Moving work support

Disclosed is an improved optical thin film coating system comprising all essential elements of resistive and electron beam evaporation systems, chemical vapor deposition systems and reactive plasma deposition systems. Sequences of cleaning and deposition processes which previously required moving substrates...     

A metal oxide coating is applied to a hot glass surface by contacting the surface with a mixture of carrier air, vaporized solvent and a vaporized metal containing reactant. The mixture is directed against the glass through an elongated converging nozzle having a contraction ratio of six or greater and...     

A metal oxide coating is applied to a hot glass surface by contacting the surface with a mixture of carrier air, vaporized solvent and a vaporized metal containing reactant. The mixture is directed against the glass through an elongated, converging slot-nozzle, the interior surfaces of which have an...     

The apparatus comprises a plasma torch capable of an output speed of at least 100 m/s, a fine powder distributor, and a substrate holder which can be heated electrically and cooled by water, which is at an adjustable distance from the torch, and which is movable in two transverse directions at adjustable...     

A metal reactant, dissolved in a volatile solvent, is sprayed into converging reactive carrier gas streams, is vaporized and is carried past a heater for ultimate discharge against a heated substrate whereupon the metal reactant and a portion of the reactive gas streams react to form an adherent coating...     

Multi-layer coating apparatus and system for coating a substrate having a coating chamber and means for advancing the substrate in a horizontal position through the coating chamber. The coating chamber is provided with means for depositing the coating on the bottom side of the substrate as it is advanced...     

The temperature of a substrate being coated by molecular beam epitaxial techniques is monitored during the deposition process. The substrate is mounted on a holder that is brought by a carriage to a treating station where the deposition occurs. At the station, a pair of metal contact pins selectively...     

Sheet handling apparatus in which sheets or plates of glass are automatically loaded onto the upper surfaces of successive horizontal support platens as the glass sheets and platens are conveyed forwardly in different horizontal planes preparatory to the introduction of the loaded platens into a processing...     

A spray hood is provided for use in coating glassware such as bottles. The hood defines a tunnel for straddling a conveyor and has baffles on walls of the tunnel for adjustment horizontally and vertically to define a space about at least lower parts of the glassware where coating is to be sprayed. A...     

A large scale vacuum deposition facility is disclosed in which substrates, in the form of architectural glass lights on supporting racks, are moved through an evacuated working chamber system where the substrates are coated by cathodic sputtering. The substrate racks are moved by a conveyor system through...     

A system for the automated handling and transfer of wafers individually and repetitively to and between processing stations and cassettes. A track-like conveyor engages a cassette holding a plurality of wafers in vertically facing alignment, to move same horizontally past a loading station of a processing...     

A vapor phase deposition apparatus includes a coaxially mounted reactor tube, jacketed assembly tube, bearing/plug assembly, and rod/substrate holder. Gas inlets are provided in the reactor tube, and assembly tube and a vent is provided on the jacketed portion of the assembly tube, such that a double...     

A wafer processing boat is provided with parallel slots that support each wafer at a slight angle with respect to vertical so that the wafers lean by gravity in a uniform manner and are thereby arranged in spaced parallel relationship. This enables the tolerances within the slots to be quite large with...     

A fixture for use within an epitaxial deposition reactor includes a box adapted to receive a semiconductor substrate. The box is movable to a position of reactant gas flow within the reactor and it includes a porous cover. A stagnant mixture of reactant gases is maintained between the substrate and the...     

A carriage assembly for positioning a selected mask from a plurality of masks between a substrate and a source wherein an elongated mask support means having an elongated mask supporting frame and including means for defining elements for guiding and supporting the elongated mask supporting frame, a...     

A continuous vapor processing system for vapor phase soldering, degreasing, or similar processes wherein a product is moved into and out of a vessel in a continuous manner via open conduits or channels while preventing escape of vapor from the processing tank and the conduits.

In a boat with wheels for carrying semiconductor substrates, the friction surfaces of the wheel systems are coated with a silicon nitride film to prevent seizure from occurring during a diffusion, oxidation or annealing process for semiconductor substrates.

