Dual Tilting Slit Valve With Single-Actuator Gate Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dual gate systems in electronic device manufacturing require separate actuators for each gate, leading to increased space usage, grease consumption, contamination, and maintenance needs, while also causing undesirable vibrations and wafer defects due to uncontrolled gate motion.
Innovation Solution
A dual gate system with a single actuator that controls the motion of both gates through a tilting mechanism, allowing for controlled velocity and force adjustments to ensure smooth, controlled motion and reduced wear, using a pneumatic or electromagnetic mechanism to manage the gates' position and force dynamically.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If separate actuators are used for each gate in a dual gate system, then each gate can be independently controlled, but the space usage, grease consumption, contamination, and maintenance needs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two separate actuators into a single actuator that controls both gates through a shared shaft and tilting mechanism. This merging reduces the number of actuators from two to one, thereby reducing space usage, grease consumption, contamination, and maintenance needs while still enabling independent gate control through the tilting mechanism's ability to selectively position each gate.
Solution Approach 2:
The single actuator is designed with multi-functionality to perform the work of two separate actuators. By incorporating a tilting mechanism with a shaft that can selectively engage with either gate, the single actuator achieves universal control over both gates, maintaining independent operation capability while reducing overall system complexity.
2Ease of manufacture
If gates are actuated at steady speed without velocity control, then the actuation is simple, but the gates reach hard stops at highest velocity causing vibrations, particle generation, and wafer defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic velocity control into the gate actuation system. The actuator is equipped with control mechanisms that adjust the velocity of gate movement during operation, slowing down the gates as they approach their end positions. This dynamic adjustment prevents hard stops at maximum velocity, thereby eliminating vibrations, particle generation, and wafer defects while maintaining a relatively simple actuation mechanism.
3Device complexity
If a single actuator controls both gates, then space usage and maintenance are reduced, but the control of each gate's position and velocity becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a tilting mechanism with a shaft as an intermediary between the single actuator and the two gates. This intermediary mechanism simplifies the control architecture by providing a mechanical means to selectively engage and control each gate independently. The shaft's tilting capability acts as a mediator that translates the single actuator's motion into selective gate positioning, reducing the complexity of direct control while maintaining precise position and velocity control.
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 reduces the number of actuators needed, minimizes contamination and space usage, and prevents wafer defects by ensuring controlled and smooth gate movement, thereby enhancing the reliability and efficiency of electronic device processing systems.
Implementation Method 1
using a pneumatic or electromagnetic mechanism to manage the gates' position and force dynamically
Implementation Method 2
using a pneumatic or electromagnetic mechanism to manage the gates' position and force dynamically
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a wafer processing system, a dual gate system, and methods for operating these systems. The dual gate system may have a shaft, a first gate and a second gate coupled to the shaft at opposite sides thereof, and an actuator coupled to the shaft. The actuator is configured to tilt together the shaft, the first gate, and the second gate to a first sealed gate position or to a second sealed gate position. The actuator can be operated using a pneumatic mechanism, an electro-magnetic mechanism, or a cam follower mechanism.