Abstract:
A transfer chamber is disclosed having a first plate with a first surface configured to receive a sample and a second surface containing a groove. The second surface of the first plate surrounds the first surface of the first plate. A second plate has a first surface and a second surface containing a groove. A sealing component is disposed in the groove of the first plate or the second plate. A pivotable link couples the first plate and the second plate. The pivotable link is configured to hold the first plate, the second plate, and the sealing component together to substantially create an air-tight seal between the first surface of the first plate and the second surface of the second plate. The pivotable link is configured to open the seal in response to a pressure differential across the transfer chamber.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/709,523 filed on Oct. 4, 2012, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT LICENSE RIGHTS 
       [0002]    The present invention was made with government support under contract number DE-AC02-98CH10886 awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of. Basic Energy Sciences. The United States government may have certain rights in this invention. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present disclosure relates to degradation avoidance mechanisms and methods for avoiding exposure of materials, including semiconductors and metals, to ambient air. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE RELATED ART 
       [0004]    Many materials used in electronic applications, including semiconductors and metals used in advanced solar cells and thin film transistors, may degrade upon exposure to ambient air. Exposure can adversely affect the optical and electronic characteristics of devices that subsequently incorporate these materials. As a result, device performance and device lifetime may be negatively impacted by these types of exposures. 
         [0005]    An exemplary source of degradation may be air exposure during material processing prior to encapsulation of the device. This may be due to air seepages into storage containers or storing chambers while the material transitions between localities having differing pressures. One such example may be the transitioning of semiconductor substrates from one area of high pressure to another area of lower pressure following atomic layering, doping, or etching processes. Different pressure transitions during other metal device processing may also be encountered and thereby involve similar air exposure and degradation problems. 
         [0006]    Examples of degradation mechanisms include effects due to the oxygen content and the water content of air. Oxygen degrades organic semiconductors by oxidizing conjugated molecules and polymers making up the semiconductors. Additionally, unintentional doping of semiconductors by molecular oxygen can lead to changes in carrier concentration. Reactions with oxygen and water at the interface between two materials can lead to undesirable effects. Water, as well as oxygen, is known to react with dielectric interfaces causing a shift in the threshold voltage of organic as well as other thin film transistors. 
         [0007]    Typically, a network of inter-connected glove boxes forming a controlled-environment processing line is required to carry out all stages of device fabrication in an inert atmosphere or vacuum, for example, in environments without exposure to ambient oxygen or water. The network preferably would contain equipment for preparation of solutions, for example, a balance, a magnetic stirrer, a hotplate, solution processing equipment such as a spin coater or blade coater, and vacuum deposition equipment such a thermal evaporator, an electron-beam evaporator, or an atomic layer deposition system. 
         [0008]    Inter-connected glove boxes are not available in many laboratory and R&amp;D environments. This is due in part to the fact that controlled-environment processing lines are more expensive to implement compared to similar processing lines utilizing sample transfer in ambient air. A facility that wishes to work with air-sensitive materials, but is not specially built for controlled-environment processing, may not be able to justify acquisition of new processing lines. Often times, however, similar solution processing and vacuum deposition equipment that is compatible with air-stable materials already exists within a laboratory. 
         [0009]    A further complication exists in the ability to seal a storage container under inert atmosphere and subsequently open it in a vacuum deposition process chamber. It would be advantageous to avoid the use of mechanical manipulation feed-through or electrical feed-through to effect such transitions during device processing. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0010]    An exemplary transfer chamber according to various embodiments of the present invention enables the use of air-sensitive samples with a wide variety of vacuum deposition tools. The transfer chamber may circumvent one or more of the limitations described by providing a means of transferring samples from an inert atmosphere, such as one provided by a glove box, to a vacuum deposition process chamber without exposure of the sample to ambient air. 
         [0011]    According to another aspect of various disclosed embodiments, an exemplary transfer chamber can easily be assembled in a glove box and sealed in the antechamber of a typical glove box system. All that is required to seal the transfer chamber is a means to reduce the pressure of the antechamber below ambient pressure while the transfer chamber sits inside. 