A magnetic recording medium manufacturing device in which a flexible belt-shaped support is conveyed above a molten metal vaporizing source substantially at a constant speed while a magnetic film is formed on a surface of the support by vacuum deposition. The support is guided by transporting means such...     

A furnace (100) is provided which aids in the reduction of polysilicon and quartz contaminants during polysilicon deposition on monocrystalline wafers. The wafers are heated for polysilicon deposition within the interior of a quartz tube (102) which is mounted so that the interior sidewalls are vertical...     

A movable control or reception chamber is provided at the loading-unloading chamber of a diffusion furnace to control the environment around the wafers both before and after the wafers are removed from processing in the furnace tube. The reception chamber is capable of controlling the heat-up temperature...     

Apparatus for transferring wafers between storage magazines and processing trays. The trays are mounted on a generally cylindrical carousel which is rotated about its axis to bring successive ones of the trays into position for loading wafers on to the trays and unloading wafers from the trays. An elevator...     

Disclosed is a wafer handling device for a sputtering system where wafers, used in the manufacture of integrated circuits, are placed in a loading chamber, removed from the loading chamber and conveyed by a conveying device through a transportation chamber where they are individually picked from the...     

A semiconductor device manufacturing unit in which plasma gas is maintained sealed in a quartz tube by a magnet disposed outside the quartz tube to make the density of plasma gas high and uniform thereby improving the quality of CVD films deposited with the gas and reducing the processing time for semiconductor...     

Apparatus for programmably orienting a semiconductor wafer in an ion implantation system so as to limit channeling or to control the depth of penetration of impinging ions. The apparatus is associated with a processing chamber door and includes a rotatable vacuum chuck for engaging the wafer and a motor...     

Target holder with mechanical scanning. The device comprises several target supports mounted on a plate, which rotates about an axis and means for displacing the supports relative to the plate, arranged in such a way that the radial displacement increment of a support between two consecutive passages...     

In a vacuum system for processing workpieces, a vacuum chamber has a workpiece-entrance opening. Load lock means for said entrance opening include a door for sealing the outside of said opening, a movable closure member within the chamber to seal the entrance opening from the interior of the vacuum chamber,...     

An apparatus for molecular beam epitaxy according to the present invention is so constructed that a substrate is introduced into a vacuum vessel with a substrate surface for epitaxial growth facing in the direction of gravity, and that the substrate is conveyed to and transferred into vacuum chambers...     

The system for rotating the transfer plate of a coating system in a vacuum chamber consists of a transfer plate driver assembly on the outside of the chamber at the axis and a transfer plate rotator assembly inside the chamber. The driver assembly consists of a pneumatic actuator for linear motion, a...     

In a method and apparatus for continuous plasma CVD deposition in and through a vacuum system, box carriers are provided to carry both the substrates and the plasma exciting electrodes through the system. Contamination of the system and cross doping of the applied coatings are reduced.

A conventional vapor phase deposition reactor tube typically formed of quartz is provided with a tubular liner supporting one or two crucibles carrying in turn one or two boats for holding constituents used for the deposition process. The liner, crucibles and boats are formed preferably of pyrolytic...     

A molecular beam epitaxy system wherein the wafer on which epitaxial deposition is to occur is not soldered to a substrate holder. Instead, a substrate holder with a lip approximately as high as the thickness of the wafer is used, and a retaining ring attaches to the substrate holder to hold the wafer...     

A vacuum processing apparatus and method utilize a vacuum chamber formed from a pair of casing sections, one of which is movable in to and out of sealing engagement with the other casing section. The movable casing section is equipped to carry a workpiece such that the workpiece is carried by the movable...     

A continuous, in-line deposition system is disclosed for coating large substrates. The apparatus includes loadlock chambers for loading and unloading substrates arranged in carriers. The carriers transport through the apparatus a plurality of pairs of substrates with their principal faces, that is faces...     

