Tiltable Vacuum Valve Disk for Precise Flow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vacuum valves in semiconductor manufacturing face challenges in achieving controlled, gas-tight closure and precise flow control, especially in low vacuum pressure ranges, due to inhomogeneous flow curve progression and particle generation from mechanical stress, which limits fine adjustment and increases contamination risks.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum control valve design featuring a valve disk with adjustable tilt relative to the valve seat, allowing for controlled flow management by modifying the angle of contact between sealing surfaces, enabling precise control of molecular gas flows and maintaining a laminar flow profile through a geometrically defined adjustment mechanism, reducing particle generation by minimizing transverse loads on the seal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a valve disk is pressed perpendicularly onto the valve seat to achieve gas-tight closure, then sealing reliability is improved, but flow control precision in low vacuum pressure ranges deteriorates due to inhomogeneous flow curve progression
Solution Approach 1:
The valve disk is designed to be tiltable relative to the valve seat, transforming the static perpendicular pressing mechanism into a dynamic adjustable system. The guide mechanism allows the valve disk to pivot between a perpendicular position (for reliable sealing) and an angled position (for precise flow control), enabling the system to adapt to different operational requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The angle between the valve disk and valve seat is used as a controllable parameter to regulate flow characteristics. By adjusting the tilt angle of the valve disk relative to the perpendicular position, the system can modify the flow curve progression from inhomogeneous to homogeneous, achieving precise control in low vacuum pressure ranges while maintaining sealing capability.
2Reliability
If mechanical stress is applied to the valve closure member to ensure gas-tight closure, then sealing reliability is improved, but particle generation increases due to friction and abrasion
Solution Approach 1:
The tiltable valve disk design allows the sealing force to be applied more efficiently at angles other than perpendicular. By pivoting the valve disk, the system can achieve gas-tight closure with reduced mechanical stress, minimizing friction and abrasion between the valve disk and seat, thereby reducing particle generation from material degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide mechanism acts as an intermediary that transmits the actuating force to the valve disk in a controlled manner. This intermediary structure distributes the mechanical stress more evenly and reduces direct friction between the valve disk and seat, decreasing abrasion and particle generation while maintaining sealing reliability.
3Device complexity
If the valve disk is restricted to linear movement for simple actuation, then device complexity is reduced, but flow control precision deteriorates due to inability to adjust tilt angle
Solution Approach 1:
The guide mechanism introduces a pivoting degree of freedom to the valve disk while maintaining relatively simple actuation. The guide allows the valve disk to tilt automatically or controllably during actuation, enabling precise flow control through angle adjustment without requiring complex multi-axis actuators or positioning systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve disk movement is extended from one-dimensional linear translation to two-dimensional motion by adding the tilting degree of freedom. This additional dimensional freedom allows the valve disk to adjust its angle relative to the valve seat, providing precise flow control capability while the guide mechanism keeps the overall actuation system relatively simple.
Data Source
AI summary
A vacuum valve, having a valve seat including a valve opening (axis (A)), and a first sealing surface around the valve opening and defines a first sealing plane (ES), having a valve disk with a second sealing surface corresponding to the first sealing surface and defining a second sealing plane (ET), additionally having a first coupling element, connected to the valve disk and comprising a receiving means and a drive unit coupled with the first coupling element and is configured to provide the valve disk adjustable from an open position to a closed position. The drive unit and the valve disk are configured to provide a fine control position, wherein the valve disk is tilted relative to the valve seat where ES and ET enclose a defined angle (α), and the seal abuts fully against one of the two sealing surfaces and in part against the other sealing surface.