Patent ID: 7699574

Claim:
For use with a tool for processing work-pieces at low pressure, a work-piece transfer system comprising: a) a first isolation load lock for transferring work-pieces from a higher pressure region to a lower pressure region and back to said higher pressure region; b) a second isolation load lock positioned next to the first work-piece isolation load lock for transferring other work-pieces from a higher pressure region to a lower pressure region and back to said higher pressure region; c) a work-piece processing station for processing work-pieces at low pressure; d) a robot for transferring work-pieces from one of said first and second work-piece isolation load locks to the work-piece processing station; and e) wherein said first and second isolation load locks are housed within a load lock housing, said load lock housing including two load lock access openings facing said higher pressure region at different angles to allow each of the first and second load locks to be accessed from two different directions from the higher pressure region.