Patent ID: 8012261

Claim:
A perimeter slot valve in a process vessel having a process-vessel wall comprising: a substrate-transport slot through said process-vessel wall; a continuous perimeter cavity within said process-vessel wall; a continuous perimeter-sealing poppet; and an actuator for moving said sealing poppet between an open position and a closed position; wherein said sealing poppet is moved into said perimeter cavity in said closed position, said sealing poppet is moved out of said perimeter cavity in said open position, said substrate-transport slot is substantially coplanar with a substrate-supporting surface of said substrate holder, said perimeter cavity is substantially coplanar with said substrate-transport slot, said substrate-transport slot defines a substrate-transport channel through said process-vessel wall to said substrate holder when said sealing poppet is in said open position, and said sealing poppet separates said substrate-transport slot from said vessel interior when said sealing poppet is in said closed position; wherein said perimeter slot valve comprises: a fixed upper perimeter-sealing surface; an upper-poppet perimeter-sealing surface corresponding to said fixed upper perimeter-sealing surface; an upper peripheral seal; a fixed lower perimeter-sealing surface; a lower-poppet perimeter-sealing surface corresponding to said fixed lower perimeter-sealing surface; and a lower peripheral seal; wherein said upper sealing surfaces, said lower sealing surfaces, and said peripheral seals are configured to seal said process vessel interior when said sealing poppet is in said closed position.