Abstract: Disclosed is a valve for regulating a volume or mass flow and/or for closing and opening a valve opening, having a valve seat, a valve closure and a drive unit which is coupled to the valve closure and is set up to provide a movement of the valve closure in such a way that the valve closure can be adjusted from an open position to a closed position and back. The vacuum valve includes a radio arrangement having at least one coupling element and a memory element, and information relating to a valve state can be provided by means of the memory element.

Abstract: Vacuum adjustment device for an active element movable in a process atmosphere region, having a coupling, a drive unit having an electric motor, which cooperates with the coupling in such a way that the coupling can be adjusted from a normal position into an active position and back. The device has a mechanical interface for connecting the vacuum adjustment device to a process volume providing a process atmosphere, a dynamic separating device for separating the process atmosphere from an outer atmosphere region and a control and processing unit at least electrically connected to the drive unit and designed to control the electric motor.

Abstract: Method for monitoring a state of a pin lifter device (10), wherein the pin lifter device (10) is designed for moving and positioning a substrate in a process atmosphere region (P). The pin lifter device (10) has a coupling (18) and a drive unit (12) having an electric motor, which is designed and interacts with the coupling (18) in such a way that the coupling (18) is adjustable from a lowered normal position into an individual active position and back. The method for monitoring includes progressively receiving a present item of motor current information with respect to a motor current applied to the electric motor, comparing the present motor current information to an item of target current information, and deriving an item of state information based on the comparison.

Abstract: A plasma etching chamber including within a vacuum recipient: an etching compartment with a central axis and a surrounding wall enclosing the etching compartment; a pumping compartment with a metal surrounding wall having a feed through opening; a metal partition wall traverse to the axis separating the etching compartment from the pumping compartment; a pumping slit in or along the partition wall; a workpiece support; a metal tubular arrangement through the opening, including a first part coupled to the workpiece support and a second part coupled to the metal surrounding wall, the second part being electrically conductively joint to the metal surrounding wall; an Rf feed line through the tubular arrangement connected to the workpiece support; a system ground connector at an end of the second part; distributed metal connectors establishing electric contact from the metal surrounding wall, across the pumping slit via the partition wall to the first part.

Abstract: A plasma etching device including a vacuum chamber for at least one plate shaped substrate with side walls looping around a central axis. The chamber including a substrate handling opening, at least one inlet for a reductive gas and an inert gas and a pedestal formed as a substrate support in a central lower area of an etching compartment of the chamber. The pedestal mounted in the chamber in an electrically isolated manner and connected to a first pole of a first voltage source, thereby forming a first electrode. The pedestal encompassing first heating and cooling means. A second electrode is electrically connected to ground and surrounds the first electrode. A third electrode is electrically connected to ground and includes at least one upper shield and a screen-shield both being thermally and electrically connected to each other, whereby the screen-shield loops around the etching compartment. At least one of the upper shield and the screen shield includes at least one further heating and/or cooling means.

Abstract: A vacuum treatment chamber includes a vacuum recipient and therein a screen. Within the screen there is provided a stationary substrate support. Within the side wall of the vacuum recipient, there is provided a substrate handling opening and in the screen, a substrate handling cut-out. A drivingly, moveable screen-shutter frees or covers the substrate handling cut-out in the screen. Thereby, horizontal loading and un-loading (L/UL) of a substrate to the stationary substrate support is possible, although establishing an overall closed screen, once a substrate is treated in the vacuum treatment chamber.

Abstract: A plasma etching chamber including within a vacuum recipient: an etching compartment with a central axis and a surrounding wall enclosing the etching compartment; a pumping compartment with a metal surrounding wall having a feed through opening; a metal partition wall traverse to the axis separating the etching compartment from the pumping compartment; a pumping slit in or along the partition wall; a workpiece support; a metal tubular arrangement through the opening, including a first part coupled to the workpiece support and a second part coupled to the metal surrounding wall, the second part being electrically conductively joint to the metal surrounding wall; an Rf feed line through the tubular arrangement connected to the workpiece support; a system ground connector at an end of the second part; distributed metal connectors establishing electric contact from the metal surrounding wall, across the pumping slit via the partition wall to the first part.

Abstract: A vacuum treatment chamber includes a vacuum recipient and therein a screen. Within the screen there is provided a stationary substrate support. Within the side wall of the vacuum recipient, there is provided a substrate handling opening and in the screen, a substrate handling cut-out. A drivingly, moveable screen-shutter frees or covers the substrate handling cut-out in the screen. Thereby, horizontal loading and un-loading (L/UL) of a substrate to the stationary substrate support is possible, although establishing an overall closed screen, once a substrate is treated in the vacuum treatment chamber.

Abstract: A fixture or clamp for a wafer in a vacuum treatment system has a non-conductive body with a first plane surface for arranging a substrate (wafer) thereon and a second surface opposite to first surface. A body includes a plurality of electrode-pairs; each electrode pair comprising a first electrode with a first electrode surface and a second electrode with a second electrode surface, electrode surfaces interconnected via a conductive member and arranged essentially in parallel to the first and second surfaces, the first electrode located closer to the first surface than the second electrode and the second electrode located closer to the second surface than the first electrode. Such a body can be used for RF coupling between the wafer and pedestal on RF potential to achieve a uniform film stress profile/distribution during film deposition or other substrate treatment.

Abstract: A method of magnetron sputtering, comprises rotating a magnet of a magnetron with an angular frequency ?, and, during sputtering of material from a source of the magnetron onto a substrate, periodically modulating a power level applied to the source with at least a component comprising a frequency f which is a harmonic of the angular frequency ? of rotation of the magnet other than the first harmonic.

Abstract: A method of magnetron sputtering, comprises rotating a magnet of a magnetron with an angular frequency ?, and, during sputtering of material from a source of the magnetron onto a substrate, periodically modulating a power level applied to the source with at least a component comprising a frequency f which is a harmonic of the angular frequency ? of rotation of the magnet other than the first harmonic.

Abstract: A method of magnetron sputtering, comprises rotating a magnet of a magnetron with an angular frequency ?, and, during sputtering of material from a source of the magnetron onto a substrate, periodically modulating a power level applied to the source with at least a component comprising a frequency f which is a harmonic of the angular frequency ? of rotation of the magnet other than the first harmonic.

Abstract: A method of magnetron sputtering, comprises rotating a magnet of a magnetron with an angular frequency ?, and, during sputtering of material from a source of the magnetron onto a substrate, periodically modulating a power level applied to the source with at least a component comprising a frequency f which is a harmonic of the angular frequency ? of rotation of the magnet other than the first harmonic.