Patent ID: 8297591

Claim:
A method of sealing a chamber coupled to a slit valve assembly, the chamber having an opening sized to permit a substrate to pass therethrough, the method comprising: actuating a slit valve door within a slit valve assembly body in a first direction from a first position to a second position, the slit valve door having one or more o-rings coupled thereto, the slit valve assembly body having an interior volume defined by walls, the slit valve assembly body having an opening extending through the slit valve assembly body that is aligned with the opening of the chamber; actuating at least a first portion of the slit valve door in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction for a first period of time, a first distance, and a first speed of between about 12 mm/sec to about 18 mm/sec; detecting when the one or more o-rings contact an inside surface of the walls; and actuating the first portion of the slit valve door in the second direction in response to the detecting for a second period of time, a second distance, and a second speed such that the second distance is less than the first distance, the second speed is between about 0.5 mm/sec and about 0.7 mm/sec, and the second period of time is less than the first period of time.