         [0012]    According to various aspects of disclosed embodiments, opening, or un-sealing, of an exemplary transfer chamber may be driven by pressure differentials between the low pressure of a deposition process chamber (which may be for example, less than 1 milliTorr) and a higher pressure in the sealed transfer chamber (which may be approximately 10 milliTorr). An exemplary transfer chamber may experience an ambient pressure during sample loading while present in the vacuum deposition process and subsequently experience lower pressures during further processing. 
         [0013]    An exemplary transfer chamber during the crossover from ambient pressure (above that of the transfer chamber), to low pressure (below that of the transfer chamber), may take advantage of suitable pressure differential regimes to allow access to its contents during multi-pressured processing. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  illustrates in cross-section an exemplary embodiment of a transfer chamber with a hinge-type opening and closing configuration. 
           [0015]      FIGS. 2A-2D  illustrate exemplary embodiments of a transfer chamber with spring-implemented opening and closing configurations. Exemplary closed configurations are illustrated in  FIGS. 2A and 2C . Exemplary open configurations are illustrated in  FIGS. 2B and 2D . 
           [0016]      FIGS. 3A-E  illustrate exemplary embodiments of a transfer chamber with a pressure-sensitive plate arrangement for opening and closing the transfer chamber. 
           [0017]      FIGS. 4A-E  illustrate exemplary embodiments of a transfer chamber with springs and/or pivotable devices for opening and closing configurations. 
           [0018]      FIGS. 5A-E  are illustrative embodiments of a method of opening and closing a transfer chamber. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    According to the illustrative embodiment disclosed in cross-sectional view in  FIG. 1 , transfer chamber  100  includes a back plate  130  with one or more grooves  135  for mounting a sample, such as a substrate or metal, and through-holes  126  for attachment of back plate  130  to a wall  160  abutting front plate assembly  140   a  and  140   b . Back plate  130  may attach to wall  160  utilizing one or more bolts  20  mechanically engaging interior surfaces of back plate  130  and/or wall  160  via the through-holes  126 . While bolts  20  are shown, any form of mechanical or chemical means of attachment may be used. A preferred attachment means may be bolts or welds. The front plate assembly  140   a/b  may comprise a door  140   a , an elbow  140   b , a sealing structure  80  coupled to interior surface  141  of door  140   a  and a hinge  150  operatively connecting elbow  140   b  to a wall  160  of back plate  130 . An exemplary gasket  80  may be a vacuum-seal O-ring made of rubber, silicone or any other appropriate elastomer, such as, for example, Viton® manufactured and marketed by DuPont. Alternatively, other gaskets  80  may be used to accomplish the task of vacuum sealing very small chambers such as those known to skilled artisans in this field of endeavor. 
         [0020]    In an exemplary embodiment, an O-ring  80  may be coupled to a surface  161  of back plate wall  160 . O-ring  80  may be attached to door  140  by means of adhesive, friction fitting or any other coupling mechanisms known to those skilled in the art. Preferably, gasket  80  is an O-ring that may be coupled within a recessed portion of surface  141  that engages a complementary surface  161  of wall  160  of back plate  130  to create an air-tight seal about the closed space formed by the back plate  130  and the front plate assembly  140   a  and/or  140   b.    
         [0021]    Exemplary back plates  130 , front plate assemblies  140   a  and  140   b , and chamber wall(s)  160  may be constructed from stainless steel as well as other metals or composites. Suitable hinges for the purposes of the embodiments related to  FIG. 1  may be constructed from any vacuum-compatible and machinable materials known to those skilled in the art, such as, for example, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, or teflon. While the present invention may operate using components of various sizes depending on the application for which it is used, an exemplary transfer chamber may be shaped to fit within a process chamber  500  while allowing enough space to fully open the transfer chamber door. Additionally, an exemplary transfer chamber must be of sufficient size to accommodate one or more samples, such as semiconductor substrates. In a preferred embodiment, transfer chamber  100  is a cylindrical chamber used in a vacuum deposition process chamber. 
