially opposite the inlet port 770 in the valve body 745. Further, although the inlet port 770 and the outlet port 775 are shown as being formed in the upper and lower surfaces of the valve body 745, respectively, either or both of the inlet port 770 and the outlet port 775 can be formed in the upper, side, or bottom surface of the valve body 745 in accordance with embodiments of the valve technology described herein. In some embodiments, a plurality of inlet and outlet ports are formed at various positions within the valve body 745, and a subset of the inlet and outlet ports can be selectively utilized in accordance with the type of purge process being performed or the region of the internal cavity that the process is intended to purge.

[0073] FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view 700b of the isolation valve 710 in a second mode of operation according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. In cross-sectional view 700b, the seal plate 705 is in a position that allows gas flow from the outlet of the RPS 104 to the inlet portion of the opening 730, and the gas can continue to flow through the opening 730 through the opening in the seal plate 705 and then out of the outlet portion of the opening 730 and into the process chamber 106. For example, the gas flow from the RPS 104 indicated by the double-headed arrow in FIG. 7B can be an active gas species such as atomic fluorine. In some embodiments, the gas flow from the RPS 104 is a purge gas (e.g., nitrogen, argon) or a plasma (e.g., argon-based plasma).

[0074] Accordingly, the configuration of the isolation valve 710 allows the valve body 745 to be purged regardless of whether the seal plate 705 is in a position that prevents (e.g., FIG. 7A) or allows (e.g., FIG. 7B) the flow of gas through the opening 730. By purging the valve body 745, backflow process gases (e.g., fluorine or deposition gases) that penetrate into the valve body 745 during processing and would otherwise be trapped therein are advantageously removed. Thus, by purging the valve body 745 continuously or periodically, the lifespan of components such as the primary seal that can be degraded by exposure to residual process gases can be extended.

[0075] FIG. 7C is a cross-sectional view 700c of the isolation valve 710 in a third operating mode according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. In cross-sectional view 700c, the seal plate 705 is in a position that prevents the flow of gas from the outlet of the RPS 104 through the opening 730 to the process chamber 106. However, in this embodiment, the seal plate 705 includes a bypass port 780 formed therethrough that provides a path from the RPS side of the opening 730 (e.g., the upper portion of the opening 730 as shown in FIG. 7C) to the internal cavity of the valve body 745. In some embodiments, the bypass port 780 is composed of a plurality of ports formed within the seal plate 705. Further, although the seal plate 705 of FIG. 7C is shown as having two positions (e.g., "valve opening open" and "valve opening closed with bypass"), as described above, some embodiments of the seal plate 705 include three or more positions and incorporate features of other embodiments described herein.

[0076] A semiconductor processing system that utilizes an isolation valve having a bypass port 780 offers several advantages over conventional semiconductor processing systems. As background, in conventional semiconductor processing systems, during periods when the RPS is not supplying reaction gas to the process chamber, the RPS is turned off. In this state, it is desirable to flow a purge gas (e.g., argon) through the RPS to maintain known chemical properties within the RPS, but this is often difficult to implement. Since the flow path from the RPS to the exhaust section in a conventional semiconductor processing system necessarily flows through the process chamber, there is a risk that the flow of the purge gas and the gas discharged by the purge process may interfere with or change the dynamics of the deposition process occurring within the process chamber.

[0077] Due to these concerns, when the RPS is not being used to generate plasma, the RPS is typically powered off and left in a "cold" state with reduced regulation of the chemical properties of its internal environment. This can lead to several problems. For example, in the absence of a flow of purge gas through the RPS, residual gases and deposition gases may move upstream and condense within the RPS or upstream of the RPS. If their by-products are deposited upstream of the location where plasma is generated by the residual process gas, they may not be removed during the chamber cleaning process and can become a persistent source of particulate matter or contamination. Additionally, condensation can occur due to the temperature difference between the hot gases flowing upstream into the cold chamber of the RPS. Combined with the unregulated chemical properties of its internal environment when in the off state, the re-ignition performance of the RPS can become inconsistent, causing undesirable delays in semiconductor processing operations.

[0078] A semiconductor processing system that utilizes the isolation valve technology described in this specification overcomes the drawbacks of conventional semiconductor processing systems. In particular, bypass port 780 enables the valve body 745 and the RPS 104 to be purged simultaneously while other processes (e.g., deposition) are being executed within process chamber 106. For example, a purge gas (e.g., nitrogen, argon) can flow through valve body 745 and simultaneously through the powered-off or "passive" RPS 104 to prevent any process gas from advancing upstream into the RPS 104. Finally, a known chemical property can be maintained within the RPS 104, thereby eliminating or significantly reducing the RPS re-ignition problems experienced by conventional semiconductor processing systems.

[0079] In addition to providing means for purging valve body 745 and RPS 104 when the RPS 104 is in a passive or powered-off state, bypass port 780 also enables valve body 745 and RPS 104 to be purged simultaneously while the RPS 104 remains powered on and in a standby mode generating plasma. For example, after an active gas species has been delivered to process chamber 106 and a subsequent deposition process has been performed, the RPS 104 can continue to generate plasma (e.g., argon plasma) while remaining powered on. Plasma generated using a gas such as argon is not as aggressive as to damage the components of isolation valve 710. Thus, the seal plate 705 can rotate or move from a position that allows gas flow through the opening 730 to a position that prevents gas flow through the opening 730 but provides a flow path from the outlet of the RPS 104 to the interior of the valve body 745 via the bypass port 780 before the RPS 104 needs to be deactivated.

[0080] Operation in this mode eliminates problems associated with failed RPS re-ignition experienced in the conventional semiconductor processing systems described above because RPS104 is never powered off. Further, when operating in this mode, the thermal cycle of RPS104 is much less, the thermal shock received by the components of RPS104 is reduced, and as a result, the condensation generated on and near the chamber surface of RPS104 is significantly reduced.

