# US 2023/0055201 A1 · Carrier transport system, vacuum processing apparatus, and method of transportation of a carrier in a vacuum chamber > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0055201 A1 - Document ID: US20230055201A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/788,952 - Filed: 2020-05-13 - Published: 2023-02-23 - Earliest claimed: 2020-05-13 - Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc. - Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc. - Inventors: Christian Wolfgang EHMANN - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230055201A1 ## CPC - B65G 54/02: electrostatic, electric, or magnetic - C23C 14/50: Substrate holders - B65G 13/11: Roller frames - B65G 49/061: {Lifting, gripping, or carrying means, for one or more sheets forming independent means of transport, e.g. suction cups, transport frames (suction means as load-engaging elements attached to the lifting or lowering gear of cranes B66C1/02; suction cups for attaching purposes F16B47/00; suction cups on gripping heads B25J15/0616; suction cups in general B65G47/91; suction cups combined with cutting means on vertical conveyors C03B33/00 - C03B33/10; devices for turning sheets B65G49/067; suspending devices B65G49/066)} - B65G 49/064: {in a horizontal position (B65G49/066 takes precedence)} - C23C 14/042: {using masks} - C23C 14/564: {Means for minimising impurities in the coating chamber such as dust, moisture, residual gases} - C23C 16/4587: {the substrate being supported substantially vertically} - H10P 72/3204: {using magnetic elements} - H10P 72/3206: {the substrate being handled substantially vertically} - B65G 2249/02: Controlled or contamination-free environments or clean space conditions - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - 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) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A carrier transport system for transporting a carrier within a vacuum chamber is described. The carrier transport system includes a track assembly extending in a transport direction, the track assembly comprising: a first passive magnetic unit provided at a first vertical coordinate and extending in the transport direction, a second passive magnetic unit provided at a second vertical coordinate and extending in the transport direction, wherein the first passive magnetic unit and the second passive magnetic unit are configured to counteract the weight of the carrier; and a roller transportation track provided at a third vertical coordinate and comprising a plurality of rollers configured to support partial weight of the carrier, wherein a first vertical distance between the first vertical coordinate and the second vertical coordinate is larger than a second distance between the second vertical coordinate and the third vertical coordinate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A carrier transport system for transporting a carrier within a vacuum chamber, comprising: a track assembly extending in a transport direction, the track assembly comprising: a first passive magnetic unit provided at a first vertical coordinate and extending in the transport direction, a second passive magnetic unit provided at a second vertical coordinate and extending in the transport direction, wherein the first passive magnetic unit and the second passive magnetic unit are configured to counteract the weight of the carrier; the second passive magnetic unit is configured to be on a side of the carrier and configured to couple with a second passive magnetic unit of the carrier, wherein passive magnetic units include permanent magnets; and a roller transportation track provided at a third vertical coordinate and comprising a plurality of rollers configured to support partial weight of the carrier, wherein a first vertical distance between the first vertical coordinate and the second vertical coordinate is larger than a second distance between the second vertical coordinate and the third vertical coordinate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The carrier transport system according to claim 1, further comprising: a drive assembly having a set of active magnets extending in the transportation direction generating a force parallel to the force of gravity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The carrier transport system according to claim 2, wherein the drive assembly is further configured to provide a force in the transport direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The carrier transport system according to claim 2, wherein the second vertical coordinate of the second passive magnetic unit is vertically located between the first vertical coordinate of first passive magnetic unit and the set of magnets of the drive assembly. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The carrier transport system according to claim 1, wherein the transportation direction is essentially horizontal having a deviation from exact horizontality by an angle of up to 15 degrees. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The carrier transport system according to claim 1, wherein the carrier is configured for being transported in a vertical or near-vertical orientation, that is, an orientation that deviates from exact verticality by an angle of up to 15 degrees. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The carrier transport system according to claim 1, wherein the first passive magnetic unit is configured to counteract at least 20% of the weight of the carrier, and the second passive magnetic unit is configured to counteract at least 60% of the weight of the carrier. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The carrier transport system according to claim 1, wherein magnetic poles of the first passive magnetic unit and the second passive magnetic unit are configured for lateral guiding of the carrier. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The carrier transport system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of rollers extend at least partially parallel to a rotation axis of the respective rollers. ### Claim 10 A carrier for a substrate to be processed in an apparatus for vacuum processing of the substrate, comprising: a first passive magnetic unit provided at a first vertical carrier coordinate; a second passive magnetic unit provided at a second vertical carrier coordinate; a third passive magnetic unit provided at a third vertical carrier coordinate, wherein a first vertical carrier distance between the first vertical carrier coordinate and the second vertical carrier coordinate is larger than a second carrier distance between the second vertical carrier coordinate and the third vertical carrier coordinate; a first rail configured to be in contact with a top surface of at least one of a plurality of rollers of a roller transportation track; and a second rail configured to be in contact with the bottom of the at least one of the plurality of rollers. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The carrier according to claim 10, wherein the second passive magnetic unit is laterally offset with respect to the first passive magnetic unit, wherein the offset is in a direction perpendicular to the transportation direction and in a direction to the vertical direction. ### Claim 12 (canceled) ### Claim 13 An apparatus for vacuum processing of a substrate, comprising: a vacuum chamber; and a carrier transport system comprising: a track assembly extending in a transport direction, the track assembly comprising: a first passive magnetic unit provided at a first vertical coordinate and extending in the transport direction, a second passive magnetic unit provided at a second vertical coordinate and extending in the transport direction, wherein the first passive magnetic unit and the second passive magnetic unit are configured to counteract the weight of the carrier; the second passive magnetic unit is configured to be on a side of the carrier and configured to couple with a second passive magnetic unit of the carrier, wherein passive magnetic units include permanent magnets; and a roller transportation track provided at a third vertical coordinate and comprising a plurality of rollers configured to support partial weight of the carrier, wherein a first vertical distance between the first vertical coordinate and the second vertical coordinate is larger than a second distance between the second vertical coordinate and the third vertical coordinate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus for vacuum processing of a substrate according to claim 13, further comprising: a deposition apparatus within the vacuum chamber. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising: a carrier comprising: a first passive magnetic unit provided at a first vertical carrier coordinate; a second passive magnetic unit provided at a second vertical carrier coordinate; a third passive magnetic unit provided at a third vertical carrier coordinate, wherein a first vertical carrier distance between the first vertical carrier coordinate and the second vertical carrier coordinate is larger than a second carrier distance between the second vertical carrier coordinate and the third vertical carrier coordinate; a first rail configured to be in contact with a top surface of at least one of a plurality of rollers of a roller transportation track; and a second rail configured to be in contact with the bottom of the at least one of the plurality of rollers. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus for vacuum processing of a substrate according to claim 15, wherein the first passive magnetic unit of the track assembly is configured to be on top of the carrier being coupled with the first passive magnetic unit of the carrier. ### Claim 17 (canceled) ### Claim 18 A method for transportation of a carrier within the vacuum chamber, comprising: transporting the carrier on a track assembly with partial counteraction of the weight of the carrier by first passive magnetic units; transporting the carrier on the track assembly with partial counteraction of the weight of the carrier by second passive magnet units; and transporting the carrier on the track assembly with partial weight of the carrier on the at least one of the plurality of the rollers. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method for transportation of a carrier according to the claim 18, further comprising: transporting the carrier in the transportation direction with a drive assembly. ### Claim 20 (depends on 3) The carrier transport system according to claim 3, wherein the second vertical coordinate of the second passive magnetic unit is vertically located between the first vertical coordinate of first passive magnetic unit and the set of magnets of the drive assembly. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The carrier transport system according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the plurality of rollers have a cylindrical shape.