VAT HOLDING AG

A gas inlet valve for a vacuum process chamber includes: a gas flow unit having an inner volume, and a sealing surface in the inner volume; an adjustment unit projecting into the inner volume and having a valve disk; a drive unit coupled to the adjustment unit outside the gas flow unit; and a flexible sealing element connected to the gas flow unit and the adjustment unit that atmospherically separates the drive unit from the inner volume. The drive unit has an expansion element, having an expansion that is variable with a variation of the expansion volume, and has a compressed air channel connected to the expansion volume for pressurizing and expanding the expansion volume. The gas inlet valve comprises a coupling unit connected to the drive unit and to the adjustment unit that moves upon variation of the expansion volume and causes a movement of the adjustment unit.

A device ( 1 ) for homogenizing a gas distribution in a process chamber ( 2 ). The device ( 1 ) has a aperture shield ( 3 ) and a linear drive ( 4 ) for moving the aperture shield ( 3 ) in a reciprocating manner in two mutually opposite linear movement directions ( 5 ) between two terminal positions. The aperture shield ( 3 ) is able to be heated by at least one heating installation ( 6 ) of the device ( 1 ), and the aperture shield ( 3 ) by way of at least one interposed compensation element ( 7 ) of the device ( 1 ) is connected to the linear drive ( 4 ). The compensation element ( 7 ) enables a relative movement between the aperture shield ( 3 ) and the linear drive ( 4 ) in at least one direction ( 8 ) transverse, preferably orthogonal, to the linear movement directions ( 5 ) of the aperture shield ( 3 ).

Disclosed is a vacuum valve for gas-tight closing of a valve opening defining an opening axis for a vacuum transport system including a transport tube having a plurality of transport tube segments. The vacuum valve further includes a sealing surface surrounding the valve opening, a closure component having a circumferentially closed integral seal, and a drive unit to open and close the closure component. The seal contacts the sealing surface in a closed position. The closure axis is perpendicular to the opening axis, wherein the progressions of the sealing surface and the seal each have a first and a second main section as well as two side sections, the two main sections lie in planes which are at right angles to the opening axis and are spaced apart from one another, and are connected at two opposite main section sides in each case by one of the side sections.

A computer-implemented method for determining pressure in a region of a processing chamber, which has a support structure to support an object to be processed, a controllable fluid inlet and a controllable fluid outlet, and a set of pressure sensors. The method includes providing a digital model of the processing chamber, performing a training process including applying a defined variation of chamber pressures by varying a fluid flow in the processing chamber, and acquiring a series of pressure values by the pressure sensors during the pressure variation, deriving, based on this, a three-dimensional pressure distribution model that provides information about pressure at least in the region of interest, and performing a pressure determining process for determining a pressure related to this region, the determining process including measuring pressure value(s) via a subset of the pressure sensors, and determining, based on the model and the pressure value(s), the pressure of interest.

A method for providing secondary controlling parameters for controlling a secondary vacuum valve, includes generating primary controlling parameters for controlling a primary vacuum valve by providing target processing information, providing a first process chamber having the primary valve to control the in/out fluid flow, running a reference processing cycle with variation of valve closure positions of the primary valve based on the target processing information with deriving a first processing information related to the first process chamber, and adjusting the valve positions based on comparing the first and target processing information, and deriving the primary controlling parameters for the primary valve based on the derived first processing information and the related valve positions, providing a second process chamber including the secondary vacuum valve to control the in/out fluid flow, and controlling the secondary valve based on the primary controlling parameters. The primary controlling parameters are provided as secondary controlling parameters.

A vacuum system comprises at least a pneumatic positioning device comprising a mount configured to hold an effecting element and a pneumatic actuator connected to the mount. A control valve is connected to the pneumatic actuator and to a fluid supply. A fluid sensor measures the pressure of the pneumatic actuator. A method includes applying a controlling signal to the control valve to vary the pressure of the pneumatic actuator and move the mount from a starting position to an end position, monitoring the pressure of the pneumatic actuator by the fluid sensor, determining when the mount arrives at the end position, and deriving the controlling parameters based on processing a set of observed parameters, wherein the set of observed parameters comprises at least the controlling signal, the varying pressure, and arrival information of the mount at the end position.

A valve ( 1 ) having a valve rod ( 2 ) and a closure element ( 3 ), which is arranged on the valve rod ( 2 ), for closing a valve opening ( 4 ). The closure element ( 3 ) can be moved between a closing position and a maximum open position by the valve rod ( 2 ) solely in a linear manner in directions ( 5 ) that are parallel to the longitudinal extension ( 6 ) of the valve rod ( 2 ), and the valve ( 1 ) has a valve drive ( 7 ) with a handle ( 8 ) which can be actuated manually. The valve drive ( 7 ) has a valve drive housing ( 9 ) and at least one lever pair ( 10 ), and each lever pair ( 10 ) has a first lever ( 11 ) and a second lever ( 12 ).

A pin lifting system includes a first pin lifting device including a first pneumatic actuator with a first cylinder and a first moving member. The system includes a first control valve connected to the first actuator and to a first fluid supply and configured to provide movement of the first moving member, a first fluid sensor, and a controlling unit to control the first control valve based on a measurement signal of the first fluid sensor. The controlling unit is configured to adjust a movement of the first moving member by providing a reference duration of moving a moving member of a pin lifting device from a start to an end position, moving the first moving member, determining a first moving information, comparing the first moving information and the reference moving information and deriving a first moving deviation, and adjusting the first controlling signal based on the first moving deviation.

A valve ( 1 ), in particular a vacuum valve, for metering a volume flow through a flow opening ( 2 ). The valve ( 1 ) has a valve plate ( 3 ) for closing the flow opening ( 2 ) in a closed position of the valve ( 1 ) and at least two valve rods ( 4, 5 ), each of which is elongate, wherein the valve rods ( 4, 5 ) are secured to the valve plate ( 3 ) at mutually spaced locations. Each of the valve rods ( 4, 5 ) is driven in a linearly movable manner by a dedicated valve drive ( 6, 7 ) of the valve ( 1 ) in order to adjust the valve plate ( 3 ), and only a subset of the valve rods ( 4 ) are driven in a linearly movable manner by the valve drive ( 6 ) thereof over the entire movement path ( 10 ) of the valve plate ( 3 ) between the closed position and the maximum open position.

A valve ( 1 ), in particular vacuum valve, for metering a volumetric flow through a flow opening ( 2 ), wherein the valve ( 1 ) has a valve plate ( 3 ) for closing the flow opening ( 2 ) in a closed position of the valve ( 1 ), and at least two valve rods ( 4, 5 ) which are in each case inherently elongate. The valve rods ( 4, 5 ) are fastened to the valve plate ( 3 ) at mutually spaced-apart locations, and at least one of the valve rods ( 4, 5 ) is driven in a linearly displaceable manner by a valve drive ( 6, 7 ) of the valve ( 1 ) so as to adjust the valve plate ( 3 ) between the closed position and a maximum open position. Here, the valve rods ( 4, 5 ) are designed with a different stiffness in terms of a deflection transverse to their respective longitudinal extent.