Disk or wafer handling and coating system

Abstract

A system for handling and individually processing a plurality of thin substrates is described. The system includes a main chamber, entrance and exit load locks, a plurality of processing stations, a load lock load/unload means, a vertical transport means, and a horizontal transport means. In one embodiment the processing stations are deployed in a U-shaped configuration, allowing the entrance and exit load locks to be positioned at the same end of the machine. Idle stations between processing stations may also be employed. The substrates are vertically oriented and are raised and lowered into and out of load locks and processing stations by means of dedicated lift blades. Substrates are transferred within the main chamber from lift blades of one station to lift blades of an adjacent station by means of substrate carriers affixed to a walking beam mechanism. Substrates are transferred from the entrance load lock side of the machine to the exit load lock side by means of a reversing mechanism, which may be a rotating beam mechanism, or which may be a transverse motion mechanism which affects a rotationless substrate transfer. A lift blade symmetrically engages a substrate nearer the lower half of its periphery, holding the substrate securely with the aid of gravity, and negligibly obscuring or eclipsing either surface of the substrate. The lift blades carry the substrates into the processing stations and hold them in place during processing, or simultaneous processing of both sides of the substrates may be carried out.