Multiple chamber vacuum processing system configuration for improving the stability of mark shielding process

摘要

A new configuration of a basic concatenatable integrated modular multiple chamber vacuum processing system for wafer manufacturing vacuum processes is disclosed. The basic system includes at least one multiple ported transfer vacuum chamber, an R-theta transfer means contained within each chamber, a multiplicity of ports adaptable for appending a variety of vacuum process chambers as well as forming entrance/exit ports with at least one dual port pass through chamber attached to one entrance/exit port. Each pass through chamber contains a wafer alignment and/or orientation means for aligning or orienting the wafer as necessary in any of the appended process chambers. The configuration minimizes alignment or orientation errors due to inherent instability of the concatenated transfer means operations.