Magnetic support structure for an elevator tube of a vertical rapid thermal processing unit
US7100759B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 9, 2004 |
| Grant date | Sep 5, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 11, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L21/68792
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A vertical rapid thermal processing system includes a processing chamber and an elevator structure providing for vertical movement of a workpiece within the processing chamber. The elevator structure includes a workpiece support for supporting the workpiece and an elevator shaft coupled to the workpiece support and extending externally from the processing chamber. An end portion of the elevator shaft, external to the processing chamber, has a selected magnetic polarity. The elevator structure also includes moveable carriage coupled to the shaft to provide vertical movement of the workpiece within the processing chamber. The carriage includes a shaft support having the selected polarity. The shaft support is positioned adjacent the polarized end portion of the elevator shaft such that repulsive magnetic forces maintain a gap between the end portion of the elevator shaft and the shaft support as the shaft support and elevator shaft move vertically along a path of travel.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.