Patent ID: 6627039
Filing Date: 2003-09-30
Classification: C23C,H01J,H01L

Abstract:
An apparatus comprising:a first loading device for taking articles to a plasma processing system and loading articles into the plasma processing system, and for unloading processed articles from the plasma processing system and taking them away from the plasma processing system; a second loading device for taking articles to the plasma processing system and loading them into the plasma processing system, and for unloading processed articles from the plasma processing system and taking the processed articles away from the plasma processing system; and a control system for controlling the first and second loading devices to accomplish at least a first operation and a second operation, wherein the first operation consists in: the first loading device loading one or more first articles into the plasma processing system, and the plasma processing system processing the first articles; wherein the second operation consists in: the second loading device taking one or more second articles processed by the plasma processing system away from the plasma processing system, then the second articles being unloaded from the second loading device, and the second loading device being reloaded with one or more third articles which are to be processed by the plasma processing system; wherein at least part of the first operation occurs concurrently with at least part of the second operation.