         [0022]    While certain of the exemplary transfer chambers described may optionally include a port with a valve connecting to the inside of the transfer chamber to evacuate the transfer chamber, another exemplary transfer chamber embodiments do not require such a port with a valve. According to one exemplary embodiment, a vacuum chamber may be evacuated through the port and valve in order to seal the chamber. However, in a preferred embodiment, an exemplary transfer chamber  100  may be sealed without use of a port and valve by placing it within a container accommodating the transfer chamber&#39;s shape and size and evacuating the transfer chamber through the gasket  80 , thereby creating a seal. 
         [0023]    Depending on the process involved, a mounting bracket  120  may be used for mounting transfer chamber  100  in operation. Mounting bracket  120  may engage back plate  130  by means of bolts  20  engaging interior surfaces of back plate  130 . Alternatively, mounting bracket  120  may be coupled to back plate  130  by sliding engagements, hooks or other forms of non-permanent mechanical coupling known to those skilled in the art. 
         [0024]    An exemplary transfer chamber  100  may be used with any means for processing a sample held therein, including, vacuum deposition systems, etching tools, x-ray characterization, microscopy applications, and lithographic systems. For example, in a physical vapor deposition system, samples held by an exemplary transfer chamber are placed face down above the deposition source for processing. In one embodiment, after placement of an exemplary sealed transfer chamber  100  in a vacuum process chamber, a pressure differential created during evacuation of the process chamber causes displacement of elbow  140   b  which hinges door  140   a  to back plate  130  and/or walls  160 . Door  140   a  may open due to a pressure differential outside of transfer device  100 . For example, when the pressure internal to the chamber exceeds that of the external environment, door  140   a  will swing downward as a result of its own weight. By virtue of this exemplary process using an exemplary transfer chamber  100 , a sample configured to be placed in one or more grooves  135 , may be exposed to an incident flux from a deposition source. In an exemplary transfer chamber, the sample may be held in place by a mechanical clip or adhesive, such as, for example, vacuum grease or vacuum-compatible double-sided tape. 
         [0025]    According to the illustrative embodiment disclosed in  FIGS. 2A-2D , transfer chamber  200  may open to reveal a sample (not shown) held within pocket  210  which may face a suitable processing system, such a deposition source, for suitable processing. An exemplary transfer chamber  200  according to this illustrative embodiment in  FIG. 2A  may include a bottom plate  230 , a gasket  90  coupled to bottom plate  230 , top plate  205 , hinge  208  coupling bottom plate  230  to top plate  205  and a spring network  206  for operatively opening transfer chamber  200  in response to a pressure differential. In one exemplary embodiment, a sample (not shown) may be loaded in pocket  210  and stored in a sealed transfer chamber  200  ( FIG. 2A and 2C ) by reducing the pressure inside the chamber by evacuating it. When the exemplary transfer chamber  200  is loaded with a sample, it will remain sealed until the pressure external to the chamber is reduced to below that inside, for example, by placing the transfer chamber inside a vacuum chamber  500  and evacuating the vacuum chamber. According to this exemplary embodiment, a reduced pressure in the environment surrounding outer surfaces of transfer chamber  200  may allow the force of spring network  206  to overcome gravitational forces and open transfer chamber  200  so that a sample disposed in the chamber may be exposed within the lower pressure environment ( FIGS. 2B and 2D ). An exemplary transfer chamber  200  may be held closed with a temporary latch or clamp prior to creation of any vacuum seal in the chamber. For example, in  FIG. 2A , a clamp or latch  240  may maintain a seal between pocket  210  and closed surface  220 . As depicted in  FIGS. 2B ,  2 C and  2 D, clamp or latch  240  may operate with latch or clamp  242  adjacent to bottom plate  230  and closed surface  220  to maintain a vacuum seal within transfer chamber  200  in operation. 
