Patent ID: 6491802
Filing Date: 2002-12-10
Classification: C23C

Abstract:
An inline film forming system comprising:a plurality of process chambers for forming a film on a substrate; a transport chamber for transporting said substrate; and transport means being disposed in said transport chamber for transporting said substrate from one of said plurality of process chambers to another; wherein said plurality of process chambers are disposed in a first line which defines a first direction, and wherein said transport means comprises: a first transport mechanism which transports said substrate in said first direction along said first line along which said plurality of process chambers are disposed; a second transport mechanism which transports said substrate in a second direction along a second line that intersects said first line so as to insert said substrate into or remove said substrate from said plurality of process chambers; wherein a path of said substrate transported by said first transport mechanism is divided into a plurality of sections along said first line and said first transport mechanism comprises a plurality of portions, each of said portions being responsible for transporting said substrate through each of said divided sections, respectively, said plurality of portions being able to be driven independently of each other in both forward and reverse directions with respect to said first direction defined by said first line along which said plurality of process chambers are disposed.