[0081] In addition, operation in the aforementioned mode enables preventive maintenance to be performed on RPS104 without the need to remove RPS104 from system 100 and without affecting process chamber 106. In particular, with the seal plate 705 arranged as shown in FIG. 7C, plasma can be generated within RPS104 using oxygen or another conditioning gas to passivate the surface of the chamber of RPS104. For example, when performed on a remote plasma source having a chamber surface composed of anodized aluminum, this process can convert the aluminum difluoride (AlF2) and / or aluminum fluoride (AlF3) formed on the chamber surface during operation to aluminum oxide (Al2O3). AlF2 / AlF3 may desorb from the surface wall over time and become a source of contaminant particles for the wafers being processed. Therefore, by performing the passivation process before this occurs, AlF2 / AlF3 can be reduced or eliminated from the chamber surface, thereby extending the life of the chamber block. Further, these conditioning and maintenance operations are not limited to processing chamber surfaces composed of anodized aluminum. The valve techniques described herein enable conditioning and maintenance processes to be performed on chamber surfaces composed of materials such as quartz materials, sapphire materials, alumina, aluminum nitride, yttrium oxide, silicon carbide, boron nitride, and / or metals such as aluminum, nickel, or stainless steel.

[0082] FIG. 7D is a cross-sectional view 700d of the isolation valve 710 in a fourth operating mode according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. In cross-sectional view 700d, the seal plate 705 is in a position that allows gas flow from the outlet of the RPS 104 through the opening 730 into the process chamber 106. However, in this embodiment, the seal plate 705 includes one or more channels 785 formed therein for injecting different gases or chemical properties downstream of the RPS 104. For example, the seal plate 705 can include one or more inlets (not shown) that communicate with the downstream injection section 116 to supply a process gas or a purge gas (e.g., a species, a forming gas, water vapor) to the channels 785 for injection into the opening 730 via one or more downstream injectors 790. In some embodiments, the gas is supplied to the channels 785 via conduits within the pivot point (not shown) of the seal plate 705.

[0083] As described above, the system 100 is often installed within a facility having limited physical space. Thus, the described configuration of the isolation valve 710 can provide valuable space savings to the system 100 because there is no need to pipe additional equipment into the gas flow path to inject different gases or chemical properties downstream from the RPS 104.

[0084] In some embodiments, one or both of the channels 785 and the downstream injector 790 are formed in the valve body 745 at the wall of the opening 730 below the seal plate 705. In some embodiments, one or both of the channels 785 and the downstream injector 790 are formed in the valve body 745 at the wall of the opening 730 above the seal plate 705. The downstream injector 790 can be disposed either above or below the seal plate 705.

[0085] Furthermore, the seal plate 705 of FIG. 7D is shown as having two positions (e.g., "valve opening closed" and "valve opening open with downstream injection"), but as described above, some embodiments of the seal plate 705 include three or more positions and incorporate features of other embodiments described herein.

[0086] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a method 800 for directing the 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 fixing an outlet of a remote plasma source to an inlet of a valve body of an isolation valve assembly (805). For example, as described above with reference to system 100, the outlet of RPS 104 can be attached directly or adjacent to the inlet of the valve body of isolation valve 110.

[0087] The method 800 further includes placing a seal plate disposed within an internal cavity of the valve body in a first position (810), the seal plate comprising a channel that directs a gas flow from an inlet to the internal cavity of the valve body when the seal plate is in the first position. For example, an isolation valve having a seal plate with the features described in FIG. 7C can be arranged as described with reference to FIG. 5 above to provide a bypass path for the gas flowing from RPS 104 to the valve inlet.

[0088] The method 800 includes providing the output of the remote plasma source operation to the inlet of the valve body via the outlet of the remote plasma source (815) and discharging the output of the remote plasma source operation from a first opening disposed in the valve body (820).

[0089] For example, a purge operation can be performed in RPS 104. The RPS supply 112 can supply a purge gas, such as argon, to the gas inlet of RPS 104. Referring again to FIG. 7C, the purge gas from RPS 104 (shown in FIG. 7C as a line with two dots) can flow into the inlet of isolation valve 710, the bypass port 780 directs the purge gas into the internal cavity of the valve body 745, and the purge gas is discharged via the outlet port 775.

[0090] In some embodiments, the output of the remote plasma source operation is the gas generated during the passivation process executed by RPS104. In some embodiments, the output of the remote plasma source operation is the reactive species generated by the plasma (e.g., argon plasma, oxygen plasma) formed within RPS104.

[0091] In some embodiments, the valve body 745 is purged. For example, the purge gas can be supplied to the inlet port 770, flow from the inlet port 770 to the outlet port 775, and be discharged by the vacuum generated by the pump 108. In some embodiments, at least one of the residual gas and particulate matter is also discharged from the valve body 745.

[0092] In some embodiments, the discharge of the remote plasma source operation and / or the output of the remote plasma source operation is performed substantially simultaneously with the purge of the valve body 745. Further, since the seal plate 705 maintains the isolation from the process chamber 106 while the seal plate 705 is in this position, the semiconductor processing operation can be executed simultaneously with any of the above-described operations.

[0093] FIG. 9 is a flowchart 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 fixing the outlet of a remote plasma source to the inlet of the valve body of an isolation valve assembly (905). For example, as described above with reference to the system 100, the outlet of the RPS104 can be attached directly or adjacent to the inlet of the valve body in the case of the isolation valve 110.

[0094] Method 900 further includes placing (910) a seal plate disposed within an internal cavity of the valve body in a first position, the seal plate comprising a channel for directing a gas flow from an inlet of the valve body to an outlet of the valve body. For example, an isolation valve having a seal plate with the features described in FIG. 7D can be placed as described with reference to FIG. 5 above to provide a flow path from RPS 104 through the isolation valve 710 to an inlet of the process chamber 106.

