Bonded door seals for gate valves and slit valve door seal applications provide improved sealing performance versus conventional O-rings by reducing particle generation, extending seal life and minimizing replacement time during preventive maintenance.

DuPont^™ Kalrez^® bonded door seals are designed for easy installation and low particle generation. They combine a custom seal design and proprietary adhesion technology along with the excellent plasma resistance of Kalrez^® perfluoroelastomer seal materials developed for semiconductor applications. The seal is held in a “fixed” position versus conventional O-rings, thereby eliminating “rolling/twisting” and abrasion during door actuation. In addition, the seal design has been optimized using finite element analysis (FEA) to minimize high concentrations of localized stresses. As a result, both particle generation and sealing performance are significantly improved versus conventional O-rings.

Typical Applications

Bonded door seals replace O-ring seals currently used in gate valve, and slit valve dovetail grooves in particle sensitive semiconductor etch, ash, strip and/or deposition processes.

Lower Particle Generation and Extended Seal Life versus Conventional O-rings

• Sealing element held in a “fixed” position, i.e., eliminates “rolling/twisting” in service
• Design eliminates O-ring abrasion against edge of dovetail groove during actuation/compression
• Kalrez^® semicon product grades used to minimize particle generation in reactive plasmas
• Kalrez^® Ultrapure^™ post-cleaning and packaging reduces unwanted contamination
• Improved sealing performance—optimal design minimizes high concentrations of localized stresses
  

Less Replacement Time Versus O-ring Seals During Preventive Maintenance

• Quick and easy assembly/disassembly to mounting hardware
• Reduces installation problems commonly experienced with O-ring seals
• Eliminates need to clean the seal gland during preventive maintenance
• Barcode on packaging plus bonded door seal part number and Kalrez^® product number engraved on back of commercially available bonded door seals enables traceability and identification providing assurance that it is a Kalrez^® perfluoroelastomer part (FFKM).
  

Availability

DuPont^™ Kalrez^® bonded door seals are available for a number of valve types used in semiconductor OEM equipment platforms.  In addition, a custom Kalrez^® bonded door seal can be developed for most gate valve and slit valve door applications if not currently available.  Kalrez^® UltraPure^™ post cleaning and packaging is standard for all bonded door seals.