Vacuum processing apparatus

U.S. Cl. 34-217

14 Claims

US 6,499,229 B2 Vacuum processing apparatus Shigekazu Kato, Kudamatsu (Japan); Kouji Nishihata, Tokuyama (Japan); Tsunehiko Tsubone, Hikari (Japan); and Atsushi Itou, Kudamatsu (Japan) Assigned to Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo (Japan) Filed on Feb. 13, 2001, as Appl. No. 9/781,293. Application 09/781293 is a division of application No. 09/461432, filed on Dec. 16, 1999. Application 08/882731 is a division of application No. 08/593870, filed on Jan. 30, 1996, granted, now 5661913. Application 08/443039 is a division of application No. 08/302443, filed on Sep. 09, 1994, granted, now 5457896. Application 09/461432 is a continuation of application No. 09/177495, filed on Oct. 23, 1998, granted, now 6012235. Application 09/177495 is a continuation of application No. 09/061062, filed on Apr. 16, 1998, granted, now 5950330. Application 09/061062 is a continuation of application No. 08/882731, filed on Jun. 26, 1997, granted, now 5784799. Application 08/593870 is a continuation of application No. 08/443039, filed on May 17, 1995, granted, now 5553396. Application 08/302443 is a continuation of application No. 08/096256, filed on Jul. 26, 1993, granted, now 5349762. Application 08/096256 is a continuation of application No. 07/751952, filed on Aug. 29, 1991, abandoned. Claims priority of application No. 2-225321 (JP), filed on Aug. 29, 1990. Prior Publication US 2001/0008050 A1, Jul. 19, 2001 Int. Cl.7F26B 19/00 U.S. Cl. 348212;217 14 Claims 1. A conveyor system for use in a vacuum processing apparatus, comprising: a cassette mount table for holding at least one cassette; a first conveyor structure for transferring a wafer from a cassette held on the cassette mount table; and at least one lock chamber disposed for loading the wafer from the first conveyor structure to a vacuum loader provided with a vacuum processing chamber, wherein: the cassette mount table, the first conveyor structure and the at least one lock chamber are arranged to have a row in tandem to transfer the wafer in a direction of a horizontal line, the cassette mount table and the cassette are exposed in the atmosphere, the first conveyor structure is exposed to the air, the at least one lock chamber is provided with a load lock chamber and an unload lock chamber, and each of the load lock chamber and the unload lock chamber is provided with both an inlet and an outlet located in a horizontal line and an interior space sufficient to store only one wafer.