Coating apparatus – Program – cyclic – or time control – Having selection means for alternate operational sequences
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-19
2002-05-28
Bueker, Richard (Department: 1763)
Coating apparatus
Program, cyclic, or time control
Having selection means for alternate operational sequences
C118S729000, C118S730000, C204S298230, C204S298280, C310S089000, C318S003000, C318S016000, C318S139000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06395093
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Endeavor
The present invention relates to in-vacuum systems and more particularly to an in-vacuum power system.
2. State of Technology
U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,556 for a method and apparatus for physical vapor deposition of thin films by Jerome F. Siebert, patented Aug. 22, 1989, provides the following description, “A physical vapor deposition system is disclosed for routinely achieving unprecedented processing uniformity of thin films on substrates of a size comparable to or larger than the source. The system includes a plurality of substrates; a plurality of deposition, etching, and/or heating sources; a plurality of mobile in-situ process monitors for obtaining the fundamental processing profiles that characterize the processing properties of each source; and mobile fixturing responsive to the fundamental processing profiles for effecting prescribed motion scenarios of the substrate relative to the source; to thus provide the means for achieving extremely uniform as well as an unprecedented range of prescribed non-uniform final thin film processing profiles, irrespective of the size of the substrate relative to the size of the source.”
U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,385 for a sputtering apparatus by Yuichiro Shimose and Jiro Ikeda, patented Aug. 9, 1994, provides the following description, “An improved sputtering apparatus is provided which can judge whether or not a normal thin film has been satisfactorily deposited on the surface of a substrate to be processed in a film deposition apparatus. The judgment is made immediately after the sputtering process on the basis of the detection results of the pressure in a vacuum chamber and the waveform of discharge output power supplied from a discharge power source. The improvement comprises necessary condition-determining means for determining conditions necessary for depositing a normal thin film on the surface of the substrate to be processed, executed result-detecting means for detecting the results of a thin film deposition process, comparing means for comparing the executed results detected by the executed result-detecting means with the necessary conditions determined by the necessary condition-determining means, and judging means for judging whether or not the thin film-deposition process has been satisfactorily performed on the basis of the comparison results produced from the comparing means. Further, when the improved sputtering apparatus of this invention is employed in the continuous manufacturing line, the abnormalities in the film deposition process can be detected at the earliest possible step in the line, whereby the efficiency thereof can be significantly enhanced.”
U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,296 for thin film deposition chamber by Chuong Van Tran, patented Jul. 4, 2000, provides the following description, “A thin film deposition chamber utilizes a planetary fixture and two vapor sources to generate two partially overlapping vapor streams. The two vapor streams create a combined distribution profile. The planetary fixture holds a plurality of substrates in a position similar to a portion of the combined distribution profile.”
U.S. Pat. No. 6,083,357 for a system for and method of providing a controlled deposition on wafers by Robert George Begin and Peter J. Clarke, patented Jul. 4, 2000, provides the following description, “A robotic arm assembly in a transport module is expansible to have an effector at its end receive a substrate in a cassette module and is then contracted and rotated with the effector to have the effector face a process module. Planets on a turntable in the process module are rotatable on first parallel axes. The turntable is rotatable on a second axis parallel to the first axes to move successive planets to a position facing the effector. At this position, an alignment assembly is aligned with, but axially displaced from, one of the planets. This assembly is moved axially into coupled relationship with such planet and then rotated to a position aligning the substrate on the effector axially with such planet when the arm assembly is expanded. A lifter assembly aligned with, and initially displaced from, such planet is moved axially to lift the substrate from the effector. The arm assembly is then contracted, rotated with the effector and expanded to receive the next cassette module substrate. The lifter assembly is then moved axially to deposit the substrate on the planet. When the substrates have been deposited on the planets, the planets are individually rotated on the first axes by a stator rotatable on the second axis with the turntable. Guns having a particular disposition relative to the planets provide controlled depositions on the substrates during such planet rotations. The planets and the end effector hold the substrates at peripheral positions displaced from the controlled substrate depositions.”
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description. Applicants are providing this description, which includes drawings and examples of specific embodiments, to give a broad representation of the invention. Various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this description and by practice of the invention. The scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed and the invention covers all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims.
The present invention provides an independent, self contained apparatus for operation within a chamber containing a vacuum and a functioning unit. An enclosure is adapted to be located in the chamber. The enclosure contains its own atmosphere independent of the vacuum in the chamber. A motor is located entirely within the enclosure. The motor does not have a direct structural connection outside of the enclosure in any way that would effect the atmosphere within the enclosure. The motor is operatively connected to the functioning unit. A power source is located within the enclosure. The power source does not have a direct structural connection outside of the enclosure in any way that would effect the atmosphere within the enclosure. The power source is operatively connected to the motor. Controls are located within the enclosure. The controls do not have a direct structural connection outside of the enclosure in any way that would effect the atmosphere within the enclosure. The controls are operatively connected to the power source and the motor.
The invention is susceptible to modifications and alternative forms. Specific embodiments are shown by way of example. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular forms disclosed. The invention covers all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4858556 (1989-08-01), Siebert
patent: 5336385 (1994-08-01), Shimose et al.
patent: 6082296 (2000-07-01), Van Tran
patent: 6083357 (2000-07-01), Begin et al.
Bueker Richard
Scott Eddie E.
The Regents of the University of California
Thompson Alan H.
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