System for loading, processing and unloading substrates arranged on a carrier

Abstract

In a system for loading, processing and unloading substrates, a carrier has a bottom and a plurality of slots to receive a plurality of substrates for processing in a reactor. The reactor is tubular and has an inlet opening to receive the carrier loaded with substrates. A handling robot loads and unloads the substrates to and from the carrier when the carrier is located outside the reactor. A rotatable base plate supports the carrier and moves the carrier between a first position in proximity of the handling robot and a second position in proximity of the reactor. A lifting device introduces and removes the carrier in and from the reactor by lifting and lowering the carrier from and to the base plate when the carrier is in the second position. A door plate is coupled to the lifting device and to the bottom of the carrier. The door plate closes the inlet opening of the reactor when the carrier is introduced in the reactor and seals the reactor during processing. A coupling mechanism acts upon the bottom of the carrier and through the door plate to thereby rotate the carrier when the carrier is introduced in the reactor so that the substrates are uniformly processed. A drive motor is stationarily arranged and activates the coupling mechanism to rotate the carrier when the carrier is introduced in the reactor.