Two-Way Gate Valve for Semiconductor Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor substrate processing systems face yield reduction due to the need to stop overall operations for maintenance of chambers or gate valves, as traditional gate valves require stopping the entire system for replacement of sealing members like O-rings and chamber maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A two-way gate valve with a moving module and driving mechanisms allows selective sealing of entrances, enabling maintenance of chambers and gate valves without stopping the entire system, using a push-pull module with sealing plates and driving means to maintain vacuum integrity and facilitate O-ring replacement without halting operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a traditional gate valve with a single sealing member is used to couple two chambers, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the entire system must be stopped for maintenance of the sealing member or chamber
Solution Approach 1:
The gate valve is divided into a first gate body and a second gate body that can move relative to each other. Each gate body has its own sealing member (first sealing member and second sealing member) that can be independently sealed and maintained. This segmentation allows one sealing member to be maintained while the other remains operational, enabling continuous system operation and improving productivity without requiring complete system shutdown.
2Ease of repair
If the gate valve is designed with a single sealing member for simplicity, then manufacturing is easier, but maintenance requires stopping the entire substrate processing system
Solution Approach 1:
The gate valve incorporates two independent sealing members (first sealing member in the first gate body, second sealing member in the second gate body) that can be maintained separately. When one sealing member needs replacement, the other continues to provide sealing, allowing maintenance to proceed without stopping the entire system. This reduces yield loss while maintaining ease of repair for individual sealing members.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes vacuum chambers to create an inert environment that protects the substrate processing system during maintenance operations. By maintaining vacuum conditions in operational chambers while performing maintenance on sealed-off chambers, the system can continue processing substrates without exposure to atmospheric contamination, thereby preserving productivity during maintenance activities.
3Ease of repair
If one chamber is stopped for maintenance in a cluster type substrate processing system, then the chamber can be properly serviced, but the entire system must be stopped causing yield reduction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs vacuum chambers to maintain an inert environment during maintenance operations. When one chamber requires maintenance, the gate valve's dual sealing system allows that chamber to be isolated and opened for service while other chambers maintain their vacuum conditions and continue processing. This prevents atmospheric contamination during maintenance and enables continuous operation of unaffected chambers, preserving overall processing yield.
Solution Approach 2:
The chamber coupling system is segmented into multiple independent gate bodies, each with its own sealing capability. This allows individual chambers to be isolated and maintained independently without affecting the operational status of other chambers connected through the same valve assembly, enabling selective maintenance while maintaining system productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A two way gate valve includes a valve chamber having a first entrance coupled with a first chamber, a second entrance coupled with a second chamber, and an openable and closable chamber cover; a moving module having a first sealing plate for sealing the first entrance, a second sealing plate for sealing the second entrance, and a moving module body to which the first and the second sealing plates are mounted; a push-pull module having a push-pull module body coupled with the moving module body such that the moving module body can linearly move, a first operating body for moving the moving module in a first entrance direction such that the first sealing plate seals the first entrance, and a second operating body for moving the moving module in a second entrance direction such that the second sealing plate seals the second entrance.