Patent ID: 7874783

Claim:
An apparatus for processing work pieces in a vacuum environment, comprising: a master process chamber defining a first space therein which is configured to be exhausted to a sub-atmospheric air pressure or to be filled with a gas; a transfer chamber enclosed in the master process chamber and configured to be vacuum sealed off from the master process chamber, wherein the transfer chamber defines a second space therein which is configured to receive a first work piece from outside of the master process chamber; a plurality of processing chambers comprising a first processing chamber defining a third space therein and a second processing chamber defining a fourth space therein, wherein the first processing chamber comprises a first opening configured to receive a second work piece from the first space in the master process chamber, wherein the second processing chamber comprises a second opening configured to receive a third work piece from the first space in the master process chamber; a rotation plate in the master processing chamber and under the plurality of processing chambers, wherein the rotation plate is configured to receive the first work piece from the transfer chamber, the second work piece from the first processing chamber, and the third work piece from the second processing chamber, and to place the first work piece, the second work piece, and the third work piece respectively on a first area, a second area, and a third area on the rotation plate, wherein the rotation plate is configured to move the first work piece, the second work piece, and the third work piece in a single rotation, wherein the rotation plate comprises a first hole in the first area, a second hole in the second area, and a third hole in the third area; and a first retractable mechanism comprising a first work-piece holder configured to reach the first work piece through the first hole in the rotation plate and to transfer the first work piece from the transfer chamber to the first area on the rotation plate.