[0095] Method 900 includes supplying (915) reactive species generated by a remote plasma source to an inlet of the valve body. For example, as described above, the reactive species can be generated at RPS 104 and flow into the isolation valve 710. Method 900 further includes injecting (920) one or more chemical species into the reactive species via a plurality of injection ports formed in the seal plate. For example, referring again to FIG. 7D, the seal plate 705 can include one or more inlets (not shown) that communicate with a downstream injection section 116 to supply one or more chemical species to the channel 785 for injection into the opening 730 via a downstream injector 790. Injecting one or more chemical species into the opening 730 while the reactive species are flowing can enhance or improve the effect of the process. Further, the design of the isolation valve 710 allows the valve body 745 to be purged substantially simultaneously with the steps of method 900, as described above.

[0096] FIG. 10 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 a similar function as the various isolation valve designs described above, such as the isolation valve 510, and is adapted for, but not limited to, the supply of reaction gas. As shown, the isolation valve 1000 generally defines an inlet 1004 and an outlet 1006 that are in open communication with an internal cavity 1008 disposed within a valve body 1002. The valve body 1002 is a mechanical housing configured to support one or more of a sealing element, porting of vacuum and gas supply channels, and thermal management of fluids or components. In some embodiments, a set of a seal body 1010 and one or more closure elements (hereinafter referred to as calipers) 1012 are housed within the internal cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002 to selectively prevent and enable gas flow from the inlet 1004 to the outlet 1006 of the isolation valve 1000. The seal body 1010 can function as a main active element of the valve 1000. In some embodiments, the isolation valve 1000 further includes an actuator 1014 coupled to the valve body 1002 and in communication with the seal body 1010 and / or the caliper(s) 1012. Alternatively, the actuator 1014 can be disposed external to and / or remotely from the isolation valve 1000. The isolation valve 1000 can also include structural components that house other sealing elements for preventing and enabling gas flow within the region of the valve body 1002, instead of or in addition to the seal body 1010 and the calipers 1012.

[0097] In some embodiments, the sealing body 1010 is a volume element such as a substantially spherical element as shown in FIG. 10. Alternatively, the sealing body 1010 can have a shape different from a sphere, such as an oval, cylindrical, or square shape, while still providing substantially the same function as a sphere. The shape of the sealing body 1010 can be a polyhedron (e.g., two, three, or four facets) having a surface with one or more undulations (e.g., non-planar or generally non-planar) or a generally planar surface. Further, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, the remaining elements of the isolation valve 1000 can be appropriately configured to adapt to the selected shape of the sealing body 1010. As shown in FIG. 10, the sealing body 1010 generally defines a central channel 1018 that extends between a first opening 1020 on the surface of the sealing body 1010 and a second opening 1022 on the opposite surface of the sealing body 1010. The first opening 1020 and the second opening 1022 may be substantially the same size as the inlet 1004 and the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002, respectively. In addition, the outer surface of the sealing body 1010 can define two sealing regions 1024, 1026 configured to form a fluid-impermeable seal against the inlet 1004 and the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002, respectively. These two sealing regions 1024, 1026 can be oriented at a specific rotation angle (e.g., 90 degrees) with respect to the two openings 1020, 1022 on the sealing body surface.

[0098] In some embodiments, the sealing body 1010 is rotatable between (i) a first position (hereinafter referred to as the "open" position) that allows gas flow from the inlet 1004 to the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002 through the central channel 1018 of the sealing body 1010, and (ii) a second position (hereinafter referred to as the "closed" position) that prevents gas flow from the inlet 1004 to the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002. 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 angle (e.g., 90 degrees).

[0099] Furthermore, the seal body 1010 can include features for supporting one or more of assembly, porting for the overall gas flow, definition of the vacuum seal surface (such as by either surface finishing or machining of the seal element groove), and interface with thermal management, as will be described in detail below. Additionally, elements can be added to the seal body 1010 to enhance the function of the isolation valve 1000, such as bypassing the incoming gas flow to other valve output ports, as will be described in detail below.

[0100] In some embodiments, the isolation valve 1000 includes one or more supports configured to provide bearing support for the seal body 1010. These supports, for example, define the axis of rotation of the seal body 1010 while providing features for centering the seal body 1010 within the internal cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002. In some embodiments, the supports incorporate a set of translatable dynamic seals to provide a vacuum seal of the seal body 1010 against the external atmosphere. In some embodiments, the supports provide channels that enable cooling / thermal management of the internal valve elements. These support features will be described in detail below.

[0101] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the valve body 1002 of the isolation valve 1000 of FIG. 10, according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. FIG. 11 provides a more detailed view of the caliper 1012 and the attendant elements that allow movement of the caliper 1012 relative to the seal body 1010. Generally, a set of one or more calipers 1012 is operable to conform to the outer surface of the seal body 1010 and provide a seal, such as a vacuum seal, between the seal body 1010 and the internal cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002, while holding the seal body 1010 substantially stationary within the valve body 1002. For example, the caliper 1012 can hold and vacuum seal the seal body 1010 within the inner chamber 1114 of the internal cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002, where the inner chamber 1114 is defined by a set of inner walls 1106 and a portion of the valve body 1002. As shown in FIG. 11, two double-opposing calipers 1012 are used to create a seal against the outer surface of the seal body 1010 relative to the valve body 1002. More specifically, each caliper 1012 provides an operable seal around an upper or lower region of the seal body 1010. In other configurations, one caliper or more than two calipers can be used, as would be appropriate to one of ordinary skill in the art. In some embodiments, a set of one or more calipers 1012 is pneumatically actuated and operates in concert to apply a substantially equal amount of compressive force to the seal body 1010 (e.g., toward the center of gravity of the seal body 1010), enabling sealing while holding the seal body 1010 stationary within the inner chamber 1114. One of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the actuation of the caliper 1012 is not limited to pneumatic means and can be achieved by other means, such as using an electric solenoid electrically.