         [0026]    Those skilled in the art may recognize that geometric and size constraints may affect the arrangement and size of parts of an exemplary transfer chamber according to any of the embodiments disclosed. In one aspect, geometric limitations on an exemplary transfer chamber may limit its physical dimensions, making hinged-door approaches difficult. 
         [0027]    According to the exemplary embodiment disclosed in  FIG. 3A , a transfer chamber  300  may include a bottom plate  305  and a gasket  70  coupled to a holding surface  309  of bottom plate  305 . According to the exemplary embodiments shown in  FIGS. 3B and 3D , a top plate  306  may include a plurality of legs  316  coupled to a seating surface  310  of top plate  306 . As shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3C , sample  1  may be placed on the holding surface  309  of bottom plate  305 . When combined, the embodiments of  FIGS. 3A-D  are configured according to an exemplary transfer chamber construct as illustrated in  FIG. 3E . The exemplary embodiments of  FIGS. 3A-E  may be used primarily with small-sized and micro applications. In particular, an exemplary transfer chamber  300  as illustrated in  FIG. 3E  may be placed in a vacuum chamber  500 . 
         [0028]    While the shapes and arrangement of the top plate  306 , bottom plate  305  and legs  316  appear as cylindrical shapes, it may be appreciated that these components of transfer chamber  300  may be shaped and sized accordingly to fit within a target vacuum chamber or accommodate a certain size and amount of sample. 
         [0029]    According to the exemplary embodiment of  FIGS. 3A-E , a transfer chamber  300  may be used for atomic layer deposition in vacuum chambers of small size, for example, having heights of only about 5 mm. According to this exemplary embodiment, an entire transfer chamber  300  may be sized to fit an exemplary vacuum chamber  500 , in this case, having a height less than 5 mm. 
         [0030]    In a preferred embodiment, a vacuum chamber  500  is 5 mm high and the transfer chamber  300  would be less than 5 mm high. Bottom plate  305  and top plate  306  are each approximately  1  mm thick and separated by a gasket  70 , such as a vacuum O-ring. For example, where top plate  306  is circular, its larger diameter on seating surface  310  may accommodate a plurality of legs  316  configured to suspend a surface  303  of bottom plate  305  approximately 1 mm into the air. Alternatively, top surface  302  of top plate  306  may have dimensions the same as or different from seating surface  310 . The central portion of top plate  306  may accommodate vacuum sealing coupling from gasket  70  affixed to bottom plate  305  holding sample  1  on its holding surface  309 . When the pressure external to the transfer chamber exceeds that inside the chamber, gasket  70 , which may be an O-ring as previously described, may sealingly engage seating surface  310  so that the holding surface  309  of bottom plate  305  faces the seating surface  310  of top plate  306 . 
         [0031]    After placement of the exemplary sealed transfer chamber  300  in a vacuum process chamber  500 , pressure differentials created during evacuation of the process chamber may cause bottom plate  305  to be displaced thereby revealing sample  1 . When dislodged, bottom plate  305  may be configured to reduce shocks to a sample, such as a substrate, bound to holding surface  309  by either a miniature spring or elastic components coupled to surface  303 . Alternatively, an exemplary transfer chamber  300  may have a sample held on seating surface  310  to reduce occasion for shocks from falling bottom plate  305  upon pressure reduction and de-coupling of conjoined device  300  ( FIG. 3E ). 
         [0032]    An exemplary transfer chamber according to  FIGS. 3A-E  may be used for substrate film growth and deposition processes that do not require the samples to have “line of sight” to the deposition source, such as atomic layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition, thermal processing and other such applications known to those skilled in the art. In a preferred embodiment, transfer chamber  300  may be used for working with samples in atomic layer deposition process chambers. 
