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:
Aug. 24, 2010
Filed:
Aug. 20, 2003
Paul Harris, Haverhill, GB;
John Tingay, Cottenham, GB;
Martin Turnidge, Cambridge, GB;
Abstract
Substrate loading and unloading apparatus for automated loading and unloading of substrates (S) in a vacuum environment, for example the work region (A) of an electron beam lithography machine, comprises a substrate holder () with a substrate support table () and locating means (to) co-operable with the table to cause a supported substrate (S) to be pressed against and thereby located on the table (). A vacuum vessel () defines a loading and unloading chamber () with a transfer port () which is communicable with the evacuated region (A) of the machine and permits transfer of the holder () between the chamber () and the region (A) entirely within the vacuum environment. Release means (to) are present to withhold the co-operation of the table and locating means and to provide a temporary substrate support clear of the table so that substrates can be transferred to and from the table. The temporary support can be provided by support pins () which may additionally be rotatable for fine adjustment of the substrate angular position.