Importance

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Abstract

This invention relates to a system for handling and processing thin substrates, such as substrates for magnetic disks. The system includes a main chamber, entrance and output load locks, a buffer chamber, substrate load/unload structure, and a plurality of substrate processing stations positioned contiguous with the main vacuum chamber. The system further includes a transport for moving a plurality of cassettes carrying vertically oriented substrates into the entrance load lock, to the buffer chamber where the substrates are transferred into the main chamber, and to the output load lock where processed substrates are placed back in the cassettes. The substrates are transferred to and from the cassettes to and from the substrate load/unload structure by way of dedicated lift blades. The system further employs a simple three-step transfer of the substrates from processing station to processing station which greatly increases the throughput potential compared to prior art systems which rely on complex substrate handling and transfer.

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First Claim