         [0033]    According to the exemplary embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 4A and 4C , a transfer chamber  400  includes a bottom plate  405  and a bottom pivot slot  408 . Bottom plate  405  may have a bottom surface  406  in which there may be a slot  409  about the inside of the perimeter of bottom plate  405 . Slot  409  may be shaped to accommodate a gasket  430  (shown in  FIG. 4E ) and thereby provide a seal when abutting a complementary slot surface  419  of top plate  415 . Mounts  407  may be molded on the outermost surfaces of bottom plate  405  for receiving locks  417  located about top plate  415 . Pivot slot  408  may be formed in and through the surface of bottom plate  405  such that a seat  410  may be formed in the thickness of the bottom plate  405 . In an exemplary embodiment, seat  410  is at a greater depth from bottom plate  405  surface  406  than slot  409 . In another exemplary embodiment, seat  410  may be shaped to accommodate one or more spring mechanisms for use in operation of transfer device  400 . Pivot slot  408  may be shaped to accommodate a pivot device  435 , such as a spindle. The various plates of the embodiments of  FIGS. 4A through 4E  may be fabricated from any machinable material, such as, for example, stainless steel. 
         [0034]    According to the exemplary embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 4B and 4D , a top plate  415  includes a top pivot slot  418  and locks  417  shaped to resist rotations of bottom plate  405  when top plate  415  is placed on bottom plate  405  ( FIG. 4E ). Locks  417  may be shaped or formed in any way and with any material suitable to resist movement of bottom plate  405  and top plate  415 . They may include swivel hooks, screws, fasteners and latches that work in conjunction with mounts  407  to hold top plate  415  and bottom plate  405  together. An exemplary lock  417  may be a metal loop which may swing around a complementarily-shaped mount  407  so as to substantially envelop the peripheral side edges of mount  407  that are substantially perpendicular to the next most proximal surfaces of bottom plate  405 . According to this embodiment, lock  417  substantially precludes movement of the enveloped mount  407 . While many such locks  417  may be understood to persons skilled in the art, a preferable lock  417  is a sliding-pin locking mechanism. 
         [0035]    As may be illustrated in  FIG. 4D , an exemplary top plate  415  may also possess a slot  419  in its surface about the inside of its perimeter. Like slot  409 , an exemplary slot  419  may be shaped to accommodate a gasket  430  to provide a seal when abutting a complementary slot surface  409  of bottom plate  405 . Interior surface  416  may be bounded by walls leading to slot  419 . In one embodiment, a valve  413  may be disposed in interior surface  416  with a passage connecting the space bounded by interior surface  416  to a space external of transfer device  400 . Such valves are known to those skilled in the art and may include screw valves, ball and socket valves and other valves suitable for purposes of sealing and exposing contents within a device. An exemplary valve  413  may include a through-hole port and a mini-valve for pumping and venting fluid. 
         [0036]    According to the illustrative embodiment of  FIGS. 4B  and  FIG. 4D , top plate  415  further includes a pivot slot  418  shaped to accommodate a pivot device  435 , such as a spindle. In an exemplary top plate  415 , a spring receptor  420  may be adjacent pivot slot  418 . An exemplary spring receptor  420  may contain a spring  460  (as shown, for example, by the embodiment illustrated by  FIG. 4E ), a spring-loaded device  470 , or both (as shown, for example, by the embodiment illustrated by  FIG. 5A ). An exemplary pivot slot  418  may hold a length of a cylindrical spindle  435  through the thickness of top plate  415  to couple top plate  415  to bottom plate  405 . According to a preferred embodiment, the portion of spindle  435  engaged in pivot slot  408  may also include a spring  460  circumscribing its cylindrical surface. Ends of coiled spring  460  may engage portions of top plate  415 , bottom plate  405  or both. Spring  460  may have other conformations and configurations to produce the desired effects of a transfer chamber  400  as described in use within a vacuum chamber  500 . 
