Patent ID: 6254328
Filing Date: 2001-07-03
Classification: H01L,Y10S

Abstract:
A load-lock apparatus for transferring an article between an ambient atmospheric pressure environment and a high vacuum environment, the apparatus comprising:an article chamber having an interior demarked into axially aligned loading and transfer chambers by a ledge projecting into the interior;a pedestal projecting into and axially transposable within the transfer chamber to selectively position an article-bearing stage in sealing engagement with the ledge to create fluid isolation between the loading and transfer chambers to allow ambient atmospheric pressure and high vacuum to coexist in the loading and transfer chambers respectively, and such that articles positioned on the stage are projected into the loading chamber and in fluid isolation from the transfer chamber; andan open-ended, pressure adjustable, sub-chamber within the loading chamber, the sub-chamber being axially transposable toward the transfer chamber to create, in cooperation with the ledge and article-bearing stage, a sealable enclosure about articles positioned on the stage, the enclosure having a selectively evacuable volume in fluid isolation from the loading chamber and the transfer chamber to allow ambient atmospheric pressure and high vacuum pressure to coexist in the loading chamber and the selectively evacuable volume, respectively.