Patent ID: 8097084

Claim:
A vacuum chamber system for semiconductor processing, comprising A) at least two evacuable vacuum chambers which are provided for receiving semiconductor elements to be processed and comprise in each case: a vacuum chamber opening through which the semiconductor elements can be transported into and out of the vacuum chamber, an opening central axis and a vacuum chamber sealing surface which surrounds the vacuum-chamber opening, and B) transfer means by which one of the vacuum chambers: can be moved relative to another of the vacuum chambers and can be docked with it in a vacuum-tight manner via sealing means by production of substantially parallel opposite positions of the vacuum chamber sealing surfaces which are subject to possible misalignments, so that the semiconductor elements can be transported from one vacuum chamber into the other vacuum chamber and vice versa by means of a conveyer apparatus, at least one of the vacuum chambers having support means which support one vacuum chamber on the other vacuum chamber in an evacuated, docked state in a direction substantially parallel to the opening central axes; wherein the support means are in the form of at least two support elements which are arranged on opposite sides of the vacuum chamber opening, are adjustable substantially parallel to the opening central axis, have an operative connection to one another and have a force and displacement balance relative to one another with a balance center located substantially on the opening central axis, wherein the operative connection between the adjustable support elements is such that an adjustment of one support element on docking in one direction parallel to the opening central axis leads to an substantially equidistant adjustment of the other support element in an opposite direction, substantially parallel to the opening central axis, so that the at least two support elements are in balance, wherein in the docked state, the at least two support elements provide two rotational degrees of freedom of the two vacuum chambers relative to one another substantially perpendicular to the opening central axis and non-parallel opposite positions of the vacuum chamber sealing surfaces caused by possible misalignments are compensated on support.