Method and apparatus for processing wafers
US6350097B1 · kind B1 · utility
17Cited by
16References
7Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 19, 1999 |
| Grant date | Feb 26, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 19, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S414/141
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus for processing wafers one at a time. The apparatus has a vacuum chamber 1 into which wafers are loaded through a pair of loadlocks 3, 4 which are spaced one above the other. A robot within the vacuum chamber 1 has a pair of gripper arms 22, 29 which are moveable along and rotatable about a vertical axis 23 so as to be moveable between the loadlocks 3, 4 and a wafer processing position. Each of the loadlocks 3, 4 has a vertically moveable portion 8, 26 which is moveable away from the remainder of the loadlock to provide access in a horizontal plane for one of the gripper arms 22, 29.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.