Magnetic levitation system, processing system, and method of transporting a carrier

A magnetic levitation system for transporting a carrier in a transport direction comprising:

• a plurality of magnetic bearings comprising:
• a first actuator with a U-shaped electromagnet for contactlessly holding the carrier in a carrier transportation space, the first actuator arranged above or below the carrier transportation space;
• and
• a plurality of drive units comprising:
• a second actuator for moving the carrier in the transport direction, the second actuator or a projection of the second actuator along the transport direction is partially surrounded by the U-shaped electromagnet;
• and
• wherein first actuators of the plurality of magnetic bearings and second actuators of the plurality of drive units are alternately arranged in the transport direction.

A processing system for vertically processing a substrate, comprising:

• at least one vacuum chamber comprising a processing device;
• and
• one or more magnetic levitation systems for transporting one or more carriers in a transport direction through the at least one vacuum chamber, the one or more magnetic levitation systems comprising:
• a plurality of magnetic bearings having a first actuator with a U-shaped electromagnet for contactlessly holding the carrier in a carrier transportation space, the first actuator arranged above the carrier transportation space, and the carrier transportation space is within an inner volume of the at least one vacuum chamber;
• and
• a plurality of drive units having a second actuator for moving the carrier in the transport direction,
• wherein the second actuator or a projection of the second actuator along the transport direction is partially surrounded by the U-shaped electromagnet comprising a U-shaped core with two legs, the two legs being directed toward the carrier transportation space and an end of each of the two legs providing two poles of the U-shaped electromagnet for exerting magnetic levitation forces on the carrier;
• and
• a contactless guiding arrangement for guiding the carrier in the transport direction arranged in a lower portion of the carrier transportation space, the contactless guiding arrangement including one or more passive magnetic bearings adapted for generating a static magnetic field,
• wherein both the first actuator and the second actuator are centered above the carrier transportation space and in an atmospheric space, and wherein the second actuator is arranged offset relative to the first actuator.

A method of transporting a carrier in a transport direction through a vacuum chamber, comprising:

• contactlessly holding the carrier in a carrier transportation space using a plurality of magnetic bearings having a first actuator with a U-shaped electromagnet;
• transporting the carrier in the transport direction using a plurality of drive units having a second actuator, wherein the second actuator or a projection of the second actuator along the transport direction is partially surrounded by the U-shaped electromagnet comprising a U-shaped core with two legs, the two legs being directed toward the carrier transportation space and an end of each of the two legs providing two poles of the U-shaped electromagnet for exerting magnetic levitation forces on the carrier, wherein the second actuator is arranged offset relative to the first actuator, and wherein both the first actuator and the second actuator are arranged above a center of gravity and the center of gravity of the carrier, when the carrier moves below the first actuator and the second actuator, wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are arranged in an atmospheric space, and wherein the carrier transportation space is in an inner volume of the vacuum chamber;
• and
• contactlessly guiding the carrier in the transport direction by employing a contactless guiding arrangement arranged in a lower portion of the carrier transportation space, the contactless guiding arrangement including one or more passive magnetic bearings adapted for generating a static magnetic field.