An apparatus for processing a semiconductor substrate, such as an optical device, is described herein. The apparatus includes a substrate carrier which is configured to enable a processing chamber configured to process larger substrates to process a smaller substrate without retrofitting the processing chamber. The substrate carrier includes a carrier base and a clamp ring. The carrier base includes a plurality of gas channels formed within a substrate pocket. The clamp ring is disposed on the carrier base and over the substrate and holds the substrate in place. The clamp ring is either weighted or configured to be help by a separate chamber clamping mechanism.

Holding devices for receiving a plurality of substrates in a substrate treatment system are disclosed. Holding devices comprise a flange, at least one segment that is releasably disposed on the flange, and at least one carrier for receiving one or a plurality of substrates. The flange has connection faces for disposing the at least one segment on the flange. The at least one segment has a segment support structure. The at least one carrier is assembled on the segment support structure.

Holding devices for receiving a plurality of substrates in a substrate treatment system are disclosed. Holding devices comprise a flange, at least one segment that is releasably disposed on the flange, and at least one carrier for receiving one or a plurality of substrates. The flange has connection faces for disposing the at least one segment on the flange. The at least one segment has a segment support structure. The at least one carrier is assembled on the segment support structure.

Several embodiments of the present technology are directed to actively controlling a temperature of a substrate in a chamber during manufacturing of a material or thin film. In some embodiments, the method can include cooling or heating the substrate to have a temperature within a target range, depositing a material over a surface of the substrate, and controlling the temperature of the substrate while the material is being deposited. In some embodiments, controlling the temperature of the substrate can include removing thermal energy from the substrate by directing a fluid over the substrate to maintain the temperature of the substrate within a target range throughout the deposition process.

A substrate carrier, includes: a unitary body fabricated from a single block of graphite, wherein the body comprises a back plate, and a pair of spaced apart, substantially parallel, side rails, wherein each of the side rails comprises: an inwardly facing surface extending outwardly of the back plate; a longitudinally extending selenium vapor bore formed therein, a top end of the selenium vapor bore being open and configured for coupling to a selenium supply container for receiving selenium vapor by gravity, a bottom end of the selenium vapor bore being closed; an inwardly directed selenium vapor channel; a plurality of selenium vapor outlets disposed between the selenium vapor bore and the inwardly directed selenium vapor channel so as provide a plurality of conduits between the selenium vapor bore and the selenium vapor channel; and, a longitudinally extending engagement slot formed in the inwardly facing surface of each side rail adjacent the back plate to engage and hold a substrate in proximity to the back plate.

A substrate carrier, includes: a unitary body fabricated from a single block of graphite, wherein the body comprises a back plate, and a pair of spaced apart, substantially parallel, side rails, wherein each of the side rails comprises: an inwardly facing surface extending outwardly of the back plate; a longitudinally extending selenium vapor bore formed therein, a top end of the selenium vapor bore being open and configured for coupling to a selenium supply container for receiving selenium vapor by gravity, a bottom end of the selenium vapor bore being closed; an inwardly directed selenium vapor channel; a plurality of selenium vapor outlets disposed between the selenium vapor bore and the inwardly directed selenium vapor channel so as provide a plurality of conduits between the selenium vapor bore and the selenium vapor channel; and, a longitudinally extending engagement slot formed in the inwardly facing surface of each side rail adjacent the back plate to engage and hold a substrate in proximity to the back plate.

A wafer holder comprising: a ceramic base having a wafer-mounting surface as an upper surface; and a conductive member embedded in the ceramic base, the conductive member including a circuit portion provided parallel to the wafer-mounting surface, a pull-out portion provided parallel to the wafer-mounting surface and spaced from the circuit portion in a direction opposite to a direction toward the wafer-mounting surface, and a connecting portion configured to electrically connect the circuit portion and the pull-out portion to each other.

A wafer holder comprising: a ceramic base having a wafer-mounting surface as an upper surface; and a conductive member embedded in the ceramic base, the conductive member including a circuit portion provided parallel to the wafer-mounting surface, a pull-out portion provided parallel to the wafer-mounting surface and spaced from the circuit portion in a direction opposite to a direction toward the wafer-mounting surface, and a connecting portion configured to electrically connect the circuit portion and the pull-out portion to each other.

A transport system of the in-line coater moves the substrate holder from chamber to chamber in a direction perpendicular to the axis of its rotation and in each process chamber. The system moves the substrate holder to the working area along its axis of rotation. The process chamber has a cavity the size of which is determined by the dimensions of the substrate holder and is sufficient to place technology devices and monitoring instruments in it. In the first embodiment of the in-line coater, the supporting frame of the transport system on which the substrate holder is cantilevered, is configured to move from the chamber to the chamber both in horizontal and vertical positions. In the second embodiment of the in-line coater the supporting frame is configured to move only in a vertical position, and the in-line coater comprises additionally a substrate holder return chamber.

The invention relates to vacuum processing equipment for depositing thin-film coatings. The processing line comprises at least one lock-chamber, a buffer chamber, and a processing chamber, and substrate supports on the carriages configured to pass sequentially through the chambers, with each substrate support in the form of a rotating drum. On each carriage, two rotating drums are installed in a way parallel to the moving direction of one carriage, an additional second carriage is installed with one rotating drum mounted on each carriage coaxially to its moving direction configured to rotate at a constant angular velocity, and carriages are configured to move forward at a constant linear velocity where each point of the drum surface will complete at least two full revolutions when passing through a processing zone.