A molecular beam epitaxy system wherein the molybdenum substrate holder and the molybdenum ring which assembles to the substrate holder to hold the wafer are kept in vacuum essentially all the time. Wafers are not pre-mounted to substrate holders, but the wafer mounting step is performed in ultrahigh...     

A process and an apparatus for forming films, up to several microns in thickness, on substrates by the combination of ion implantation and vapor deposition; said apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber, means for transporting a substrate within the vacuum chamber, a first ion source having an accelerating...     

A vacuum processing apparatus for applying a vacuum working process to a substrate to be processed by a plurality of processing steps comprises vacuum containers exclusively for use for processing disposed in place for each of the processing steps, and a vacuum container exclusively for use for conveyance...     

A chemical vapor deposition reactor for deposition on substrates, for example silicon epitaxial depositions. The apparatus includes a heating chamber in which a reactor is placed. Means of heating the substrates in the reactor is spaced from the reactor. The reaction chamber is positioned in the heating...     

A continuous vapor phase processing machine of the type wherein work is selectively heated by a processing vapor in a processing vapor zone to a selected temperature for vapor phase processing. The machine has a tank containing a processing vapor, and a throat is in communication with the tank. The throat...     

In a molecular beam epitaxy apparatus, the loading chamber for introducing the substrates is made separable from both the preparation chamber for cleaning the substrates and the growth chamber for forming thin films onto the respective substrates, so that the evacuation of the loading chamber is possible...     

The present invention relates to a plasma processing apparatus comprising a housing chamber which accommodates substances to be painted made of synthetic resin, a rotating support base which is provided in the housing chamber and rotates the substance to be painted, a plurality of hangers which are placed...     

A system for performing one semiconductor manufacturing operation or sequence of operations with reduced particulate contamination. A vacuum-tight wafer carrier, which contains numerous wafers in vacuum in a sealed box, is placed into a platform inside a vacuum load lock. The platform contains slots...     

A vertical furnace for heat-treating a semiconductor is capable of effectively and safely accomplishing the heat-treating of a semiconductor. The vertical furnace includes a furnace section which is opened at the lower end thereof to allow a boat for supporting a semiconductor thereon to be introduced...     

A rapid-load system for loading a series of pallets into a sputtering apparatus. The system comprises a magazine having a plurality of vertically spaced pallet supports whose spacing is sufficient to allow insertion of a pallet into the magazine directly without contact between the pallet and magazine....     

An automated cassette handler for transporting a cassette containing integrated circuit wafers between first and second elevators in a standardized mechanical interface (SMIF) system for integrated circuit processing. The handler is adapted to grip and transport the cassette while positively pushing...     

A vacuum processing system for processing semiconductor wafers includes a particle shield (16) disposed above the wafer (10) to block moving particles in a vacuum chamber which would otherwise contact the wafer (10). The particle shield (16) is attached to arm (18), allowing the particle shield (16)...     

A film forming apparatus utilizing discharge to accomplish film formation is provided with a cover electrode movable back and forth and a gas supply pipe. By moving the cover electrode, the cover electrode and a substrate containing cassette in which a substrate for film formation is contained and which...     

The present apparatus has a movable table with apertures therein. In each aperture there is loaded a carrier device and each carrier holds a substrate to be coated. The carriers are advanced in a step-like fashion to a loading position under a vertical hollow cylinder. When a carrier is in the loading...     

A wafer feeding apparatus comprises a horizontally movable arm section, an electrostatic chuck mechanism having a vertically movable support member attached to the arm section and moving mechanism for moving the support member, and an electrostatic chuck attached to the support member and having two...     

A vapor reflow type soldering apparatus is provided with a vapor generating tank in which liquefied thermal medium is heated to be converted into vapor. An article or part to be processed is delivered through the vapor generating tank by a conveyor, and a soldering material of the article is heated and...     

An on-line film fluorination apparatus cooperative with a continuous polymer film extruding apparatus is set forth. In the preferred and illustrated embodiment, a continuous feed film is introduced into a closed cabinet or housing having alignment and guide rollers for directing the film into the housing....     

