The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 20, 1984
Filed:
Dec. 05, 1983
George R Koch, Los Altos, CA (US);
Carl T Petersen, III, Fremont, CA (US);
Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US);
Abstract
A loadlock apparatus for a workpiece processing chamber such as those incorporated in vacuum processing systems. The apparatus includes an isolation chamber having evacuation apertures and workpiece transfer apertures with independently operable doors for closing and sealing the workpiece transfer apertures and an independent operable workpiece transfer mechanism. The doors and workpiece transfer mechanisms may be contained within the isolation chamber and the chamber may be closed and sealed while containing a workpiece. The door and workpiece transfer mechanisms may be adapted such that they are not positioned over the workpiece, thereby reducing the possibility of workpiece particulate contamination. The preferred embodiment of the workpiece transfer mechanism moves a workpiece through the isolation chamber along a path which is essentially a straight line. An alternative embodiment of this transfer mechanism permits positioning the workpiece at any point lying on or within a circular radius of a fixed point within the isolation chamber. This alternative embodiment can further move the workpiece to any such point along an arbitrarily chosen planar path lying within this positioning circle.