Patent ID: 7128305

Claim:
A dual slot valve for use in a semiconductor process cluster tool architecture arrangement, the dual slot valve comprising: a housing having a first side and a second side, the housing having a first slot at the first side and a second slot at the second side for passing a substrate between a first module and a second module, the first module being attached to the first side of the housing and the second module being attached to the second side of the housing; a first door being movably mounted within the housing to enable closure of the first slot; a second door being movably mounted within the housing to enable closure of the second slot; one door actuator, the one door actuator being connected to each of the first and second doors; a mount configured to move the one door actuator with the first and second doors centered with respect to an axis, the mount being further configured to move the centered doors into a position between the first and second slots, the mount being further configured to cause the one door actuator to tip to a tipped orientation with respect to the axis so that in the tipped orientation either of the first and second doors closes a respective one of the first and second slots while the other of the first and second doors is positioned by the one door actuator with the respective other of the slots open; and a computer-controlled controller for operating the mount so that the one door actuator centers the doors.