         [0037]    In an exemplary embodiment, engagement between spring  460  and bottom plate  405  may be due to the placement of spring  460  in seat  410 . According to the illustrative embodiment of  FIG. 4E , spring  460  engages bottom plate  405  via a spring arm  462  extending from spring  460  and nesting on one or more surfaces of bottom plate  405  seat  410 . A further exemplary engagement between spring  460  and bottom plate  405  may be achieved by placing the end of a pivot device  435  in a recessed portion in the surface of bottom plate  405  near slot  408 . The recessed portion may be opposite the coupling location of top plate  415 . While located within the recess of the bottom plate  405 , the pivot device  435  may provide substantially consistent spring engagement between bottom plate  405  and spring element  460 . 
         [0038]    As illustrated in  FIG. 4E , an exemplary engagement between spring  460  and top plate  415  may be achieved by having an upper spring arm  463  nested within or on spring receptor  420 . Spring receptor  420  may be designed in any fashion known to those skilled in the art which may allow a pivot device  435  to rotate from potential energy stored in spring  460  once transfer chamber  400  is released from a locked state. An exemplary spring receptor  420  may be a slot in the cross-section of top plate  415  made by machining or molding processes known to those skilled in the art. 
         [0039]    According to an exemplary embodiment, when lock  417  holds top plate  415  in place over bottom plate  405  it may prevent movement of mounts  407  from rotating or other translational displacement. Alternatively, spring receptor  420  may contain a spring-loaded device  470  in addition to spring  460  that may store potential energy when in a compressed state. As illustrated in  FIG. 5A , an exemplary spring-loaded device  470  may be any form suitable to fit within spring receptor  420 , for example, a spring-loaded pin. An exemplary spring-loaded pin  470  may be compressed when transfer chamber  400  is closed. When spring-loaded pin decompresses, it may cause the translation of plates  405  and  415  about pivot device  435  about slots  408  and  418 , respectively. In an exemplary embodiment, spring  460  and spring-loaded pin  470  may act in conjunction to provide translational and rotational forces to a transfer device  400 . In another exemplary embodiment, a spring  460  may be used to provide such translational and rotational forces to a transfer device  400 . 
         [0040]    While spring  460  may be shown as a coiled spring about pivot device  435  (as shown in the illustrative embodiment of  FIG. 4E ), other spring configurations known to those skilled in the art, including use of more than one type of spring  460  to accommodate desired displacements, may be used so long as it is suitable for the given application. An exemplary spring  460  may provide rotational resiliency, translational resiliency, or a combination of both. According to one exemplary embodiment, spring  460  may have a first rotational resiliency in a first configuration of bottom plate  405  and top plate  415 , so that surfaces  406  and  416  are facing one another. Spring  460  may have a second rotational resiliency, which places bottom plate  405  and top plate  415  at a second configuration, whereby the surfaces  406  and  416  are not facing one another. According to this exemplary embodiment, spring  460  may impart planar rotation to one of bottom plate  405  or top plate  415  by virtue of its resiliency. 
         [0041]    In another exemplary embodiment as illustrated by  FIG. 4E , spring  460  may have a first translational resiliency that may hold top plate  415  and bottom plate  405  in a sealing engagement about gasket  430  such that surfaces  416  and  406 , respectively, are facing one another. Spring  460  may have a second translational resiliency that may remove the sealing engagement about O-ring between top plate  415  and bottom plate  405 . According to this exemplary embodiment, the resiliency in spring  460  may be overcome when sufficient force is exerted by one of top plate  415 , bottom plate  405 , locks  417 , or other externalities. When an external force is relieved, spring  460  may move top plate  415  and bottom plate  405  so that their surfaces  416  and  406 , respectively, while facing one another, may become more distal. According to this exemplary embodiment, the resiliency in spring  460  may impart translational displacement of components of transfer chamber  400 . 
