Method and apparatus for handling and processing wafer-like materials
US4909695A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 20, 1988 |
| Grant date | Mar 20, 1990 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 20, 2008 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S414/139
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The apparatus is provided with a main chamber divided into two chamber halves by a rotatable index plate. The plate rotates through a load lock station, through which wafer-like articles are inserted into and removed from the main chamber, and a series of processing stations, at each of which a process such as etching or sputter coating can be performed simultaneously upon different objects and sequentially upon the same objects. Each processing chamber is isolatable from the main chamber and other processing chambers during processing so that different substrates can be processed simultaneously at the various stations using different processes without cross contamination. Substrate holders resiliently mounted on the plate move transversely when compressed between a cup shaped back-plane device and the main chamber wall to separately seal each of the processing chambers from the main chamber.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.