Patent ID: 7641434

Claim:
A method for using a loadlock, comprising: delivering a first substrate to an upper support structure in said loadlock through an opening in said loadlock; closing said opening and evacuating said loadlock; transferring said first substrate to a chamber outside of said loadlock; heating said first substrate in said loadlock prior to transferring said first substrate to said chamber outside of said loadlock, wherein the heating is applied from above the first substrate; delivering a second substrate from said chamber outside of said loadlock to a lower support structure in said loadlock, the upper and lower support structures separated by a substantially horizontal plate; delivering said second substrate from said lower support structure to a cooling plate in said loadlock, wherein said cooling plate is positioned below said horizontal plate, wherein said delivering said second substrate to said cooling plate comprises lowering at least a portion of said lower support structure through said cooling plate so that a lower surface of said second substrate is placed onto an upper surface of said cooling plate; lowering the horizontal plate to substantially sandwich the second substrate between the horizontal plate and the cooling plate; and then cooling said second substrate via the horizontal plate and the cooling plate.