Patent ID: 7585370
Filing Date: 2009-09-08
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A vacuum valve assembly for use in a vacuum processing chamber comprising: a vacuum processing chamber vacuum valve; a seat defining an opening in said vacuum valve, said seat having a sealing face adjacent said opening and normal to the direction of said opening; a gate having a sealing face adapted to mate with the seat sealing face, said gate being movable toward and away from the seat sealing face in a direction perpendicular to the seat sealing face to seal and open the vacuum valve opening; a continuous elastomeric seal around the vacuum valve opening between the gate sealing face and the seat sealing face of sufficient size such that when the gate is positioned to seal the vacuum valve opening, there exists a gap between the gate sealing face and the seat sealing face; a purge gas port system having an inlet for a purge gas, a continuous annular outlet extending around the outside of the vacuum valve opening and within and adjacent the elastomeric seal such that the outlet has a diameter less than that of the seal, and a manifold system connecting the inlet and the outlet, such that when the gate is positioned to seal the vacuum valve opening and a purge gas is introduced through the inlet, the manifold distributes the gas to the outlet which evenly distributes the gas in the shape of an annular gas curtain to the vicinity of the continuous elastomeric seal around the vacuum valve opening in the gap between the gate sealing face and the seat sealing face.