Patent · US Expired

Vacuum processing apparatus having improved throughput

US5512320A · kind A · utility

159Cited by
8References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 13, 1994
Grant dateApr 30, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 13, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
  • CPC primaryC23C16/54
  • WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A method for depositing sequential thin films on glass substrates by single substrate deposition comprising loading a batch of substrates into a load lock chamber and evacuating the chamber, transferring the substrates to a batch heating chamber for heating the substrates to elevated temperatures; transferring the glass substrates singly to one or more single substrate processing chambers, and sequentially transferring the substrates back to the load lock chamber where they are batch cooled. A vacuum system for carrying out the method includes a load lock/cooling chamber for evacuating a plurality of glass substrates; a heating chamber for heating a plurality of substrates to elevated temperatures; one or more single substrate processing chambers; and a transfer chamber having access to all of said chambers and having automated means therein for transferring the glass substrates into and out of said chambers in a preselected order.

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