         [0042]    In yet another exemplary embodiment, spring  460  may be configured to have a combination of rotational and translational resiliencies. Thus, a spring  460  may be compressed so that there is a sealing abutment of top plate  415  and bottom plate  405  such that their surfaces  416  and  406 , respectively, face one another in their most proximal positions. Once the compressive forces on spring  460  are relieved, spring  460  may impart through its translational resiliency a displacement between top plate  415  and bottom plate  405  so that the sealing abutment is removed. Additionally, the translational resilience may cause surfaces  416  and  406  to grow distal from each other while remaining substantially face to face. At substantially the same time, spring  460  may impart through its rotational resiliency a rotation of one of bottom plate  405  and top plate  415  away from the other so that surfaces  416  and  406  are no longer facing one another. 
         [0043]    In a preferred embodiment, spring  460  may be a 180° spring coiled about the cylindrical surface of a pivot device  435 . As coiled, a preferred spring  460  may be compressed, for example by the locking of transfer chamber  400  using locks  417  over mounts  407 , and thereby allow for a sealing engagement between top plate  415  and bottom plate  405  about gasket  430  (which may be an O-ring). Locks  417  placed over mounts  407  may also resist the rotational resiliencies of coiled spring  460 . Upon unlocking a transfer chamber  400  with a preferred coiled spring  460 , gasket  430  exits the complementary surface slot  419  or  409  removing the sealing engagement between bottom plate  405  and top plate  415 . The coiled spring  460  may rotate bottom plate  405  and/or top plate  415  so that the surfaces  406  and  416  of the top and bottom plates, respectively, are no longer facing one another. 
         [0044]    When pivot device  435  operatively connects top plate  415  to bottom plate  405 , a sealing abutment may be formed by virtue of gasket  430  in complementary surface  409 , slot  419 , or both. The contents within transfer chamber  400  on surfaces  406  or  416  may be excluded from a pressurized environment to be transported to a different pressured environment. 
         [0045]    An exemplary operation of a transfer chamber according to the embodiments of  FIG. 4E  may be illustrated with respect to  FIGS. 5A ,  5 B,  5 C,  5 D, and  5 E. 
         [0046]    In  FIG. 5A , a transfer device  400  may be in a “locked” state whereby lock  417  holds top plate  415  in a sealing engagement with bottom plate  405  holding a gasket (here shown as an O-ring)  430  therebetween. Lock  417  holds top plate  415  in such a sealing engagement at mounts  407  which may be located about the exterior of bottom plate  405 . Lock  417  may be configured to hold mount  407  in a substantially static configuration to resist rotational and translational resiliencies in spring  460  or rotational resiliencies in spring  460  and translational resiliencies in a spring-loaded device  470 . An exemplary spring  460  may be located about pivot device  435  coupling bottom plate  405  and top plate  415  through slots  408  and  418 , respectively. Accordingly, a spring-loaded device  470  may be used in conjunction with spring  460 . 
         [0047]    In  FIG. 5B , locks  417  may be removed from mounts  407  and thereby allow translational resiliencies in spring  460  and/or spring-loaded pin  470  to cause displacement of top plate  415  from bottom plate  405 . In a preferred embodiment, a spring-loaded pin  470  may be utilized to create a vertical self-opening action of top plate  415  and bottom plate  405  so that transfer chamber  400  has an upward-facing configuration from surface  406  and a downward-facing configuration from surface  416 . 
         [0048]    According to the illustrative embodiment of  FIG. 5B , one exemplary translational displacement step may include removal of gasket  430  from surface slot  419  in top plate  415  and thereby removal of the sealing abutment between top plate  415  and bottom plate  405 . Alternatively, gasket  430  may be removed from surface slot  409  in bottom plate  405 . Further, gasket  430  may be broken into separate sealing components so that certain of the components remain on surfaces of top plate  415  and others remain on surfaces of bottom plate  405 . As previously described, a translation of plates  405  and  415  about pivot device  435  may be achieved by virtue of slots  408  and  418  respectively and resiliency forces of spring  460  and/or spring-loaded pin  470 , as shown in  FIG. 5C . 