[0102] As shown in FIG. 11, 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 arms 1102 with circumferential seals (e.g., O-rings) 1100 embedded in respective dovetail grooves formed in the machine arm 1102. Those skilled in the art will understand that other techniques can be used to secure or embed the seal 1100 to the caliper 1012. More specifically, each circumferential plate 1011 of the caliper 1012 can include two circumferential arms 1102a, 1102b (collectively referred to as 1102) in which a circumferential primary seal 1100a and a circumferential body seal 1100b (collectively referred to as the seal 1100) are respectively fixed. The first machine arm 1102a - primary seal 1100a pair is configured to interface with the upper or lower surface of the sealing body 1010. The second machine arm 1102b - body seal 1100b pair is configured to fix the caliper 1012 to the upper wall or bottom wall of the valve body 1002. Next, the plate 1011 of each caliper 1012 is connected to a piston 1104 coupled to the valve body 1002, and the piston 1104 is configured to operate between an extended position that seals and holds the corresponding caliper 1012 against the sealing body 1010 and a retracted position that releases the holding / sealing against the sealing body 1010. The piston 1104 is configured to apply sufficient force to operate each of the calipers 1012 to seal the sealing body 1010 within 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, the four pistons 1104 for each of the two calipers 1012 can be disposed at four upper or lower corners of the internal cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002. Alternatively, more or fewer such pistons 1104, such as one, two, three, five, or more, can be assigned to each caliper 1012.In some embodiments, each piston 1104 is pneumatically actuated to translate vertically within a channel defined by a pneumatic plug 1108 fixed between a sidewall of the valve body 1002 and one of the inner walls 1106 disposed within the internal cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002. As described above, the inner wall 1106 forms part of the inner chamber 1114 and substantially confines the seal 1010 therein, thereby (i) preventing any translational movement of the seal 1010 (while facilitating rotational movement of the seal 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 fixed between the sidewall of the valve body 1002 and the inner wall 1106 by one or more seal sets 1110.

[0103] Furthermore, the portion of the sidewall of the valve body 1002 adjacent to each piston 1104 can 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, for each caliper 1012, the set of pneumatic ports 1112 can include a pneumatic release port 1112a and a pneumatic closure port 1112b. In some embodiments, the upper caliper 1012a and the lower caliper 1012b can share one or more pneumatic ports 1112 (e.g., the pneumatic release port 1112a) to ensure synchronous operation of the calipers 1012.

[0104] During operation, to extend the set of calipers 1012 when the pneumatic signal is actuated, air and / or gas are simultaneously supplied to each of the pneumatic closure ports 1112b to vertically translate the corresponding pistons 1104. The vertical linear movement of the pistons 1104 linearly moves the plate 1011 of the caliper 1012 towards the centroid of the seal body 1010. The caliper 1012 is configured to have a range of linear movement within the valve body 1002. In some embodiments, each of the calipers 1012 has a range of linear movement of less than 1 mm. In some embodiments, each of the calipers 1012 has a range of linear movement of from about 0.5 mm to about 3 mm. In some embodiments, each of the calipers 1012 has a range of linear movement of from about 1 mm to about 5 mm, such as from about 3 mm to about 5 mm or 1.25 mm or less. Next, the linear movement of the plate 1011 of the caliper 1012 towards the seal body 1010 causes the corresponding mechanical arm 1102a of the plate 1011 to apply a compressive force to the seal body 1010, thereby statically holding the seal body 1010 in either the first (open) position or the second (closed) position. In some embodiments, the compressive force applied to the surface of the seal body 1010 by the mechanical arm 1102a of the plate 1011 enables each of the primary seals 1100a fixed to the mechanical arm 1102a to physically contact and compress against the outer surface of the seal body 1010, thereby forming a vacuum seal at their interfaces and sealing the inner chamber 1114.

[0105] The primary seal 1100a ensures that process gas flows through the seal body 1010 rather than through the internal cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002, thereby substantially sealing the valve body 1002 from exposure to corrosive or etching gases moving through the inlet 1004 when the seal body 1010 is in the first (open) position allowing gas flow, and similarly substantially preventing process gas from entering the process chamber 106 when the seal body 1010 is in the second (closed) position preventing gas flow through the valve body outlet 1006, and substantially preventing any remaining corrosive or etching gases of the RPS 104 from entering the valve body 1002.

[0106] A further advantage of the isolation valve 1000 is that, similar to the advantages described above with respect to the primary seal 525 of the isolation valve 510, compared to conventional isolation valves, of the respective working surfaces of the primary seal 1100a and the body seal 1100b, the portions exposed to the flow of corrosive gas or etching gas passing through the valve body inlet 1004 are much less. For example, the configuration of the isolation valve 1000 described herein ensures that only the smallest portions of the primary seal 1100a and the body seal 1100b are exposed, regardless of whether the gas flow path through the main channel 1018 is fully open, partially open, or closed, thus substantially shielding the primary seal 1100a and the body seal 1100b from any corrosive gas or etching gas. In part, this is because the primary seal 1100a is compression-sealed against the sealing body 1010 and the body seal 1100b is compression-sealed against the corresponding portion of the valve body 1002. When these seals 1100 are compressed, only small cracks or gaps are exposed. In some embodiments, about 0.5% to about 1% of each surface of the seal 1100 is exposed to the gas flowing through the gap when in the compressed state. In some embodiments, about 1% to about 5% of each surface of the seal 1100 is exposed to the gas flowing through the gap when in the compressed state. In some embodiments, about 5% to about 10% of each surface of the seal 1100 is exposed to the gas flowing through the gap when in the compressed state. Generally, by reducing the exposure of the working surfaces of the seals 1100, their service life can be significantly increased compared to equivalently fabricated sealing elements used in conventional isolation valves.

[0107] To retract the caliper 1012 to release the compressive force applied to the seal body 1010 by the caliper 1012 when the pneumatic signal is actuated, air and / or gas is simultaneously supplied into the corresponding pneumatic release port 1112a to vertically translate the piston 1104 corresponding to the direction opposite to the direction in which the caliper 1012 extends. The vertical linear movement of the piston 1104 vertically moves the plate 1011 of the caliper 1012 away from the seal body 1010, thereby retracting the mechanical arm 1102a of the plate 1011 from the seal body 1010, releasing the seal body 1010 from the stationary sealing position, and thereby enabling free rotation of the seal body 1010 within the inner chamber 1114. More specifically, when the caliper 1012 is retracted, the primary seal 1100a of the caliper 1012 breaks the physical contact with the seal body 1010, enabling rotation of the seal body 1010 to the first (open) position or the second (closed) position. When the compressive force applied by the plate 1011 of the caliper 1012 is released, the seal body 1010 can be rotated to the desired position, and then the pneumatic signal is actuated to repeat the above process, and the seal body 1010 can be locked in its new position by actuating the set of the caliper 1012 and the piston 1104 described herein again. Therefore, the caliper 1012 and the position 1104 can enable sealing (e.g., substantially complete sealing) in both the open and closed states of the isolation valve 1000.

[0108] Figures 12a and 12b show, respectively, the first (open) position and the second (closed) position of the seal 1010 within the internal cavity 1008 of the isolation valve 1000 of FIG. 10, according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. As shown, the seal 1010 defines a rotation axis 1200, and the seal 1010 rotates about its axis within the valve body 1002 so as 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 seal 1010 by applying a rotational force about the rotation axis 1200 when the caliper 1012 is retracted. As shown in FIGS. 12a and 12b, the actuator 1014 is a dedicated rotary pneumatic actuator capable of operating the isolation valve 1000 by pneumatic pressure. Alternatively, the actuator 1014 may be a mechanical or electromechanical actuator that operates the isolation valve 1000, for example, by an electric solenoid. The actuator 1014 can be controlled on-board or remotely, and the isolation valve 1000 can be actuated by means other than pneumatic or electric to rotate the seal 1010 by a predetermined rotation. In some embodiments, the valve body 1002 further houses pneumatic and / or electrical manifolds and other interlocking components to enable the actuator 1014 to control the movement of the seal 1010.

[0109] The sealing body 1010 is rotatable between a first (i.e., open) position as shown in FIG. 12a and a second (i.e., closed) position as shown in FIG. 12b. 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 channel 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 channel 1018. This configuration allows gas flow from the inlet 1004 to the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002 through the central channel 1018 of the sealing body 1010. In the open position, the central channel 1018 is directed 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 regions 1024, 1026 on the surface of the sealing body 1010 are substantially aligned with and provide a seal against the inlet 1004 and the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002, respectively. Thus, the closed position of the sealing body 1010 substantially prevents gas flow from the inlet 1004 to the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002. In the closed position, the central channel 1018 is directed substantially perpendicular to the axis 1202 extending between the inlet 1004 and the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002.

[0110] To move the sealing body 1010 between the first and second positions, the actuator 1014 rotates the sealing body 1010 within the internal cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002 by a predetermined rotation angle, e.g., about 90 degrees, around the rotation axis 1200. In some embodiments, the channel 1018 can extend along the rotation axis 1200, and the sealing regions 1024, 1026 are located along an axis offset from the rotation axis 1200 by a predetermined amount of rotation (e.g., 90 degrees). Conversely, the sealing regions 1024, 1026 can extend along the rotation axis 1200, and the channel 1018 extends along an axis offset from the rotation axis 1200 by a predetermined amount of rotation. As will be readily understood by those skilled in the art, the sealing body 1010, including the positions of the channel 1018 and the sealing regions 1024, 1026, can be appropriately configured to allow other amounts of rotation about the rotation axis 1200.

[0111] The isolation valve 1000 can have an initial valve state that is either open or closed. In an exemplary operation, assuming that the isolation valve 1000 is initially in the closed state (second position), as shown in FIG. 12b, the central channel 1018 of the seal body 1010 is (for example) approximately 90 degrees from the inlet 1004 / outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002. The caliper 1012 can extend to lock / seal the seal body 1010 in a fixed position in the closed state. In an exemplary sequence for operating the valve 1000 from the closed state (second position) to the open state (first position), the calipers 1012 are first retracted by moving them away from the seal body 1010, thereby invalidating the sealing engagement and providing sufficient clearance to rotate the seal body 1010. Subsequently, the seal body 1010 is rotated by a predetermined amount by the actuator 1014 to align the channel 1018 with the inlet 1004 / outlet 1006. Following this, the calipers 1012 are actuated again to move towards the seal body 1010, applying sufficient load to the seal 1100 to fluidly isolate the valve body 1002 from the seal body 1010. Finally, the valve 1000 achieves the open state shown in FIG. 12a, where the valve 1000 is ready for full flow operation. In some embodiments, this exemplary series of movements is reversed to return the valve 1000 from the open state (first position) to the closed state (second position).

[0112] FIG. 13 shows an exemplary set of dimensions of the isolation valve 1000 of FIG. 10 according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. The height 1302 of the isolation valve 1000 may be about 1.5 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 (about 10.9 cm). The length 1306 of the isolation valve 1000, including the length of the valve body 1002 and the length of the housing 1308 that houses the rotary actuator 1014, can be about 8.4 inches (about 21.3 cm). The width 1310 of the isolation valve 1000 can be about 5.3 inches (about 13.5 cm). In some embodiments, the valve body 1002 itself may be substantially square with respect to length and width. In some embodiments, due to the configuration of the seal 1010 as a volume element (e.g., a sphere), the isolation valve 1000 is much smaller compared to the isolation valves described above with reference to FIGS. 3A-7D.

[0113] In some embodiments, the valve body 1002, the seal 1010, and the caliper 1012 are made of a metallic material such as aluminum or anodized aluminum. In some embodiments, a liner customized for a particular process can be disposed on the walls of the inlet 1004 and / or the outlet 1006, the valve body 1002, and / or the walls of the main channel 1018 of the seal 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 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.

[0114] In some embodiments, the isolation valve 1000 incorporates 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 condensation 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, thermal energy from the caliper 1012 can conduct to the valve body 1002 and the seal body 1010 when the primary seal 1100a is in a compressed state. Alternatively, such thermal management may be active (e.g., convective) by channels disposed within the seal body 1010 coupled to the ported support. In some embodiments, the liquid coolant is water, glycol, CDA, a dielectric fluorinated fluid from Galden®, or a similar liquid. In some embodiments, a heat pipe is incorporated into the components of the isolation valve 1000 for thermal management.

