received by the International Bureau on 13 July 2013 (13.07.2013)

CLAIMS

1 . A loadlock chamber configured for transferring substrates from atmospheric environment into vacuum environment, comprising: a vacuum sealable chamber body; an entry valve, for loading the substrates from atmospheric environment, provided on one side of the chamber body and sealing the chamber body from the atmospheric environment; an exit valve, for transferring the substrates into high vacuum environment, provided on opposite side of the chamber body and sealing the chamber body from the high vacuum environment; an evacuation pump coupled to the chamber body and operable to draw vacuum inside the chamber body; at least one conveyor comprising a perforated flexible belt riding over a base plate.

2. The loadlock chamber of claim 1, wherein the exit valve is coupled to a high vacuum chamber, and wherein the perforated belt is configured to extend into the high vacuum chamber.

3. The loadlock chamber of claim 2, wherein the exit valve is configured to assume closed position by pressing on the perforated belt.

4. The loadlock chamber of claim I , further comprising nitrogen supply valve operable to flow nitrogen into the chamber body.

5. The loadlock chamber of claim 1 , wherein the base plate has vacuum channels and is coupled to a vacuum conduits; and, at least one vacuum valve is attached to the vacuum conduits and is operable to control vacuum pumping from the base plate.

6. Λ system for transporting substrates from an atmospheric pressure to high vacuum pressure, comprising;

a rough vacuum chamber having an entry valve and an exit opening;

a high vacuum chamber having an entry opening, the high vacuum chamber coupled to the rough vacuum chamber such that the exit opening and the entry opening are aligned;

a separation valve situated between the exit opening and the entry opening;

a first conveyor provided inside the rough vacuum chamber and transporting substrates from atmospheric environment into the rough vacuum environment inside the rough vacuum chamber;

a second conveyor arrangement provided in the high vacuum chamber;

a sensing element provided in the high vacuum chamber to enable detection of broken substrates; and,

a disposal mechanism provided in the high vacuum chamber enabling dumping of broken substrates into a collection bin.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first conveyor comprises a perforated belt and wherein vacuum is created below the perforated belt to urge substrates against the perforated belt.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first conveyor further comprises a base plate having vacuum channels and at least one vacuum valve to control vacuum pumping from the vacuum channels.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the disposal mechanism comprises a tilting mechanism configured for tilting the second conveyor arrangement away from its horizontal transport position so as to dump the broken substrates into the collection bin.

10. The system of claim 9. further comprising a substrate storage device configured to load new substrate onto the second conveyor arrangement, so as to replace the broken substrates.

1 1 . The system of claim 10, wherein the wafer dump comprises a swiveling mechanism in the second conveyor belt.

1 2. The system of claim 7, wherein the second conveyor arrangement comprises at least one retractable conveyor configured for retractably extending into the rough vacuum chamber through the valve.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the second conveyor arrangement comprises two conveyor belts, a first belt configured for receiving substrates from the first conveyor and a second belt configured to receive substrates from the first belt and transport them to exit the high vacuum chamber.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the second belt is positioned to receive substrates from the storage device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the storage device is configured to be vertically movable for depositing and removing wafers from the second belt.

16. The system of claim 6, wherein the first conveyor comprises a thin belt extending into the high vacuum chamber, and wherein the separation valve is configured to assume its close position by pressing against the thin belt.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the thin belt comprises a perforated bell.

18. The system of claim 6, further comprising an equalization valve having entry port coupled to bottom of the rough vacuum chamber and exit port coupled to the high vacuum chamber.

19. A high vacuum loadlock, comprising: a sealable chamber body having an entry opening configured for coupling to a rough loadlock and further having an exit valve configured for coupling to a vacuum processing chamber;

at least one conveyor belt configured for transporting substrates;

a sensing element provided in the high vacuum chamber to enable detection of broken substrates on the conveyor belt; and.

a mechanism provided on the conveyor belt enabling dumping of broken substrates onto a collection bin at bottom of the sealable chamber body.

20. The high vacuum loadlock of claim 19, further comprising a substrate storage device configured to deposit fresh substrates to replace the broken substrates.

21 . The high vacuum loadlock of claim 20, further comprising a second conveyor belt situated to receive the fresh substrates from the substrate storage.

22. The high vacuum loadlock of claim 19, wherein the at least one conveyor belt comprises a first belt and a second belt, and wherein at least one of the first belt and second belt is configured to swivel so as to assume a position tilted from horizontal so as to dump substrates positioned thereupon.