Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus for transferring substrates and confining a processing environment in a chamber. One embodiment of the present invention provides a hoop assembly for using a processing chamber. The hoop assembly includes a confinement ring defining a confinement region therein, and three or more lifting fingers attached to the hoop. The three or more lifting fingers are configured to support a substrate outside the inner volume of the confinement ring.

In assembly of a conventional plating apparatus, a position of a processing tank is adjusted so that the processing tank is disposed at an ideal position. This adjustment takes time and effort to assemble a plating apparatus, and assembly of the plating apparatus requires a high cost. The invention provides a substrate transporting apparatus provided with a substrate holder for holding a substrate, a holder griping mechanism that grips the substrate holder, a substrate transporting section that transports the substrate holder, a rotation mechanism that rotationally moves the holder griping mechanism around a vertical direction as an axis, and a linear motion mechanism that linearly moves the holder griping mechanism in a direction perpendicular to a plane defined by a transporting direction of the substrate holder by the substrate transporting section and a vertical direction.

The substrate processing apparatus includes a processing chamber including an outer chamber configured to hold a processing liquid and an inner chamber capable of surrounding the substrate held by the substrate holder; a liquid delivery pipe having one end coupled to a bottom of the inner chamber and other end coupled to the outer chamber; a pump configured to suck the processing liquid from the inner chamber through the liquid delivery pipe and to deliver the processing liquid to the outer chamber through the liquid delivery pipe; and a guide cover having a through-hole in which the substrate holder can be inserted. The guide cover is located below an upper end of the outer chamber and above the inner chamber.

The substrate processing apparatus includes a processing chamber including an outer chamber configured to hold a processing liquid and an inner chamber capable of surrounding the substrate held by the substrate holder; a liquid delivery pipe having one end coupled to a bottom of the inner chamber and other end coupled to the outer chamber; a pump configured to suck the processing liquid from the inner chamber through the liquid delivery pipe and to deliver the processing liquid to the outer chamber through the liquid delivery pipe; and a guide cover having a through-hole in which the substrate holder can be inserted. The guide cover is located below an upper end of the outer chamber and above the inner chamber.

An improved particle beam inspection apparatus, and more particularly, a particle beam inspection apparatus including an improved load lock unit is disclosed. An improved load lock system may comprise a plurality of supporting structures configured to support a wafer and a conditioning plate including a heat transfer element configured to adjust a temperature of the wafer. The load lock system may further comprise a gas vent configured to provide a gas between the conditioning plate and the wafer and a controller configured to assist with the control of the heat transfer element.

A vacuum processing apparatus, including: a vacuum chamber in which a single vacuum environment is formed; first and a second processing regions provided in the vacuum chamber for performing predetermined vacuum processing on a substrate held by a substrate holder of a plurality of substrate holders; a conveying path for conveying the substrate holder, the conveying path being formed such that a projection shape with respect to a vertical plane forms a continuous ring shape; and a substrate holder conveying mechanism configured to convey the plurality of substrate holders each having a first and a second driven part along the conveying path.

One object of this application is to provide an advanced substrate holder including a clamper. A substrate holder for holding a substrate by interposing the substrate between frames is disclosed. The substrate holder includes a front frame, a rear frame, and one or a plurality of clampers. Each of the clampers includes a hook portion including a hook base and a hook main body, and a plate including at least one claw. At least one of the clampers includes the plate including a first claw for a lock and a second claw for a semi-lock.

The present invention relates to a process module comprising at least one evacuable process chamber located in the process module and at least one support device being horizontally moveable through the process module in at least one substrate transport direction for accommodating respectively at least one flat substrate which is to be processed in the process chamber. It is the object of the present invention to provide a process module of the above-mentioned type, which allows a consistent and high-quality processing of all substrates at high production speed and at the lowest device costs possible. Said object is solved by a process module of the above mentioned type in which the at least one process chamber is physically closeable with respect to the process module by means of the support device, the position of which is changeable in at least one closing direction transverse to the substrate transport direction, wherein the at least one support device forms a bottom of the at least one process chamber.

A wafer storage elevator and method for detecting wafer position shift. The elevator includes a first storage elevator sidewall, a second storage elevator sidewall, and a storage seat positioned between the first and second storage elevator sidewalls. A first mirror block is coupled to a front side of the storage seat having a mirror positioned on a top surface of the block, and a second mirror block is coupled to the front side of the storage seat having a mirror that is positioned on the top surface of the second mirror block. The mirror of the first mirror block reflects a laser beam from an emission sensor to the second mirror block, and the mirror of the second mirror block reflects the laser beam from the mirror of the first mirror block to a receive sensor. A wafer misalignment is determined based upon an output of the receive sensor.

An improved particle beam inspection apparatus, and more particularly, a particle beam inspection apparatus including an improved load lock unit is disclosed. An improved load lock system may comprise a plurality of supporting structures configured to support a wafer and a conditioning plate including a heat transfer element configured to adjust a temperature of the wafer. The load lock system may further comprise a gas vent configured to provide a gas between the conditioning plate and the wafer and a controller configured to assist with the control of the heat transfer element.