초록 ▼

An automatic sputtering apparatus for coating semiconductor wafers uses shuttle wafer carriers and elevators to handle wafers within the apparatus. The wafer carrier has a hole in the center. One side of the wafer carrier is opened, thereby forming a throat in the shuttle wafer carrier in the form o

An automatic sputtering apparatus for coating semiconductor wafers uses shuttle wafer carriers and elevators to handle wafers within the apparatus. The wafer carrier has a hole in the center. One side of the wafer carrier is opened, thereby forming a throat in the shuttle wafer carrier in the form of the letter C. The elevator has a cantilevered shaft. The upper part of the shaft of the elevator is centered under the wafer while the lowest part of the cantilevered shaft is under a point outside the wafer carrier. The connecting portion of the shaft passes through the throat of the wafer carrier as the wafer is lifted. Since the lifting portion of the shaft is outside the wafer carrier, the shuttle can move with the elevator in the up position. The pedestal for holding the wafer on the elevator is equipped with arms which project upward at an angle to the horizontal, thereby confining the wafer to a pedestal.

대표청구항 ▼

An apparatus for processing workpieces, said apparatus comprising: wall means forming a loading chamber, a processing chamber having a plurality of processing stations therein, and an unloading chamber; a shuttle workpiece carrier in said processing chamber; means for conveying a workpiece in said l

An apparatus for processing workpieces, said apparatus comprising: wall means forming a loading chamber, a processing chamber having a plurality of processing stations therein, and an unloading chamber; a shuttle workpiece carrier in said processing chamber; means for conveying a workpiece in said loading chamber to said shuttle workpiece carrier; an elevator at each processing station including an elevator pedestal, an elongated lifting support member, means for offsetting said pedestal from said lifting support member, and means for actuating said support member; a shuttle workpiece carrier having central opening and throat open to one side, with said carrier oriented so that said means for offsetting said pedestal can pass through said throat as the workpiece is raised; means for moving said shuttle workpiece carrier; and means for conveying a workpiece from said shuttle workpiece carrier into said unloading chamber.