High throughput load lock for solar wafers

A system for transporting substrates from an atmospheric pressure to high vacuum pressure, comprising:

• a rough vacuum chamber having an entry valve and an exit opening;
• a high vacuum chamber having an entry opening, the high vacuum chamber coupled to the rough vacuum chamber such that the exit opening and the entry opening are aligned;
• a separation valve situated between the exit opening and the entry opening;
• a first conveyor provided inside the rough vacuum chamber and transporting substrates from atmospheric environment into the rough vacuum environment inside the rough vacuum chamber;
• a second conveyor arrangement provided in the high vacuum chamber;
• a sensing element provided in the high vacuum chamber to enable detection of broken substrates;
• and,
• a disposal mechanism provided in the high vacuum chamber enabling dumping of broken substrates into a collection bin wherein the disposal mechanism comprises a tilting mechanism configured for tilting the second conveyor arrangement away from its horizontal transport position so as to dump the broken substrates into the collection bin.

A high vacuum loadlock, comprising:

• a sealable chamber body having an entry opening configured for coupling to a rough vacuum loadlock and further having an exit valve configured for coupling to a vacuum processing chamber;
• at least one conveyor belt configured for transporting substrates;
• a sensing element provided in the sealable chamber body to enable detection of broken substrates on the conveyor belt;
• and,
• a mechanism provided on the conveyor belt enabling the belt to swivel as to assume a tilted from horizontal to dump broken substrates onto a collection bin at bottom of the sealable chamber body.