Patent ID: 8834969
Filing Date: 2014-09-16
Classification: H01L,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for manufacturing workpieces, each treated by a multitude of vacuum treatment processes comprising: providing a vacuum processing station for each of said vacuum treatment processes; grouping said vacuum processing stations in at least a first group of first vacuum processing stations performing respectively first vacuum treatment processes around a first central vacuum transport station and in a second group of second vacuum processing stations performing respectively second vacuum treatment processes around a second vacuum transport chamber; treating each workpiece consecutively by each of said first vacuum treatment processes and transporting said workpieces simultaneously from one of said first vacuum processing stations to a next of said first vacuum processing stations; wherein each workpiece residing exposed to each of said first vacuum processing stations for first processing time spans of equal lengths; transporting said workpieces between said first group of said first vacuum treatment processes and said second group of second vacuum treatment processes; treating said workpieces by said second vacuum treatment processes, and transporting said workpieces individually to and from selected second vacuum processing stations, whereby one of said workpieces residing exposed to one of said second vacuum processing stations while a second one of said workpieces being transported to another of said second vacuum processing stations; and a second processing time span during which said one workpiece being exposed to said one of said second vacuum processing stations being longer than said first processing time spans.