Device for the plasma treatment of substrates (7) in a high frequency-excited plasma discharge between two electrodes (3, 8), supplied by a high-frequency source (6). The first electrode is constructed as a hollow anode (3) and the second electrode (8), which carries the substrate (7), is deposited in...     

An apparatus for positioning a plurality of semiconductor substrates on a movable, support in a desired pattern, in a semiconductor vapor phase growing apparatus. A memory is provided for storing two dimensional data corresponding to the desired pattern. The desired pattern is predetermined by the sizes...     

A substrate handling system supplies new wafers to a vacuum chamber containing a lithography system, and outputs processed semiconductor wafers to an environment with normal atmospheric pressure. New wafers on a transplate pass by way of an air film track to a transload which feeds them from a load platform...     

A semiconductor processing system which includes: a first semiconductor wafer cassette for housing semiconductor wafers; a first transfer pod for enclosing the first cassette airtightly, the first pod having a box-like pod body with an open bottom and a bottom plate detachably attached to the pod body...     

An improved pin lift mechanism for plasma processing of semiconductor wafers is disclosed in which the pins are each contained in a non-magnetic tube which is sealed to the wafer chuck. A magnetic slug in each tube couples external motion of a magnet to the pin.

An integrated plasma desmearing and plated-through-hole apparatus for first plasma desmearing a printed circuit board and then plating through the holes of the plated circuit board by sputtering. The apparatus comprises a plurality of vacuum chambers serially interconnected together. Preferably, five...     

A vapor phase growth substrate is conveyed into a heated atomosphere, and vapor phase growth gas is supplied from a nozzle connected to a gas supply means to the substrate in the middle portion of conveyance. Process program information relating to the conveying speed of the substrate, the heating temperature,...     

The present apparatus includes a rotating table which is loaded with removable carriers, each of which holds a substrate to be coated. The carriers are advanced to a loading position and are pushed from the table thereat into a hollow cylinder. Each carrier has a pair of O-rings on its periphery which...     

Apparatus for depositing a coating on at least one substrate where the coating includes at least two component materials where the relative percentages of the component materials with respect to each other varies through the thickness of the coating. The apparatus includes at least two deposition sources...     

A high precision automated wafer inspection station provides a base table area on which an X-Y stage is movable in mutually orthogonal directions relative to an inspection axis in alignment with a microscope or measuring instrument which is mounted on a bridge support above the table. The stage mechanism...     

A process for forming a film, characterized in that, in forming a film by glow discharge decomposition, one or more electrode pair rows each consisting of a plurality of high frequency electrode pairs are arranged in a line and in parallel and substrates are arranged on both sides of said electrode pair...     

A dry etching apparatus which includes an anode located at an upper side and a cathode located at a lower side which face each other in a vacuum vessel. A high-frequency power can be applied across the anode and the cathode. A flange section extends from the inner wall of the vacuum vessel, and is located...     

An improved reaction chamber for use in an epitaxial deposition process for processing a single wafer-at-a-time includes a cold-wall reactor having a substantially rectangular cross-section. The cross-sectional area of the reaction chamber is substantially reduced to increase the efficiency of the system....     

A photo chemical reaction apparatus comprises a vacuum container partitioned into a reaction chamber and a carrier chamber by use of partition board. The partition board has an opening into which a carrier tray can be detachably inserted so as to cause the rection chamber to be hermetically sealed. The...     

A plasma apparatus which is; provided with a pair of plasma generation chambers at both sides of a specimen chamber provided therein with two specimen mounts for fixing specimens to be subjected to the predetermined processing such as plasma CVD; designed to use the specimen chamber in common so as to...     

A process module which is compatible with a system using primarily vacuum wafer transport, but which permits processing multiple slices in parallel in a single module. This is accomplished by using notched quartz arms in the module, so that the transfer arm can place each of several wafers into one set...     

A plasma reactor for diamond synthesis includes a microwave generator, a waveguide connected to the microwave generator, an antenna disposed within the waveguide to direct the microwaves propagated along the waveguide toward the interior of a reaction chamber, a microwave window provided above the upper...     

