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:
Feb. 06, 2001
Filed:
Nov. 12, 1998
Glyn J. Reynolds, Mesa, AZ (US);
Joseph T. Hillman, Scottsdale, AZ (US);
Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An apparatus for processing a substrate in a processing system having multiple process chambers and a common transfer chamber comprises a process chamber having a process space to receive and process a substrate and a buffer chamber defining a buffer space. The buffer chamber is positioned beneath the process chamber and is configured for interfacing with a transfer chamber of a processing system for receiving a substrate to be processed. A passage is formed between the process and buffer chambers for moving a substrate between the process space and buffer space and a movable substrate stage in the buffer space is operable for moving vertically in said passage between a first position wherein the substrate is positioned in the buffer space and a second position wherein the substrate is positioned within the process space of the process chamber. A sealing mechanism is operable for sealing said passage to isolate the process chamber and a pumping system is coupled to the buffer chamber for purging the buffer space of contaminants which may leak from the process chamber to generally reduce the escape of the contaminants through the buffer chamber and into the common transfer chamber and other process chambers of a multiple chamber system.