STANDARD MECHANICAL INTERFACE INTEGRATED VACUUM LOADLOCK CHAMBER

摘要

A loadlock chamber (20) for transferring one or more semiconductor wafers (16) from a storage and transfer pod (22) into high-vacuum process chambers (30) in a contaminant free environment. The loadlock chamber (20) includes mechanisms (27, 29) for separating a wafer carrying cassette (12) from the storage and transfer pod (22), mechanisms (32, 34, 35) for transferring the cassette into a chamber which may be sealed and evacuated, and mechanisms (46) for allowing transfer of wafers (16) between the cassette (12) and the various process chambers (44), wherein each of the mechanisms operates in an environment that is sealed against the external environment.