Vacuum apparatus for the surface treatment of workpieces
First Claim
1. Vacuum process system for surface treatment of workpieces (21) comprising:
- a vacuum chamber (6b) that envelopes a substrate holder (8) that rotates around a central axis (14) with at least one process station (1-5) arranged around the periphery of said substrate holder,a substrate transfer chamber (6a) that communicates with the vacuum chamber via a transfer opening (15) and which features a first substrate handling and transporting mechanism (9,
17) arranged radially to the central axis (14),at least one loading chamber (7a, 7b) with a loading chamber door (12a, 12b) on the side under atmospheric pressure and a loading chamber valve (11a, 11b) on the side under vacuum for loading or unloading the workpieces (21) for which purpose the loading chamber (7a, 7b) features a second substrate handling and transporting mechanism (10, 18, 19b,
20),characterized by said transfer chamber (6a) being arranged tangentially on the external periphery of the vacuum chamber (6b), being in communication with the latter via a transfer opening (15) so that with the first transporting mechanism (9,
17) workpieces (21) can be fed through the transfer opening (15) for loading the rotatable substrate holder (8) and being further characterized by the loading chamber (7a, 7b) being in communication tangentially to the vacuum chamber (6b) with the transfer chamber (6a) and the transfer chamber (6a) featuring a third transporting mechanism (10, 18, 19a,
20) at a right angle to the first transporting mechanism (9,
17), where the second and third transporting mechanism is arranged in the same tangential direction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Vacuum processing plant with a small footprint for the surface treatment of large-area substrates in a virtually upright position, has a vacuum chamber containing a substrate carrier rotatable about a central axis and with at least one processing station mounted on its periphery. A transfer chamber is also mounted on its periphery and connects it to a load-lock chamber. A first transport mechanism moves the substrates from the transfer chamber in a radial direction in and out of the vacuum chamber, a second transport mechanism moves the substrates in a direction perpendicular to that of the first transport mechanism, between the transfer chamber and the load-lock chamber. A third transport mechanism moving in parallel with the second one doubles the transport capacity between the load-lock chamber and the transfer chamber.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. Vacuum process system for surface treatment of workpieces (21) comprising:
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a vacuum chamber (6b) that envelopes a substrate holder (8) that rotates around a central axis (14) with at least one process station (1-5) arranged around the periphery of said substrate holder, a substrate transfer chamber (6a) that communicates with the vacuum chamber via a transfer opening (15) and which features a first substrate handling and transporting mechanism (9,
17) arranged radially to the central axis (14),at least one loading chamber (7a, 7b) with a loading chamber door (12a, 12b) on the side under atmospheric pressure and a loading chamber valve (11a, 11b) on the side under vacuum for loading or unloading the workpieces (21) for which purpose the loading chamber (7a, 7b) features a second substrate handling and transporting mechanism (10, 18, 19b,
20),characterized by said transfer chamber (6a) being arranged tangentially on the external periphery of the vacuum chamber (6b), being in communication with the latter via a transfer opening (15) so that with the first transporting mechanism (9,
17) workpieces (21) can be fed through the transfer opening (15) for loading the rotatable substrate holder (8) and being further characterized by the loading chamber (7a, 7b) being in communication tangentially to the vacuum chamber (6b) with the transfer chamber (6a) and the transfer chamber (6a) featuring a third transporting mechanism (10, 18, 19a,
20) at a right angle to the first transporting mechanism (9,
17), where the second and third transporting mechanism is arranged in the same tangential direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification