Patent · US Expired

Vacuum processing unit and apparatus

US4824309A · kind A · utility

74Cited by
6References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 8, 1986
Grant dateApr 25, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 8, 2006

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S414/139
  • WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A vacuum processing unit and apparatus comprises a buffer chamber that can be evacuated, a processing chamber that can be communicated with said buffer chamber a first sample carrier installed in said buffer chamber, a vacuum opening/closing device provided in the buffer chamber to correspond to the first sample carrier, a vacuum prechamber provided for the buffer chamber via the vacuum opening/closing device, a second sample carrier which carries the sample between the vacuum prechamber and the first sample carrier via the vacuum opening/closing device, and a third sample carrier which carries the sample between said first sample carrier and the processing chamber. The vacuum processing units can be connected in groups via vacuum opening/closing devices provided for the buffer chambers in locations corresponding to the end of the first sample carriers therein. The number of connected processing chambers can be freely changed to meet a change in the process or the manufacturing line.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.