[0115] FIG. 14 shows a cross-sectional view of an exemplary configuration of the valve body 1002 of the isolation valve 1000 of FIG. 10 having integrated cooling features, according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. As shown, the thermally managed 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 channel 1404 disposed therein for guiding coolant therethrough. In some embodiments, at least one section of the manifold 1402, including a section of the coolant channel 1404, extends into a seal body 1010 located within the valve body 1002 and the internal cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002. However, the manifold 1402 is separated from the central channel 1018 of the seal body 1010 so as to separate the main gas flow 1406 from the coolant flow 1408. During operation, the main gas flow 1406 is adapted to introduce a heat flux 1412 to the seal body 1010 and / or the valve body 1002 through the wall of the central channel 1018. To reduce the heat load and provide a heat sink, the manifold 1402 is thermally managed (e.g., cooled) to provide cooling to the valve body 1002 and the seal body 1010 via conduction at the thermal interface 1410 between components. In some embodiments, the coolant flow 1408 within the coolant channel 1404 contributes to additional cooling of the valve body 1002 and the seal body 1010.

[0116] FIG. 15 is a block diagram of a remote plasma source (RPS), such as the RPS 104 of FIG. 2, connected to the isolation valve 1000 of FIG. 10, according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. As described above with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the RPS 104 can generate active gas species for use in a semiconductor manufacturing process. The isolation valve 1000, which can be installed downstream of the RPS 104 and upstream of a process chamber, such as the process chamber 106 of FIGS. 1A and 1B, provides a flow path for the reactive gas when the isolation valve 1000 is in the open position and provides a flow path for isolating the RPS 104 from the process chamber 106 when the isolation valve 1000 is in the closed position. Additionally, as described herein, the isolation valve 1000 can be purged, reconditioned, or passivated by a purge gas supplied by a gas distribution unit (e.g., the gas distribution unit 102 of FIGS. 1A and 1B) and removed from the valve body 1002 through at least one pump (e.g., the pump 108 of FIGS. 1A and 1B) installed downstream of the isolation valve 1000 without affecting the process being executed in the process chamber 106 by bypassing the process chamber 106. Further, as described herein, the isolation valve 1000 can include features that allow for the injection of substances downstream of the RPS 104 to enhance semiconductor processing operations performed within the process chamber 106 (e.g., as described later in relation to FIG. 17).

[0117] In some embodiments, the isolation valve 1000 of FIG. 10 provides a similar function as the isolation valve 110 of FIGS. 1A and 1B and can be integrated with the semiconductor processing system 100a of FIG. 1A or the semiconductor processing system 100b of FIG. 1B in place of the isolation valve 110.

[0118] The following series of drawings illustrate some of the operating modes of the isolation valve 1000 described herein. These operating modes of the isolation valve 1000 provide similar advantages as the operating modes described above with respect to FIGS. 7A - 7D. In some embodiments, the isolation valve 1000 includes similar features as the valves described above with respect to FIGS. 7A - 7D and operates in a similar mode.

[0119] FIG. 16 shows another exemplary configuration of the isolation valve 1000 of FIG. 10, having components configured to perform a purge of the isolation valve 1000 according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. The isolation valve 1000 can include one or more of the elements described above with reference to FIGS. 10 - 14. As shown in FIG. 16, the seal 1010 of the isolation valve 1000 is in a second (closed) position that prevents the flow of gas through the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002 to downstream components such as the process chamber 106. However, the seal 1010 includes at least one bypass port 1602 that provides a flow path from the inlet 1004 of the valve body 1002 (which communicates with the RPS 104) to at least one outlet opening 1604 on the valve body 1002. The outlet opening 1604 is at a different location than the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002. In some embodiments, the at least one bypass port 1602 is separated from the central channel 1018 of the seal 1010. In some embodiments, the at least one bypass port 1602 includes a plurality of bypass ports disposed within the seal 1010, and the at least one outlet opening 1604 includes a plurality of outlet openings disposed on the valve body 1002.

[0120] This configuration of the isolation valve 1000 allows 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 can flow into the internal cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002 through 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 opening 1604, from where substantially all of the purge gas is discharged, for example, using the pump 108.

[0121] In some embodiments, the central channel 1018 of the seal 1010 can also direct purge gas received from the main inlet 1004 of the valve body to the outlet opening 1604 for discharging from the internal 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 channel 1018 is utilized to direct purge gas to the outlet opening 1604.

[0122] In some embodiments, the valve body 1002 includes additional openings, such as the opening 1608, to provide additional purge gas inlet or outlet sites. In some embodiments, at least one (e.g., one or both) of the additional opening 1608 or the main inlet 1004 is utilized to receive purge gas into the valve body 1002. In some embodiments, at least one (e.g., one or both) of the additional opening 1608 or the outlet opening 1604 is utilized to discharge purge gas from the valve body 1002 using the pump 108. In some embodiments, the additional opening 1608 and the outlet opening 1604 can be formed on the top, side, and / or bottom surfaces of the valve body 1002 according to embodiments of the valve technology described herein. In some embodiments, a plurality of additional openings 1608 and / or outlet openings 1604 are formed at various positions within the valve body 1002, and a subset of these openings can be selectively utilized according to the type of purge process being performed or the region of the internal cavity 1008 that the process is intended to purge. In some embodiments, the isolation valve of FIG. 16 can operate in substantially the same manner as the valve described above with reference to FIG. 7C.

