Apparatus for providing a rotation carrier magazine, and method of operating thereof
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B65G-049/07
출원번호
US-0914113
(2010-10-28)
등록번호
US-8534976
(2013-09-17)
우선권정보
EP-10188749 (2010-10-25)
발명자
/ 주소
Gertmann, Reiner
König, Michael
출원인 / 주소
Applied Materials Inc.
대리인 / 주소
Patterson & Sheridan, LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
1인용 특허 :
26
초록▼
An apparatus for supporting a plurality of carriers or substrates is described. The apparatus includes a vacuum chamber and a rotatable support for supporting the plurality of carriers or substrates, wherein the support is provided within the vacuum chamber and is configured for rotating the support
An apparatus for supporting a plurality of carriers or substrates is described. The apparatus includes a vacuum chamber and a rotatable support for supporting the plurality of carriers or substrates, wherein the support is provided within the vacuum chamber and is configured for rotating the supported plurality of carriers or substrates around a rotation axis.
대표청구항▼
1. An apparatus for supporting a plurality of carriers or substrates, the apparatus comprising: a vacuum chamber having one or more openings along the circumference of the chamber wall for transferring a carrier or a substrate therethrough, wherein the carrier includes one or more substrates, and wh
1. An apparatus for supporting a plurality of carriers or substrates, the apparatus comprising: a vacuum chamber having one or more openings along the circumference of the chamber wall for transferring a carrier or a substrate therethrough, wherein the carrier includes one or more substrates, and wherein the one or more substrates in the carrier or the substrate comprises a material selected from a group consisting of glass, dielectric and semiconductor materials;a rotatable support for supporting the plurality of carriers or substrates, wherein the rotatable support is provided within the vacuum chamber and is configured for rotating the supported plurality of carriers or substrates around a rotation axis, wherein the rotatable support comprises a lower rim portion for supporting lower sides of the carriers or substrates and a plurality of guiding means provided at upper sides of the carriers or substrates; anda set of lifting rollers for moving the carrier or substrate upwards from a support position provided by the rotatable support and for lifting the carrier or substrate for a transfer by the set of lifting rollers and by one guiding means of the plurality of guiding means through one of the one or more openings. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rotatable support comprises a carrier magazine, which is rotatably positioned within the vacuum chamber and which comprises the plurality of guiding means. 3. The apparatus according claim 2, wherein the rotation axis does not intersect the plurality of guiding means. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a drive unit for rotating the support around the rotation axis. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum chamber has two or more openings for transferring a carrier or a substrate therethrough. 6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more openings have an elongated shape with a lengthwise dimension and wherein the lengthwise dimension is parallel to the rotation axis. 7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: one or more valve units for sealing the one or more openings in the vacuum chamber. 8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a transport system that includes the set of lifting rollers and the plurality of guiding means, wherein the plurality of guiding means include at least one element selected from the group consisting of a magnetic transfer unit, a sliding guide, a set of guiding rollers, and combinations thereof. 9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum chamber further comprises a service door portion. 10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the service door portion is provided with a flange positioned asymmetrically with respect to the rotation axis. 11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rotatable support is configured for supporting at least 3 carriers or substrates such that the at least 3 carriers or substrates are rotatable within the rotatable support around the rotation axis. 12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rotatable support is configured for supporting at least 10 carriers or substrates such that the at least 10 carriers or substrates are rotatable within the rotatable support around the rotation axis. 13. A substrate processing system, comprising: one or more processing chambers; andan apparatus for supporting a plurality of carriers or substrates, wherein the carrier includes one or more substrates, and wherein the one or more substrates in the carrier or the substrate comprises a material selected from a group consisting of glass, dielectric and semiconductor materials, and the apparatus comprises: a vacuum chamber having one or more openings along the circumference of the chamber wall for transferring a carrier or a substrate therethrough;a rotatable support for supporting the plurality of carriers or substrates, wherein the rotatable support is provided within the vacuum chamber and is configured for rotating the supported plurality of carriers or substrates around a rotation axis, wherein the rotatable support comprises a lower rim portion for supporting lower sides of the carriers or substrates and a plurality of guiding means provided at upper sides of the carriers or substrates; anda set of lifting rollers for moving the carrier or substrate upwards from a support position provided by the rotatable support and for lifting the carrier or substrate for a transfer by the set of lifting rollers and by one guiding means of the plurality of guiding means through one of the one or more openings. 14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the rotatable support comprises a carrier magazine, which is rotatably positioned within the vacuum chamber and which comprises the plurality of guiding means. 15. A method of operating an apparatus for supporting a plurality of carriers or substrates in a vacuum chamber, the method comprising: transferring a carrier or substrate into the apparatus at a first position, wherein the carrier includes one or more substrates, and wherein the one or more substrates in the carrier or the substrate comprises a material selected from a group consisting of glass, dielectric and semiconductor materials;lowering the carrier or substrate into a support position;rotating the carrier or substrate along with other carriers or substrates of the plurality of carriers or substrates around a rotation axis in the support position;lifting the carrier or substrate upwards from the support position; andtransferring the carrier or substrate out of the apparatus at the first position or at a second position different from the first position, wherein a transfer direction is approximately perpendicular to the rotation axis, and wherein transferring the carrier or substrate comprises transferring the carrier or substrate in the transfer direction by one or more guiding means provided at an upper side of the carrier or substrate, wherein the apparatus comprises: a vacuum chamber having one or more openings along the circumference of the chamber wall for transferring a carrier or a substrate therethrough; anda rotatable support for supporting a plurality of carriers or substrates, wherein the rotatable support is provided within the vacuum chamber and is configured for rotating the supported plurality of carriers or substrates around a rotation axis, wherein the rotatable support comprises a lower rim portion for supporting lower sides of the carriers or substrates and the one or more guiding means provided at upper sides of the carriers or substrates. 16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising: evacuating the vacuum chamber before the transfer of the carrier or substrate into the chamber.
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