Apparatus and method for processing substrates in a CVD reactor

Abstract

This invention relates to an apparatus and a method for processing substrates. The apparatus has a process chamber (1) with a first number (N1) of mounting positions (3) for each substrate (22). A first cassette (K1) is fitted with a second number (N2) of substrates to be processed. The substrates to be processed are stored in a second cassette (K2), which also has a second number (N2) of mounting positions (31). Since the first number (N1) and the second number (N2) are coprime, the unprocessed substrates (22) and the processed substrates (32) are temporarily stored in first and second storage elements (S1, S2) respectively within the apparatus. The temporary storage method involves always feeding a fully loaded first cassette (K1) to the apparatus and always removing a fully loaded cassette (K2) from the apparatus.

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