Patent ID: 7115169

Claim:
A workpiece deposition system for replaceably preventing deposition on a portion of a workpiece comprising: a) a chamber for depositing a film on the workpiece; b) a workpiece support positioned within the chamber for supporting the workpiece; c) a replaceable shield of comparable weight as the workpiece, the shield engaging a portion of the workpiece on the opposite side of the workpiece support and shielding the engaged portion of the workpiece during deposition thereof to prevent deposition on the engaged portion of the workpiece; d) an actuator to move and engage and disengage the shield with the portion of the workpiece; e) a shield restraint clamp for holding the shield against the portion of the workpiece; and f) a cavity defined by the workpiece support, the workpiece, the shield and the shield restraint clamp, the cavity adapted to retain a non-reactive gas in the vicinity of the shielded portion of the workpiece; wherein the comparable weight of the replaceable shield and the workpiece allows replacement of the shield in the same way as the replacement of the workpiece.