Vacuum processing apparatus
US8033770B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 29, 2008 |
| Grant date | Oct 11, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 18, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S414/136
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A vacuum processing apparatus includes vacuum processing chambers for subjecting a sample to vacuum processing, a vacuum carriage, a switchable chamber, a cassette support for supporting a plurality of cassettes capable of housing samples, and a waiting cassette support for supporting a waiting cassette that differs from the cassettes supported on the cassette support and capable of having a number of samples. An atmospheric carriage enables carrying a sample among a given cassette of the plurality of cassettes or the waiting cassette. A controller effects control for carrying unprocessed and processed samples among the given cassette, the waiting cassette and the vacuum processing chamber, so that a mixture of both processed and unprocessed samples does not exist in the given cassette or the waiting cassette.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.