Vacuum chamber arrangement

Abstract

According to various embodiments, a vacuum chamber arrangement can have the following: a vacuum chamber, which has a first supply passage; a substrate holding arrangement having a substrate holder for holding and positioning at least one substrate, a vacuumtight supply housing for supplying the substrate holder with at least one supply medium, wherein the supply housing has a second supply passage; a bearing arrangement, by means of which the substrate holding arrangement is supported movably within the vacuum chamber; and a supply hose, which links the first supply passage to the second supply passage.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vacuum chamber arrangement, comprising:
 a vacuum chamber, which comprises a first supply passage;   a substrate holding arrangement comprising a substrate holder for holding and positioning at least one substrate, a vacuumtight supply housing for supplying the substrate holder with at least one supply medium, wherein the supply housing comprises a second supply passage;   a bearing arrangement, by means of which the substrate holding arrangement is supported movably within the vacuum chamber; and   a supply hose, which links the first supply passage to the second supply passage.   
     
     
         2 . The vacuum chamber arrangement of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the vacuum chamber comprises a lock chamber and at least one process chamber.   
     
     
         3 . The vacuum chamber arrangement of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the first supply passage is arranged in a chamber wall section of the lock chamber, and wherein the substrate holding arrangement is supported in such a way by means of the bearing arrangement that at least the substrate holder of the substrate holding arrangement can be moved out of the lock chamber into the at least one process chamber and/or out of the at least one process chamber into the lock chamber.   
     
     
         4 . The vacuum chamber arrangement of  claim 1 ,
 wherein a supply structure is arranged in the supply housing in order to at least one of
 drive the positioning, 
 cool the substrate holder, and/or 
 cool the supply housing. 
   
     
     
         5 . The vacuum chamber arrangement of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the substrate holder comprises at least one joint, which provides at least one degree of freedom of movement for the positioning of at least one substrate.   
     
     
         6 . The vacuum chamber arrangement of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the substrate holding arrangement is supported in such a way by means of the bearing arrangement that it can be moved between at least one first and one second position, and wherein the substrate holder is arranged in the first position within the lock chamber, and wherein the substrate holder is arranged in the second position within the at least one process.   
     
     
         7 . The vacuum chamber arrangement of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the substrate holder comprises at least one pivotably supported support arm.   
     
     
         8 . The vacuum chamber arrangement of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the at least one support arm comprises at least one rotatably supported substrate receptacle for receiving and positioning at least one substrate.   
     
     
         9 . The vacuum chamber arrangement of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the supply hose is vacuumtight and is configured in such a way that the substrate holding arrangement can be moved within the vacuum chamber while, simultaneously, the supply hose links the first supply passage and the second supply passage to one another.   
     
     
         10 . The vacuum chamber arrangement of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the supply hose, the supply housing as well as the first supply passage and the second supply passage are configured in such a way that the interior of the supply hose and the interior of the supply housing are separated in respect of the vacuum from the interior of the vacuum chamber.   
     
     
         11 . The vacuum chamber arrangement of  claim 1 ,
 wherein at least one electric supply lead is arranged within the supply hose.   
     
     
         12 . The vacuum chamber arrangement of  claim 1 ,
 wherein at least one coolant supply line is arranged within the supply hose.   
     
     
         13 . A method comprising:
 coating a workpiece using a vacuum chamber arrangement, the vacuum chamber arrangement comprising:
 a vacuum chamber, which comprises a first supply passage; 
 a substrate holding arrangement comprising a substrate holder for holding and positioning at least one substrate, a vacuumtight supply housing for supplying the substrate holder with at least one supply medium, wherein the supply housing comprises a second supply passage; 
 a bearing arrangement, by means of which the substrate holding arrangement is supported movably within the vacuum chamber; and 
 a supply hose, which links the first supply passage to the second supply passage. 
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 ,
 wherein coating the workpiece comprises a simultaneous coating of a multiplicity of turbine blades with a thermal protection layer.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the vacuum chamber comprises a lock chamber and at least one process chamber; and   wherein the first supply passage is arranged in a chamber wall section of the lock chamber, and wherein the substrate holding arrangement is supported in such a way by means of the bearing arrangement that at least the substrate holder of the substrate holding arrangement can be moved out of the lock chamber into the at least one process chamber and/or out of the at least one process chamber into the lock chamber.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the substrate holding arrangement is supported in such a way by means of the bearing arrangement that it can be moved between at least one first and one second position, and wherein the substrate holder is arranged in the first position within the lock chamber, and wherein the substrate holder is arranged in the second position within the at least one process chamber.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the substrate holder comprises at least one pivotably supported support arm; and   wherein the at least one support arm comprises at least one rotatably supported substrate receptacle for receiving and positioning at least one substrate.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the supply hose is vacuumtight and is configured in such a way that the substrate holding arrangement can be moved within the vacuum chamber while, simultaneously, the supply hose links the first supply passage and the second supply passage to one another.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the supply hose, the supply housing as well as the first supply passage and the second supply passage are configured in such a way that the interior of the supply hose and the interior of the supply housing are separated in respect of the vacuum from the interior of the vacuum chamber.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 ,
 wherein at least one electric supply lead is arranged within the supply hose; or   wherein at least one coolant supply line is arranged within the supply hose.