Vacuum processing system
US5445484A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 4, 1993 |
| Grant date | Aug 29, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 4, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S414/14
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A vacuum processing system of a type in which wafer cassettes each accommodating a plurality of wafers to be treated are supplied to deliver the wafers and wafer cassettes collecting the treated wafers are taken out. To enable the vacuum treatment, the vacuum processing system has a structure comprising: a plurality of wafer cassettes each being set in the atmospheric air and holding a plurality of wafers to be treated; at least one vacuum processing chamber for effecting vacuum treatment on the wafers; at least one load-lock chamber disposed between the cassettes and the vacuum processing chamber, the wafers being transferred into and out of vacuum atmosphere in the vacuum processing chamber through the load-lock chamber; and a wafer transfer device for transferring the wafers from each of the cassettes to the load-lock chamber and vice versa. The wafer cassettes are arranged on a substantially horizontal flat surface with respect to each other and each of the cassettes has two upper and lower stationary positions, and the transference of the wafers from and into each of the cassettes is conducted at one of the upper and lower stationary positions.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.