A track system is used in a continuous chemical deposition reaction system to guide semiconductor wafer carriers through a plurality of interconnected reaction chambers to position the carriers in each reaction chamber, and to prevent wear to the bottom of the reactor chambers.

A vacuum-tight wafer carrier. The wafers are supported at each side by a slightly sloping shelf, so that minimal contact (line contact) is made between the wafer surface and the surface of the shelf. This reduces generation of particulates by abrasion of the surface of the wafer. The door of the vacuum...     

A molecular beam epitaxy apparatus comprises a growth chamber provided therein with a holder support frame and connected via a first gate valve to a preparation chamber which in turn is connected to a loading chamber via a second gate valve. A first transfer tray arranged in the loading chamber receives...     

An integrated modular multiple chamber vacuum processing system is disclosed. The system includes a load lock, may include an external cassette elevator, and an internal load lock wafer elevator, and also includes stations about the periphery of the load lock for connecting one, two or several vacuum...     

This invention relates to apparatus for pre-aligning the transport stage of an automated wafer handling lithographic system. The wafer is first rotated and its displacement in X, Y, and .theta. from a desired orientation is determined. The wafer chuck of the transport stage is then displaced by a compensating...     

Semiconductor wafers having patterns of steps and grooves defining microcircuit elements thereon are coated with metallic film by supporting the wafers individually adjacent a respective ring-shaped sputtering source in stationary relationship thereto. To effectuate such individual wafer processing on...     

Apparatus for transporting substrates 22, 23 in vacuum deposition systems with several stations, comprising plate-like substrate holders 16 which are moved across the stations in a vertical position along a given path and have two rails which interact with two rows of rollers provided underneath the...     

The sputtering apparatus for the present invention is used for manufacturing optical discs. On loading and unloading of disc substrates to and from a vacuum chamber, a disc entrance and exit opening provided on the vacuum chamber is closed by a tray having an opening at the center thereof on which the...     

A vapor reflow type soldering apparatus with an upper supply hole of vapor for heating the upper surface of an article to be processed, the position of which is displaced to the downstream side along a direction of delivery with respect to that of a lower supply hole of vapor for heating the lower surface...     

A workpiece loading interface is included within a workpiece processing system which processes workpieces, typically wafers, in a vacuum. The workpiece loading interface includes two separate chambers. Each chamber may be separately pumped down. Thus, while a first cassette of wafers, from a first chamber...     

A high-vacuum coating apparatus for coating films has beneath its coating cylinder (7) a pivoting unit (8) which can turn on a pivot shaft (25). It has an adjustable mask (29) and thereunder a shutter (28) which can run from a position covering an evaporator to a position releasing it. Due to its ability...     

A fine pattern forming apparatus includes a stage and an opposed electrode at least one of which is made of a magnetic material. A magnetic field is applied to this stage or opposed electrode to provide a predetermined gap between the stage and the opposed electrode for a fine pattern formation. In consequence,...     

The invention relates to a gaseous phase chemical treatment reactor for wafers. The aim of the invention is to produce a reactor in which only the face of the wafer to be treated is in fact treated. This aim is achieved with the aid of a reactor comprising at least one treatment chamber (19) located...     

An improved reaction chamber for use in an epitaxial deposition process or processing a single wafer-at-a-time. The reaction chamber includes a cold-wall reactor having a substantially rectangular cross-section. The cross-sectional area of the reactant chamber is substantially reduced to increase the...     

In one embodiment this is a method of clamping semiconductor wafers for processing with the active face down. The method comprises: supporting a face down wafer 10 on an intermediate support 15; placing a clamping surface 14 at least adjacent to a backside of the wafer; moving at least three bevel-edged...     

Semiconductor wafers having patterns of steps and grooves defining microcircuit elements thereon are coated with metallic film by supporting the wafers individually adjacent a respective ring-shaped sputtering source in stationary relationship thereto. To effectuate such individual wafer processing on...     

