MULTl-STATION TOOL WITH ROTATABLE TOP PLATE ASSEMBLY

A semiconductor processing apparatus including:

• a center chamber structure;
• a wafer handling robot positioned within the center chamber structure;
• a plurality of satellite chamber structures arranged around the center chamber structure, each satellite chamber structure:
• connected with the center chamber structure via a corresponding passage sized to allow a wafer to be passed from the center chamber structure and into that satellite chamber structure by the wafer handling robot, and
• having a corresponding opening;
• a top plate assembly that extends over the satellite chamber structures and is configured to be transitionable between at least a first configuration and a second configuration;
• and
• a rotational bearing mechanism configured to support the top plate assembly at least when the top plate assembly is in the second configuration, wherein:
• the top plate assembly, in the first configuration, is engaged with each of the satellite chamber structures so as to seal the openings thereof, and
• the top plate assembly, in the second configuration, is positioned further from the satellite chamber structures than in the first configuration, supported by the rotational bearing mechanism, and able to rotate about a vertical axis between at least a first rotational position and a second rotational position.