Patent ID: 6918731

Claim:
A load lock system constructed to supply semiconductor substrates to a process chamber according to a predetermined sequence, said process chamber processing said substrate in a process cycle, said load lock system comprising: a housing having a load lock chamber constructed therein, said load lock chamber being connected to said process chamber by a process port and being connected to a substrate storage module by a delivery port; a first valve for opening and closing said process port according to said predetermined sequence; a second valve for opening and closing said delivery port according to said predetermined sequence; a pump for pumping said load lock chamber to a vacuum when said first and second valves are closed; a transport, mounted in the load lock chamber, constructed to move substrates into said process chamber for processing, said transport having an articulated arm of two substantially unarticulated links pivotally joined to each other, a first of the two links being pivotally mounted to the housing of the load lock chamber at one end of said arm for pivotal motion of the first link relative to the housing about a first axis, a second of the two links being an end effector capable of holding a substrate at another end of said arm; a process controller connected to said process chamber, first and second valves and said transport mechanism for controlling the operation thereof in said predetermined sequence.