Patent ID: 7179397
Filing Date: 2007-02-20
Classification: C23C,H01J,H01L

Abstract:
1. A method for plasma processing of articles, the method comprising: (1) unloading a plurality of first articles processed by a plasma processing system from the system to a first loading device; (2) loading a plurality of second articles from a second loading device into the plasma processing system, and processing the plurality of second articles by the plasma processing system; and (3) unloading the plurality of first articles from the first loading device and loading the first loading device with a plurality of third articles to be processed by the plasma processing system, wherein at least part of step (2) is performed concurrently with at least part of step (3); wherein the step (2) comprises: the second loading device positioning the plurality of second articles such that each article is positioned below a respective article holder of the plasma processing system; after each of the plurality of articles has been positioned below the respective article holder, loading the articles into the article holders.