Linkage conduit for vacuum chamber applications

An ion implantation apparatus comprising:

• an enclosure defining a process chamber;
• a carriage slidably mounted on a pair of shafts within the process chamber and coupled to a drive mechanism adapted to selectively move the carriage along the shafts, the carriage including air bearings surrounding the shafts that are adapted to mitigate transverse movement of the carriage relative to the shafts and to mitigate physical contact between the carriage and the shafts;
• a platen assembly coupled to the carriage;
• and
• a linkage conduit extending between a side wall of the enclosure and the carriage, the linkage conduit comprising a plurality of pivotably interconnected linkage members that are coupled to one another by fluid-tight rotary seals and that define a contiguous internal volume, wherein the linkage conduit is coupled to a vacuum source that maintains vacuum pressure within the internal volume.