An integrated modular multiple chamber vacuum processing system is disclosed. The system includes a load lock, may include an external cassette elevator, and an internal load lock wafer elevator, and also includes stations about the periphery of the load lock for connecting one, two or several vacuum...     

A continuous type automated apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device by forming a film on a wafer by a CVD method. The apparatus moves the wafer while maintaining the wafer at a predetermined temperature, and controls production of individual wafers and formation of multi-layer films of different...     

In order to remove oxides produced as a result of natural oxidation, from a semiconductor wafer, the semiconductor wafer is transported into a preparatory chamber filled with an inert gas via a loading/unloading passage and held by open/close pins of a loading platform atop an intermediate cover lowered...     

The disclosure is directed to a method for depositing a substance, such as synthetic diamond. A plasma beam is produced, and contains the constituents of the substance to be deposited. A substrate is provided, and has a surface in the path of the beam, the area of said surface being substantially larger...     

A process and apparatus (70) for making a large area photovoltaic device (22) that is capable of generating low cost electrical power. The apparatus (70) for performing the process includes an enclosure (126) providing a controlled environment in which an oven (156) is located. At least one and preferably...     

A plasma CVD system has a processing chamber having a thin film forming section, and a transfer section communicating with the thin film forming section through a connecting opening. The system includes a thin film forming device, located in the thin film forming section, for producing plasma to form...     

A transport car open at the top and supported on rollers moves a substrate from a first coating chamber to a second coating chamber separated by a gate 7 running transversely of the direction of movement of the transport car 5. The gate 7 is formed of an upper gate part 8 and a lower gate part 9 forming...     

A flat substrate carrier comprising a machined main surface for supporting substrates to be treated, a surface opposite to the main surface and coating on all sides. The main surface may have been machined with a view to the removal of the treated substrates from the main surface following treatment....     

The invention relates to an electrode configuration for a device for generating a plasma. RF is coupled contactlessly via a capacitive coupling electrode disposed at the dark space distance into a carrier backside of a coating installation. Dark space shields on the coating side define the plasma zone...     

A chuck in a coating chamber in a CVD system has a hearth for providing heat to a substrate and an interchangeable chuck surface mounted on the hearth for supporting a substrate to be coated during processing. In preferred embodiment there are a plurality of chucks in a system. Excessive coating on surfaces...     

An apparatus for forming a coating on glassware articles comprises a source of pressurized air and source of liquid coating material. The source of liquid coating material includes a reservoir and a vapor-forming chamber. An adjustable gas pressure regulator provides a regulated gas pressure in the reservoir...     

A CVD apparatus for a semiconductor wafer comprises a process chamber made of aluminum. A cylindrical quartz made case having a lower end opening is provided in the process chamber to mount the wafer. A flange of the lower end of the case is airtightly connected to a bottom wall of the process chamber...     

An electrode capable of pushing against a silicon substrate with a constant force is mounted inside a vacuum chamber or a gas-replacing chamber. A bias voltage source can supply a given electrical current between the silicon substrate and the electrode. A temperature-controlled heater and a positioning...     

A disc-handling apparatus for supporting a magnetic disc during material deposition and for transporting the disc into and out of a deposition station is described. The apparatus has a holder that supports a disc at three contact points by a support and a pair of arms, such that the disc is positively...     

A process chamber is disclosed which provides a 360.degree. circular gas/vacuum distribution over a substrate being processed. The substrate being processed is supported on a heated and optionally cooled pedestal assembly. The substrate faces a one-piece gas distribution faceplate being connected to...     

The invention provides an improved apparatus for supporting a workpiece during the manufacturing process involving the workpiece. The apparatus includes a holding device for maintaining the workpiece in a predetermined orientation during performance of the manufacturing process. The holding device includes...     

Vacuum treatment apparatus including at least two chambers that are linked by a transit opening. A valve body pivotally linked within the opening pivots around a pivot axis that is disposed transversely in the opening. A drive for pivoting the valve body around the pivot axis also provided. The valve...