Abstract: A gate valve, for use with evacuable equipment, includes a housing having a pair of aligned ports in opposed walls. A valve seat surrounds one of the ports. A gate member is reciprocally translatable by means of a linear actuator in a direction generally normal to the central axis of the valve seat. Magnetic structures are operably associated with the gate and valve seat for pulling the gate and seat into sealing engagement for closure of the gate valve by exerting a closure force generally parallel to the axis of the valve seat. The linear actuator includes a hollow cylinder having a piston movable therein and axially thereof which is magnetically coupled through the walls of the cylinder to an actuator member mechanically coupled to the gate for effecting reciprocal motion thereof.

Abstract: An evacuable wafer processing machine includes a load-lock station, a wafer transfer station separated from the load-lock station by means of a gate-valve and a wafer coating station. Wafers contained within an evacuated wafer box are loaded into the load-lock station. The load-lock station is then closed and evacuated. A pair of pneumatically-operated plungers operable within the load-lock station, pick-up and remove the covers from the wafer box. The gate-valve is opened and the box of wafers is transferred into the wafer transfer station. Within the wafer transfer station, a wafer transfer blade passes vertically through the wafer box to serially transfer the wafers between the transfer station and the wafer coating station. After all the wafers have been coated, the wafer box is transferred through the open gate-valve into the load-lock station, the gate-valve closed and the covers replaced on the wafer box.

Abstract: A sputter coating machine includes a rectilinearly translatable load-lock door closing off one end of an evacuable chamber. Wafers to be coated are loaded and unloaded by an elevator blade onto a chuck carried from the inside surface of the door. A clamping ring clamps the wafer to the chuck and advances the wafer through the open throat of a gate-valve portion of the chamber into position opposite a magnetron sputter gun carried from a second door closing off the other end of the chamber. The second door is movable away from the chamber on guide rails and pivotable about an axis for ease of maintenance.

Abstract: A sputter coating machine (11) includes a rectilinearly translatable load-lock door (16) closing off one end of a vacuumable chamber (12). Wafers (21) to be coated are loaded and unloaded by an elevated blade (24) onto a chuck (57) carried from the inside surface of the door (16). A clamping ring (85) clamps the wafer (21) to the chuck (57) and advances the wafer (21) to the open throat of a gate-valve portion (15) of the chamber (12) into position opposite a magnetron-sputter gun (105) carried from a second door end of the chamber (12). The second door (13) is moveable away from the chamber (12) on guide rails (141) and pivotable about an axis (138) for ease of maintenance.