Load-lock apparatus
AssigneeNissin Ion Equipment Co., Ltd.
InventorMasatoshi ONODA
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A load-lock apparatus includes a fixed part, and a movable part that moves to connect with the fixed part to form a load-lock chamber therebetween. The fixed part and/or the movable part includes a cooling gas inlet to supply a cooling gas into the load-lock chamber. The movable part includes a stage that supports a wafer, a cooling plate that cools the wafer, a base member that supports one of the stage and the cooling plate, a second support shaft connected to the other one of the stage and the cooling plate, a second drive structure that moves the second support shaft, a first support shaft connected to the base member, and a first drive structure that moves the first support shaft, the second support shaft, and the second drive structure together.
Claims16
A load-lock apparatus comprising:
- a fixed part;
- and
- a movable part configured to move to connect with the fixed part to form a load-lock chamber therebetween,
- wherein at least one of the fixed part and the movable part comprises a cooling gas inlet configured to supply a cooling gas into the load-lock chamber, and
- wherein the movable part comprises:
- a stage configured to support a wafer,
- a cooling plate configured to cool the wafer,
- a base member configured to support either the stage or the cooling plate,
- a second support shaft connected to either the stage that is not supported by the base member or to the cooling plate that is not supported by the base member,
- a second drive structure configured to move the second support shaft,
- a first support shaft connected to the base member, and
- a first drive structure configured to move the first support shaft, the second support shaft, and the second drive structure together.
A load-lock apparatus comprising:
- a stage configured to receive a wafer,
- a cooling plate configured to cool the wafer,
- a first base member configured to support the cooling plate,
- a second base member comprising one or more cooling gas inlets,
- a first support shaft connected to the first base member,
- a second support shaft connected to the stage,
- a second drive structure configured to move the second support shaft, and
- a first drive structure configured to move the first support shaft, the second support shaft, and the second drive structure together such that the second base member contacts the first base member to define a load-lock chamber therebetween,
- wherein a cooling gas is supplied to the load-lock chamber through the one or more cooling gas inlets to cool the wafer supported on the stage in the load-lock chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.