[0123] FIG. 17 shows another exemplary configuration of the isolation valve 1000 of FIG. 10, having components configured to perform chemical substance injection into the isolation valve 1000, according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. In this mode of operation, the seal 1010 is in a first (open) position that allows gas flow from the outlet of the RPS 104 to the inlet 1004 of the valve body 1002, and the gas continues to flow through the central channel 1018 of the seal 1010 and then exits the valve body 1002 through the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002 and reaches the process chamber 106. For example, the gas flow 1700 from the RPS 104 can be a reactive gas species such as atomic fluorine. Additionally, the valve body 1002 can include one or more injection supply channels 1702 that are in fluid communication with a plenum 1703 within the valve body 1002, both of which are disposed downstream (e.g., downward) from the seal 1010, such as between the seal 1010 and the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002. The plenum 1703 is then 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 gas or purge gas (e.g., chemical species, forming gas, water vapor) 1704 is supplied to the injection supply channel 1702, moves through the plenum 1703, and is distributed from the injection holes 1706 to mix with the main gas flow when the main gas flow 1700 exits the central channel 1018.

[0124] In some embodiments, the injection supply channels 1702 and the plenum 1703 are formed within the seal 1010 and are in fluid communication with injection holes 1706 located within the central channel 1018 of the seal 1010 to provide a process gas or purge gas 1702 to mix with the main gas flow as the main gas flow 1700 moves through the central channel 1018. In some embodiments, the injection supply channels 1702 and the plenum 1703 are formed within the valve body 1002 upstream (e.g., upward) of the seal 1010, such as between the seal 1010 and the inlet 1004 of the valve body 1002, in which case the injection holes 1706 can be disposed at the inlet 1004 of the valve body 1002. In some embodiments, the isolation valve of FIG. 17 can operate in substantially the same manner as the valve described above with reference to FIG. 7D.

[0125] FIG. 18 shows a flow diagram of a method 1800 for directing the output of remote plasma source operation through the isolation valve 1000 of FIG. 10, according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. The method 1800 includes fixing the outlet of the remote plasma source to the inlet 1004 of the valve body 1002 of the isolation valve 1000 (step 1805). For example, as described above with reference to system 100, the outlet of RPS 104 can be attached directly or adjacent to the valve body inlet 1004.

[0126] The method 1800 also includes, for the isolation valve 1000, rotating the seal body 1010 within the internal cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002 to achieve the open position of the isolation valve 1000 (step 1810). As described above with reference to FIG. 12a, in the open position, the first opening 1020 and the second opening 1022 of the main channel 1018 of the seal body 1010 are substantially aligned with the corresponding ones of the inlet 1004 and the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002, enabling gas flow through the main channel 1018. More specifically, the open position substantially enables gas flow from the inlet 1004 to the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002 through the main channel 1018. In some embodiments, the isolation valve 1000 has one or more of the features described above with reference to FIG. 16 for providing a bypass path for the gas flowing from the RPS 104 to the valve inlet 1004, and / or (ii) the features described above with reference to FIG. 17 for providing additional gas injection into the main channel 1018.

[0127] The method 1800 further includes providing the output of the remote plasma source operation, such as in the form of a gas flow, to the inlet 1004 of the valve body 1002 via the outlet of the remote plasma source (step 1815), directing the gas flow from the inlet 1004 of the valve body 1002 into the main channel 1018 disposed within the seal body 1010 of the valve body 1002 (step 1820), and discharging the gas flow from the main channel 1018 and the valve body 1002 through the valve body outlet 1006 (step 1825).

[0128] In some embodiments, at 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 reactive species generated by the plasma (e.g., argon plasma, oxygen plasma) formed within the RPS 104. In some embodiments, at the open position of the isolation valve 1000, the reactive gas species from the RPS 104 can flow through the central channel 1018 of the valve body 1002 to the process chamber 106. The outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002 of the isolation valve 1000 can be fixed to the inlet of the process chamber 106.

[0129] In some embodiments, at the open position of the isolation valve 1000 as shown in FIG. 17, one or more chemical species can be injected into the reactive species flowing through the central channel 1018 via one or more of the injection ports 1702 formed in at least one of the seal body 1010, the valve body 1002 between the seal body 1010 and the inlet 1004, or the valve body 1002 between the seal body 1010 and the outlet 1006. By injecting one or more chemical species while the reactive species are flowing through the central channel 1018, the effect of the process can be enhanced or improved.

[0130] In some embodiments, to achieve the closed position of the isolation valve 1000, the seal body 1010 is rotated within the internal cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002 as described above with reference to FIG. 12b, where the first seal surface 1024 of the seal body 1010 is substantially aligned with the inlet 1004 of the valve body 1002 and the second seal surface 1026 of the seal body 1010 is substantially aligned with the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002. This closed position prevents gas flow from the inlet 1004 of the valve body 1002 to the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002.

[0131] In some embodiments, the isolation valve 1000 can be purged in the closed position. For example, a purge operation can be performed in the RPS 104. The RPS supply unit 112 can supply a purge gas such as argon to the gas inlet of the RPS 104. Referring to FIG. 16, the purge gas 1600 from the RPS 104 can flow into the inlet 1004 of the isolation valve body 1002, the bypass port 1602 directs the purge gas 1600 into the internal cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002, and the purge gas 1600 is discharged through an outlet opening 1604 different from the outlet 1006 of the valve body 1002. In some embodiments, in the closed position, the purge can be performed using both the bypass port 1602 of the sealing body 1010 and the main channel 1018, and the purge gas can be discharged through the outlet opening 1604 of the valve body 1002.

[0132] Referring again to FIG. 16, in some embodiments, in the closed position of the isolation valve 1000, the purge gas can be supplied to the opening 1608 of the valve body 1002 and can flow from the opening 1608 to the outlet opening 1604 through the bypass port 1602 and / or the main channel 1018 of the valve body 1002. The purge gas can be discharged from the outlet opening 1604 by the vacuum generated by the pump 108. In some embodiments, at least one of the residual gas or particulate matter is also discharged from the valve body 1002.

[0133] In some embodiments, in the closed position of the isolation valve 1000, the remote plasma source operation and / or the discharge of the output of the remote plasma source operation are performed substantially simultaneously with the purge of the valve body 1002. In some embodiments, in the closed position of the isolation valve 1000, the semiconductor processing operation can be performed in the process chamber 106 simultaneously with any of the above-described operations.

