# US 2008/0184933 A1 · Process chamber, inline coating installation and method for treating a substrate > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2008/0184933 A1 - Document ID: US20080184933A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 11/680,361 - Filed: 2007-02-28 - Published: 2008-08-07 - Earliest claimed: 2007-02-02 - Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc. - Inventors: Juergen Henrich; Michael Schaefer; Edgar Haberkorn - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080184933A1 ## CPC - C23C 16/54: Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) ## Abstract A process chamber 1 for PECVD (Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition) coating of a substrate includes an electrode, which is integrated in a contact frame, which is firmly connected to the recipient. A movable carrier in the process chamber carries at least one substrate. The carrier is transported by means of a driven roller positioner into the process chamber or out of the process chamber along a transport route defined by the movement. As soon as the carrier inside the recipient has reached a certain position, the lower roller positioner is uncoupled from carrier by lowering by means of a lifting device. In this regard, the carrier detaches itself from the upper roller positioner. Then, the carrier is accepted by a transfer device (not shown) and brought from the transport position laterally into a treatment position in contact with the contact frame. In this way, reliable contact is produced between the electrode and a counter-electrode provided in carrier. At the same time, other carriers, in so far as the contact frame is removed laterally far enough from the transport route, during the coating of the carrier, can be moved past this. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Process chamber for treatment of a substrate b Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition, comprising a recipient, treatment tools for generating reaction conditions for treatment of the substrate (5a, 5b), at least one movable carrier in the recipient, said carrier for carrying at least one substrate, and a transport device for transporting the carrier into the recipient or from the recipient along a transport route, wherein: the transport device has at least one guidance device for guiding at least one carrier along the transport route; the process chamber comprises: means inside the recipient for uncoupling a carrier positioned in a transport position from the guidance device; and means for the acceptance of the carrier from the guidance device; the means for acceptance have a transfer device for transferring the carrier along a transfer direction from the transport position into a treatment position transverse to the transport direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Process chamber in accordance with claim 1, wherein the process chamber is formed such that the substrate arranged at the carrier is transportable substantially vertically aligned along the transport route by the transport device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Process chamber in accordance with claim 1, wherein the transfer direction is aligned substantially perpendicular to the transport route, such that alignment of the substrate in the treatment position of the carrier is substantially parallel to alignment of the substrate in the transport position of the carrier. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) Process chamber in accordance with claim 1, wherein the process chamber has at least one contact frame arranged inside the recipient for the purpose of alignment of the carrier in the treatment position at the contact frame and for contacting the contact frame through the carrier. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) Process chamber in accordance with claim 1, further comprising at least one treatment electrode. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) Process chamber in accordance with claim 5, wherein the at least one treatment electrode is arranged at the contact frame. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) Process chamber in accordance with claim 4 wherein in the treatment position, the contact frame has contacts for creating a connection to corresponding counter-contacts arranged at the carrier. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) Process chamber in accordance with claim 1, wherein the transport device has at least one drive and means for transmitting the driving force for transmitting the carrier along the transport route. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) Process chamber in accordance with claim 8, wherein the means for transferring the driving force have at least a first roller position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) Process chamber in accordance with claim 1, wherein the guidance device has at least one roller position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) Process chamber in accordance with claim 1, wherein the means for uncoupling the carrier from the guidance device comprise at least one lifting device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) Process chamber in accordance with claim 11, wherein the lifting device is formed for lowering and/or raising at least a part of the guidance device, for lowering or raising the carrier and/or for uncoupling the carrier from the guidance device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) Process chamber in accordance with claim 1, wherein the means of acceptance comprise at least a frame and/or a support arm with an actuation device for moving the frame or the support arm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) Process chamber in accordance with claim 1, wherein the means of acceptance have means of engagement for engaging with corresponding devices formed at the carrier. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) Process chamber in accordance with claim 13, wherein the actuation device is formed such that, through actuation and movement of the carrier coupled to the means of acceptance, the transport route is freed for the transport of other carriers. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) Inline coating installation, comprising at least one of the process chambers of claim 1. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1, 16) Incline coating installation in accordance with claim 16, comprising two or more of the process chambers of claim 1 arranged in series. ### Claim 18 Method for the treatment of a substrate arranged at a carrier, comprising the steps of: a) transporting the carrier loaded with the substrate along a transport route into the interior of a process chamber into a transport position using a transport and guidance device; b) actuating an acceptance device; c) actuating an uncoupling device for creating an engagement for the acceptance of the carrier by the acceptance device and for the uncoupling of the carrier from the transport and guidance device; d) actuating the acceptance device for creating a, relative to the transport route, lateral movement of the carrier to a contact frame arranged laterally from the transport route, the purpose of said frame being contacting of the carrier with the contact frame and creation of a contact between contacts formed at the carrier and correspondingly at the contact frame; and e) commencing the treatment process. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) Method in accordance with claim 18, wherein the substrate is substantially aligned vertically during execution of the method. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) Method in accordance with claim 18, wherein actuation of the uncoupling device in step c) comprises lowering of a roller positioner using a lifting device. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) Method in accordance with claim 18 wherein after reaching the contact position in step d), laterally offsetting the carrier such that the transport route is freed such that it may be passed by other carriers along the transport route. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) Method in accordance with claim 18 wherein the method is repeated in several process chambers arranged in series.