초록 ▼

A system for handling and individually processing a plurality of thin substrates is described. The system includes a main chamber, entrance and exit load locks, a plurality of processing stations, a load lock load/unload means, a vertical transport means, and a horizontal transport means. In one emb

A system for handling and individually processing a plurality of thin substrates is described. The system includes a main chamber, entrance and exit load locks, a plurality of processing stations, a load lock load/unload means, a vertical transport means, and a horizontal transport means. In one embodiment the processing stations are deployed in a U-shaped configuration, allowing the entrance and exit load locks to be positioned at the same end of the machine. Idle stations between processing stations may also be employed. The substrates are vertically oriented and are raised and lowered into and out of load locks and processing stations by means of dedicated lift blades. Substrates are transferred within the main chamber from lift blades of one station to lift blades of an adjacent station by means of substrate carriers affixed to a walking beam mechanism. Substrates are transferred from the entrance load lock side of the machine to the exit load lock side by means of a reversing mechanism, which may be a rotating beam mechanism, or which may be a transverse motion mechanism which affects a rotationless substrate transfer. A lift blade symmetrically engages a substrate nearer the lower half of its periphery, holding the substrate securely with the aid of gravity, and negligibly obscuring or eclipsing either surface of the substrate. The lift blades carry the substrates into the processing stations and hold them in place during processing, or simultaneous processing of both sides of the substrates may be carried out.

대표청구항 ▼

A system for handling and individually processing a plurality of relatively thin substrates, said substrates being vertically oriented during said handling and processing, said system comprising a main chamber, an entrance load lock and an exit load lock, a plurality of processing stations, load loc

A system for handling and individually processing a plurality of relatively thin substrates, said substrates being vertically oriented during said handling and processing, said system comprising a main chamber, an entrance load lock and an exit load lock, a plurality of processing stations, load lock load/unload means, vertical transport means, and horizontal transport means, said load locks being positioned above said main chamber and sealed to a top wall thereof, said processing stations being disposed between said load locks and also sealed to said top wall of said main chamber, said load lock load/unload means being used to transfer said substrates from an entrance cassette to said entrance load lock and to transfer said substrates from said exit load lock to an exit cassette, said vertical transport means being used to raise said substrate from said main chamber into said processing stations and into said exit load lock, said vertical transport means also being used to lower said substrates from said entrance load lock and from said processing stations into said main chamber, said vertical transport means including a plurality of individual lift blades, each of said load locks and processing stations being served by a dedicated one of said lift blades, each of said lift blades being configured to securely hold an individual one of said substances during vertical transport, said lift blades for said processing stations being configured to hold said substrates during processing in said processing stations, said horizontal transport means being used to effect simultaneous one-station shifts of all said substrates within said main chamber, said shifts being directed toward said exit load lock; whereby said individual substrates are transported through said system, being processed sequentially in successive ones of said processing stations, all of said processing stations simultaneously processing one of said substrates, thereby allowing a high rate of production to be achieved.