| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20090155025 | LIFT PIN FOR SUBSTRATE PROCESSING - A lift pin is provided for manipulating a substrate above a support surface of a substrate support and uniformly transferring heat from the substrate support to the substrate. The lift pin includes a pin shaft. The pin shaft includes a cross-section having at least three equal edges and round corners configured alternatively. A pin head is an end portion of the pin shaft, wherein the pin head has a convex support surface larger than the cross-section of the pin shaft. A flat portion is disposed on a central area of the convex support surface for directly contacting the substrate. | 06-18-2009 |
| 20100011785 | TUBE DIFFUSER FOR LOAD LOCK CHAMBER - Embodiments disclosed herein generally provide a load lock chamber capable of controlling the temperature of the substrate therein. The load lock chamber may have one or more cooling fluid introduction passages that extend across the chamber. Cooling fluid, such as nitrogen gas, may flow through the cooling fluid passage and enter the load lock chamber. The cooling fluid passages may have openings to permit the cooling fluid to exit the passages and enter the load lock chamber. The openings may be arranged to permit a greater amount of cooling fluid to enter the load lock at locations corresponding to the substrate positions that are in contact with an end effector that places the substrate into the load lock chamber. Additionally, the openings may be arranged to permit a greater amount if cooling fluid to enter the load lock chamber in the center of the chamber as compared to the edge of the chamber. | 01-21-2010 |
| 20100050534 | SLOTTED TSSL DOOR TO COUPLE O-RING WITH MOVING MATING PART - Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to a slit valve door assembly for sealing an opening in a chamber. A slit valve door that is pressed against the chamber to seal the slit valve opening moves with the chamber as the slit valve opening shrinks so that an o-ring pressed between the slit valve door and the chamber may move with the slit valve door and the chamber. Thus, less rubbing of the o-ring against the chamber may occur. With less rubbing, fewer particles may be generated and the o-ring lifetime may be extended. With a longer lifetime for the o-ring, substrate throughput may be increased. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100054905 | LOAD LOCK CHAMBER FOR LARGE AREA SUBSTRATE PROCESSING SYSTEM - The present invention generally includes a load lock chamber for transferring large area substrates into a vacuum processing chamber. The load lock chamber may have one or more separate, environmentally isolated environments. Each processing environment may have a plurality exhaust ports for drawing a vacuum. The exhaust ports may be located at the corners of the processing environment. When a substrate is inserted into the load lock chamber from the factory interface, the environment may need to be evacuated. Due to the exhaust ports located at the corners of the environment, any particles or contaminants that may be present may be pulled to the closest corner and out of the load lock chamber without being pulled across the substrate. Thus, substrate contamination may be reduced. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100122982 | ELECTRON BEAM WELDING OF LARGE VACUUM CHAMBER BODY HAVING A HIGH EMISSIVITY COATING - Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a large vacuum chamber body that has been welded together. The chamber body may have a high emissivity coating on at least one surface therein. Due to the large size of the chamber body, the chamber body may be formed by welding several pieces together rather than forging the body from a single piece of metal. The pieces may be welded together at a location spaced from the corner of the body, which may be under the greatest stress during evacuation, to ensure that the weld, which may be the weakest point in the body, does not fail. At least one surface of the chamber body may be coated with a high emissivity coating to aid in heat transfer from incoming, heated substrates. The high emissivity coating may increase substrate throughput by lowering the time that may be needed to reduce the substrate temperature. | 05-20-2010 |
| 20110089166 | TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT AND CONTROL OF WAFER SUPPORT IN THERMAL PROCESSING CHAMBER - The present invention provides apparatus and methods for achieving uniform heating to a substrate during a rapid thermal process. More particularly, the present invention provides apparatus and methods for controlling the temperature of an edge ring supporting a substrate during a rapid thermal process to improve temperature uniformity across the substrate. | 04-21-2011 |
