Sputtering system

Claim 2

In a method for processing substrates, the steps of moving substrates into a first vacuum chamber to form a first batch of substrates within said chamber, evacuating said first vacuum chamber to a subatmospheric pressure, heating said first batch of substrates to effect degassing thereof within said first vacuum chamber, transferring said first batch of substrates as a unit from said first vacuum chamber to a transfer site within a second vacuum chamber, evacuating said second vacuum chamber to a subatmospheric pressure, transferring said substrates from said first batch at said transfer site one at a time to any one of a plurality of transfer stations within said second vacuum chamber, and then transferring a substrate from said one of a plurality of transfer stations to a vacuum processing chamber adjacent the transfer station.

Claim 3

A method as claimed in claim 1, including the step of simultaneously effecting vacuum isolation between said second vacuum chamber and said vacuum processing chamber when said substrate is transferred from said transfer station to said vacuum processing chamber.

Claim 4

A method as claimed in claim 1 including providing another of said first vacuum chamber communicating with said second vacuum chamber in parallel with the first, moving substrates into said another of such first vacuum chamber to form a second batch of substrates, evacuating said another of said first vacuum chamber to a subatmospheric pressure, and heating said second batch of substrates to effect degassing thereof; said evacuation of said another of said first vacuum chamber and said heating of said second batch being carried out while the steps commencing with the transfer of said first batch to said second vacuum chamber are carried out.

Claim 5

A method as claimed in claim 3, including transferring said second batch of substrates as a unit from said another of said first vacuum chamber to said transfer site within said second vacuum chamber.

Claim 6

A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transfer of substrates from said batch to said transfer stations is effected by moving a substrate through a first vertical movement to release it from said batch, moving said substrate along a substantially constant radius arcuate path between said transfer site and said any one transfer station, and moving said substrate through a second vertical movement to deposit it at said transfer station, said first and second vertical movements and said movement along said arcuate path being the only degrees of motion to which said substrates are subjected during said transfer.

Claim 8

Apparatus for processing substrates comprising a first vacuum chamber; a second vacuum chamber communicating with said first vacuum chamber; means for selectively effecting vacuum isolation between said first vacuum chamber and said second vacuum chamber; a plurality of third vacuum chambers each communicating with said second vacuum chamber; means for forming a batch of substrates within said first vacuum chamber; heating means within said first vacuum chamber operable to degas said batch of substrates; first transfer means operable to transfer said batch of substrates as a unit from said first vacuum chamber to a transfer site within said second vacuum chamber; a plurality of substrate transfer stations within said second vacuum chamber, each of said transfer stations being disposed adjacent one of said third vacuum chambers; second transfer means operable to transfer substrates one at a time between said transfer site and any one of said transfer stations and between one transfer station and any other transfer station in random order; third transfer means operatively associated with each of said transfer stations and operable to transfer a substrate from said transfer station to an adjacent third vacuum chamber and means associated with each of said transfer stations for effecting vacuum isolation between said second vacuum chamber and a third vacuum chamber adjacent that transfer station.

Claim 9

Apparatus for processing substrates comprising a first vacuum chamber; a second vacuum chamber communicating with said first vacuum chamber; means for selectively effecting vacuum isolation between said first vacuum chamber and said second vacuum chamber; a plurality of third vacuum chambers each communicating with said second vacuum chamber; means for forming a batch of substrates within said first vacuum chamber; heating means within said first vacuum chamber operable to degas said batch of substrates; first transfer means operable to transfer said batch of substrates as a unit from said first vacuum chamber to a transfer site within said second vacuum chamber; a plurality of substrate transfer stations within said second vacuum chamber, each of said transfer stations being disposed adjacent one of said third vacuum chambers; second transfer means operable to transfer substrates one at a time between said transfer site and any one of said transfer stations and between one transfer station and any other transfer station in random order; third transfer means operatively associated with each of said transfer stations and operable to transfer a substrate from said transfer station to an adjacent third vacuum chamber and means associated with each of said transfer stations for effecting vacuum isolation between said second vacuum chamber and a third vacuum chamber adjacent that transfer station.

Claim 10

Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said transfer stations are located on the perimeter of a circle, said transfer site is also disposed on said perimeter, and said second substrate transfer means comprises an arm of fixed length movable arcuately about a vertical axis, said arm including substrate engaging means operable to engage and retain a substrate thereon.

Claim 11

Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said arm is also movable in a direction parallel to said vertical axis, the vertical and arcuate movements being the only degrees of movement to which said arm and a substrate engaged thereby are subjected.

Claim 12

Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said transfer site comprises first and second transfer locations disposed on said perimeter; said apparatus further including another of said first vacuum chamber communicating with said second vacuum chamber, means for selectively effecting vacuum isolation between said another of said first vacuum chamber and said second vacuum chamber, means for forming a batch of substrates within said another of said first vacuum chamber, heating means within said other first vacuum chamber operable to degas said batch of substrates therein, and another of said first transfer means operable to transfer a batch of substrates as a unit from said another of said first vacuum chamber to the second transfer location within said transfer site; said second transfer means being operable to transfer substrates from either of said transfer locations.

Claim 13

Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 7, 8, 9, 10, in which each of said transfer stations comprises a substrate receiving platen having a substrate support surface formed thereon, and said third transfer means comprises means for moving said platen about a horizontal axis between a first position wherein said substrate support surface is oriented horizontally within said second vacuum chamber and a second position wherein said substrate support surface is oriented vertically within one of said third vacuum chambers.

Claim 14

Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 in which said means for effecting vacuum isolation between a transfer station and an adjacent third vacuum chamber comprises seal means formed on said platen.