[0134] FIG. 19 shows an exploded view of an exemplary configuration of the isolation valve 1000 of FIG. 10 according to an embodiment of the technology described herein. As shown, a valve body 1002 is first provided. Next, a sealing body 1010, such as a sphere as shown in FIG. 19, is disposed within the internal cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002. In some embodiments, a set of an upper caliper 1012a and a lower caliper 1012b (collectively referred to as caliper 1012) is provided, and each of the calipers 1012 includes a plate 1011 having two mechanical arms 1102a, 1102b with corresponding ones of the primary seal 1100a and the body seal 1100b fixed thereto as described above with reference to FIG. 11. Each of the upper caliper 1012a and the lower caliper 1012b can be disposed within the internal cavity 1008 of the valve body 1002, respectively above and below the sealing body 1002. In some embodiments, an upper cover 1312a and a lower cover 1312b (collectively referred to as cover 1312) are disposed on the top and bottom surfaces of the valve body 1002, respectively, to provide protection and interface functions.

[0135] In some embodiments, as described above with reference to FIG. 11, the caliper actuator 1902 can be housed within the valve body 1002 to actuate the movement of the caliper 1012. The caliper actuator 1902 can be a pneumatic, electrical, or electromechanical actuator. In some embodiments, a set of one or more additional components 1904 can be housed within the valve body 1002 to provide structural support, bearings, and / or seals for the seal body 1010 therein. In some embodiments, a rotary actuator, such as the actuator 1014 described above with respect to FIGS. 12a and 12b, is used to rotate the seal body 1010 between an open position and a closed position about the rotation axis 1200. The rotary actuator 1014 can be housed within an actuator housing 1308 coupled to the valve body 1002. The rotary actuator 1014 can be operated pneumatically or electrically. In some embodiments, an actuator mount 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) are disposed within the actuator housing 1308, the actuator mount 1908, and / or the valve body 1002 to enable the actuator 1014 to control the movement of the seal body 1010 within the valve body 1002.

[0136] Those skilled in the art will conceive of variations, modifications, and other implementations of what is described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited to the foregoing exemplary description.

Claims

1. A valve body having an inlet and an outlet, A sealing body disposed within an internal cavity of the valve body, the sealing body comprising a channel extending between a first opening on a surface of the sealing body and a second opening on a surface opposite the sealing body, the sealing body being rotatable between a first position allowing a gas flow from the inlet to the outlet of the valve body through the channel and a second position preventing the gas flow from the inlet to the outlet of the valve body, a sealing body; An operable closing element disposed within the valve body, the operable closing element configured to hold the sealing body stationary in the first position or the second position An isolation valve assembly comprising.

2. The isolation valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein the sealing body is substantially spherical.

3. The isolation valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein the sealing body is a volume having a plurality of facets.

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

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

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

7. The isolation valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein the closing element is further configured to release physical contact with the sealing body when the sealing body is moving between the first position and the second position.

8. The isolation valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein the closing element is configured to hold the sealing body stationary in the first position or the second position using a compressive force.

9. A first opening formed in the valve body for receiving purge gas into the internal cavity of the valve body, A second opening formed in the valve body for removing one or more of the purge gas and the residual gas from the internal cavity of the valve body, the second opening being formed in the valve body at a position remote from the first opening, The isolation valve assembly according to claim 1, further comprising.

10. The isolation valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein the sealing body further comprises at least one bypass channel configured to direct purge gas from the inlet of the valve body into the internal cavity of the valve body when the sealing body is in the second position.

11. The isolation valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein the sealing body further comprises at least one injection supply 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.

12. The isolation valve assembly according to claim 11, wherein the at least one injection supply 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.

13. The isolation valve assembly according to claim 1, further comprising an actuator in electrical or pneumatic communication with the sealing body for rotating the sealing body between the first position and the second position about a rotation axis.

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

15. The isolation valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein the closing element comprises at least one O-ring configured to form a seal against the outer surface of the sealing body to hold the sealing body stationary.

16. A method of directing the output of a remote plasma source operation through a valve body of an isolation valve assembly, Fixing the outlet of the remote plasma source to the inlet of the valve body of the isolation valve assembly including a rotatable sealing body disposed within the internal cavity of the valve body, Rotating the sealing body within the internal cavity of the valve body to achieve an open position where a first opening of the channel of the sealing body is substantially aligned with the inlet of the valve body and a second opening of the channel of the sealing body is substantially aligned with the outlet of the valve body; Providing the output of the remote plasma source operation to the inlet of the valve body via the outlet of the remote plasma source; Directing the output from the inlet of the valve body toward the channel disposed within the sealing body in the open position; Discharging the output of the remote plasma source operation from the channel of the sealing body via the outlet of the valve body comprising a method.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising rotating the sealing body within the internal cavity of the valve body to achieve a closed position where a first sealing surface on the sealing body is substantially aligned with the inlet of the valve body to fluid-tight seal the inlet, and a second sealing surface on the sealing body is substantially aligned with the outlet of the valve body to fluid-tight seal the outlet, and the closed position prevents gas flow from the inlet of the valve body to the outlet of the valve body.

18. Directing the output from the inlet of the valve body toward the internal cavity of the valve body via a bypass channel disposed within the sealing body in the closed position; Discharging the output from an outlet opening disposed in the valve body and different from the outlet of the valve body in the closed position; The method according to claim 17, further comprising.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein discharging further comprises simultaneously performing a semiconductor processing operation within a process chamber, and the outlet of the valve body of the isolation valve assembly is fixed to the inlet of the process chamber.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein 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 performed within a chamber of the remote plasma source.

21. The method according to claim 16, further comprising flowing a reactive gas species from the remote plasma source to the process chamber via the valve body in the open position, and the outlet of the valve body of the isolation valve assembly is fixed to the inlet of the process chamber.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising injecting one or more chemical species as 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.

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