         [0049]    In  FIG. 5D , without any resistance to the rotational resiliencies of spring  460 , bottom plate  405  rotates away from top plate  415  so that surfaces  406  and  416  no longer face one another.  FIG. 5E  shows rotational resiliencies of spring  460  taking effect in a transfer device  400  having a spring-loaded pin  470 . To accommodate spring-loaded pin  470  during rotation of bottom plate  405 , a cavity  480  may be suitably molded to provide clearance for fully extended pin  470  during rotation of bottom plate  405 . 
         [0050]    In a preferred embodiment based on  FIGS. 5A ,  5 B,  5 C,  5 D and  5 E, bottom plate enclosure  405  may open upward or downwardly and sideways by virtue of the coil spring mechanism  460  alone ( 5 B,  5 D) or in combination with a spring-loaded pin  470  ( 5 A,  5 C,  5 E). The low-profile achievable through the numerous embodiments of  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5  enable exemplary transfer chambers which may more easily fit in sample processing environments, such as in physical vapor deposition systems, in which there are short distances between the processing equipment, for example a vapor deposition source, and a sample holder. 
         [0051]    In one exemplary scenario, enclosure top  415  and enclosure bottom  405  may be held together by spindle  435 . A gasket  430  between the top  415  and bottom  405  enclosures may provide a substantially air-tight seal. A spring-loaded pin  470  may be found in spring receptor  420  in enclosure bottom  415  adjacent slot  418 , which may be shaped to receive spindle  435 . Spring-loaded pin  470  enables enclosure top  405  to separate from abutting surface of enclosure top  415 . One or more side locks  417  may be used to hold top piece  415  and bottom piece  405  together against swinging torque exerted by spring  460 . The exemplary combination of components described may be utilized to allow easy handling of enclosure device  400  during pumping processes, for example, utilizing valve  413 . 
         [0052]    In another exemplary scenario, an enclosure device  400  having a vacuum seal can be self-opened in a deposition system vacuum chamber with both face down and face-up geometries by action of spring loaded pin  470 , coil spring  460 , and spindle  435 . In a preferred embodiment, enclosure device  400  may be used in machining and testing in vacuum deposition process chamber and atomic layer deposition process chamber. 
         [0053]    While the disclosed transfer chambers provide for upward or downward access to a mounted sample, there are no limitations to the orientation of the transfer chamber, so long as its components are provided ample clearance to perform their described functions. For example, an exemplary transfer chamber may be mounted with its back plate perpendicular to a static surface and providing sideway access to a mounted sample. In particular, transfer chambers  100 ,  200 , and  400  may be utilized in the aforementioned orientation in providing access to a mounted sample. 
         [0054]    Each of the various transfer chambers described may operate via naturally occurring pressure differentials and need not require dedicated pumps or feed-throughs from either mechanical or electrical devices. Each of the various transfer chambers disclosed may be suitable for use with various vacuum deposition methods because of their capability to be constructed at smaller geometries, which would accommodate process chamber designs for atomic layer depositions and/or provide for upward-facing or downward-facing sample placements when used in conjunction with evaporator systems. 
         [0055]    Bottom plate  405  and top plate  415  may be shaped in any way or form known to those skilled in the art to provide suitable containers for a given sample and a given application. In an exemplary embodiment, bottom plate  405  and top plate  415  may be substantially the same shape so as to provide a continuous enclosure between surfaces  406  and surfaces  416 . Alternatively, one of bottom plate  405  or top plate  415  may have a larger face than the other so as to provide for one or more sealing components such as gasket  430  to fit in slots  409  and/or  419 . 
         [0056]    In a preferred embodiment, bottom plate  405  and top plate  415  may be tear-drop shaped so that the substantially circular portions may hold the sample and engage in sealing the space about the sample and the narrower portion may be dedicated to the pivotability and spring activities disclosed for an exemplary transfer device. 
         [0057]    It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description and interrelated disclosures of the various disclosed embodiments and figures. Indeed, those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments described. Such equivalents are intended to be encompassed by the following claims. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.