Peripheral Valve Sealing for Isolated Wafer Processing Volumes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional semiconductor processing systems face challenges in maintaining a vacuum environment and isolating processing regions within cluster tools, leading to inefficiencies in substrate throughput and potential contamination.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of peripheral valve mechanisms with chamber sealing bellows and impact dampening mechanisms to vertically translate substrates between transfer and processing regions, allowing for isolation and sealing of processing volumes while maintaining a vacuum state.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional sealing systems are used in cluster tools, then the structure is simpler, but the ability to maintain vacuum and isolate processing regions deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevacuum maintenance capabilityVSAvoidsealing system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing system is segmented into multiple independent sealing rings positioned at different locations (inner sealing ring, outer sealing ring, additional sealing rings) that can operate independently to maintain vacuum in different regions, allowing the system to maintain reliability while managing complexity through modular segmentation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple sealing rings are nested concentrically within the processing chamber, with inner sealing rings positioned inside outer sealing rings, creating a nested configuration that enhances vacuum isolation capability while compacting the sealing system structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If processing regions are isolated with sealing mechanisms, then contamination is reduced, but the complexity of the system increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontamination levelVSAvoidsealing mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing mechanism is divided into multiple segmented sealing rings that can be positioned and controlled independently, allowing selective isolation of specific processing regions from contamination sources while maintaining overall system simplicity through modular design

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different sealing rings are positioned at specific locations where contamination risks exist, providing localized sealing quality enhancement at critical interfaces between processing regions and transfer chambers, rather than uniformly complicating the entire system

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If multiple sealing rings are used to maintain vacuum, then vacuum reliability improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevacuum sealing reliabilityVSAvoidsealing structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple sealing rings are arranged in a nested configuration where inner sealing rings are positioned within the space defined by outer sealing rings, creating a compact nested structure that enhances vacuum sealing reliability while minimizing the increase in device complexity through efficient spatial arrangement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing rings utilize flexible sealing elements that can deform to accommodate manufacturing tolerances and thermal expansion, providing reliable vacuum sealing without requiring overly complex rigid positioning mechanisms, thus improving reliability while controlling complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution enables efficient processing region isolation between chambers, improving substrate throughput and reducing contamination, while facilitating wafer transfer within a common processing volume.

Implementation Method 1

a chamber sealing bellow characterized by a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

impact dampening mechanisms to vertically translate substrates between transfer and processing regions

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectImpact dampening: Damping

Data Source

PatentUS12567565B2Method of isolating the chamber volume to process volume with internal wafer transfer capability

Publication Date: 2026.03.03 APPLIED MATERIALS INC

AI summary

Exemplary substrate processing systems may include a chamber body defining a transfer region. The systems may include a lid plate seated on the chamber body. The lid plate may define a plurality of apertures. The systems may include a plurality of lid stacks. The systems may include a plurality of substrate supports. The systems may include a plurality of peripheral valves. Each peripheral valve may be disposed in one of the processing regions. Each peripheral valve may include a bottom plate coupled with the chamber body. The peripheral valve may include a bellow. The bellow may be coupled with the bottom plate. The peripheral valve may include a sealing ring having a body defining a central aperture. A bottom surface of the body may be coupled with the bellow. The body may define a recess having a diameter greater than that of a support plate of a substrate support.