Cluster tool architecture for processing a substrate

A method of processing a substrate in a cluster tool comprising:

• inserting at least one substrate in two or more vertically stacked processing chambers in a first processing rack using a first robot;
• processing the substrates in the two or more processing chambers in the first processing rack;
• removing the substrates from the two or more vertically stacked processing chambers in the first processing rack substantially simultaneously using a second robot, wherein removing the substrates further comprises:
• repositioning a robot blade connected to a support attached to the second robot to prevent the blade from accessing a first vertically stacked processing chamber;
• positioning a robot blade that is separately connected to the support in a second vertically stacked processing chamber;
• positioning a substrate positioned in the second vertically stacked processing chamber on the robot blade;
• and
• removing the robot blade from the second vertically stacked processing chamber;
• and
• transferring the substrate to a second set of two or more vertically stacked processing chambers using the second robot.

A method of processing a substrate in a cluster tool comprising:

• inserting at least one substrate through a first side of two or more vertically stacked processing chambers positioned in a cluster tool using a first robot;
• processing the substrates in the processing chambers;
• removing two or more substrates through a second side of the two or more vertically stacked processing chambers substantially simultaneously using a second robot;
• simultaneously transferring the two or more substrates to a desired position using the second robot.

A method of processing a substrate in a cluster tool comprising:

• removing a substrate from a cassette using a robot;
• inserting a first substrate in a first processing chamber adjacently positioned to a second processing chamber;
• isolating the first processing chamber from the second processing chamber by positioning a shutter between the first processing chamber and the second processing chamber;
• dispensing a processing fluid on the surface of the substrate positioned in the first processing chamber using a nozzle connected to a fluid dispensing system;
• inserting a second substrate in the second processing chamber;
• and
• dispensing a processing fluid on the surface of the second substrate positioned in the second processing chamber using the nozzle connected to the fluid dispensing system.

A method of processing a substrate in a cluster tool comprising:

• positioning a substrate on a substrate exchanging device in a first processing chamber that is adjacently positioned to a second processing chamber;
• transferring the substrate from the substrate exchanging device in the first processing chamber to a substrate receiving surface of a chilled robot blade, wherein the substrate receiving surface is adapted to control the temperature of the substrate retained thereon;
• transferring the substrate to the second processing chamber using the chilled robot blade;
• and
• transferring the substrate to a third processing chamber using the chilled robot blade, wherein the third processing chamber is adjacent to the second processing chamber.

A method of processing a substrate in a cluster tool comprising:

• positioning a substrate on a substrate exchanging device in a first processing chamber that is adjacently positioned to a second processing chamber;
• transferring the substrate from the substrate exchanging device in the first processing chamber to a substrate receiving surface of a chilled robot blade, wherein the substrate receiving surface is adapted to control the temperature of the substrate retained thereon;
• transferring the substrate to the second processing chamber using the chilled robot blade;
• heating the substrate in the second processing chamber to a desired temperature;
• transferring the substrate to a third processing chamber using the chilled robot blade, wherein the third processing chamber is adjacent to the second processing chamber;
• and
• cooling the substrate in the third processing chamber to a desired temperature.

A method of processing a substrate in a cluster tool comprising:

• transferring a substrate from a cassette containing two or more substrates, wherein the cassette is retained in the cluster tool;
• completing a final processing step on a substrate in a processing chamber;
• transferring the substrate from the processing chamber to a chill chamber that is adapted to perform a chill process;
• and
• transferring the substrate from the chill chamber to the cassette.