MACHINE DE TRAINTEMENT DE SUBSTRATS MINCES ET SES DISPOSITIFS DE TRANSPORT ET DE TRANSMISSION DE CHALEUR

CETTE MACHINE COMPREND UNE CHAMBRE A VIDE 10 EQUIPEE DE POMPES 25 ET RENFERMANT UN SUPPORT EN CARROUSEL 18 SERVANT A AMENER SUCCESSIVEMENT UNE GALETTE DE SEMI-CONDUCTEURS A DES POSTES DE CHAUFFAGE, DE REVETEMENT (METALLISATION PAR EXEMPLE) ET DE REFROIDISSEMENT. LES GALETTES SONT TENUES DANS DES OUVERTURES CIRCULAIRES DE CE SUPPORT PAR DES GRIFFES QUI LES SAISISSENT PAR LA TRANCHE; LES GALETTES SONT AMENEES AUTOMATIQUEMENT PAR UN TRANSPORTEUR 69 A UN POSTE DE CHARGEMENT QUI COMPREND UN MANDRIN A DEPRESSION INCORPORE A LA PORTE 22 DE LA CHAMBRE, UNE OUVERTURE D'ENTREE DE LA PAROI AVANT DE LA CHAMBRE, L'OUVERTURE CORRESPONDANTE DE SUPPORT ET UNE PLAQUE DE PRESSION ARRIERE MOBILE. LE SAS EST DE TRES PETIT VOLUME ET LA GALETTE EST INTRODUITE SANS AUTRE SUPPORT, DE SORTE QUE LA CHARGE DE DEGAZAGE DU SAS EST TRES REDUITE. CHAQUE GALETTE EST FIXE PENDANT CHAQUE PHASE DE SON CYCLE DE TRAITEMENT.APPLICATION A LA FABRICATION DE COMPOSANTS ELECTRONIQUES. Semiconductor wafers having patterns of steps and grooves defining microcircuit elements thereon are coated with metallic film by supporting the wafers individually adjacent a respective ring-shaped sputtering source in stationary relationship thereto. Within a short deposition time of approximately one minute, good uniformity of deposition across the main wafer plane is obtained by maintaining source-to-wafer spacing less than the diameter of the source, and an effective source diameter (Ds) larger than the diameter of wafer (Dw) with the coating being performed within an argon environment of 2 to 20 microns pressure. Good step coverage across all surfaces of steps and grooves is likewise obtained, and is further enhanced by confining the source-to-wafer spacing ranges to certain values within about 0.4 Ds to 0.9 Ds and the wafer diameter to certain values up to about 0.7 Ds. To effectuate such individual wafer processing on a continuous basis and preserve the evacuated argon environment, a vacuum chamber sputter coating apparatus is provided which has a number of work stations therein, at least one of which includes said ring-shaped sputtering source. Also included is a load lock; and an intermittently rotating vertical plate-like wafer carrier means therewithin positioned closely adjacent the chamber entrance, and carrying wafers in turn from the load lock to the work stations. The carrier includes apertures each accepting a wafer therewithin in an upright position, with the wafers edgewise resiliently supported b