Dodecadon transfer chamber and processing system having the same

A processing system for processing a plurality of substrates comprising:

• a transfer chamber comprising:
• a lid;
• a bottom disposed opposite the lid;
• a plurality of sidewalls sealingly coupling the lid to the bottom and defining an internal volume, wherein the plurality of sidewalls include twelve faces configured to couple to another chamber, each face having an opening formed therethrough that is configured to allow a substrate to pass therethrough;
• a base center extending from the lid to bottom within the internal volume, the center being equidistant from the plurality of sidewalls;
• and
• a transfer robot disposed in the internal volume having a center of balance offset a distance from the base center of the transfer chamber, the transfer robot having comprising:
• a wrist;
• at least one effector opposite the wrist, the end effector configured to transfer substrates through the openings;
• and
• a counter balance disposed adjacent the wrist configured to balance the weight of the transfer robot when transferring substrates;
• a first load lock chamber coupled to one of the faces of the transfer chamber and having an opening, wherein the opening of the first load lock chamber is aligned with one of the openings of the transfer chamber to allow substrate transfer between the first load lock chamber and the transfer chamber;
• a buffer chamber coupled to one of the faces of the transfer chamber and having a support rack with a plurality of slots, the buffer chamber configured to hold 5 or more substrates in a vacuum environment on the support rack, the buffer chamber having an opening aligned with one of the openings of the transfer chamber, wherein the support rack is only accessible by the substrates through the opening in the buffer chamber;
• a mask chamber coupled to one of the faces of the transfer chamber and having an opening, wherein the opening of the mask chamber is aligned with one of the openings of the transfer chamber to allow mask transfer between the mask chamber and the transfer chamber;
• and
• a plurality of processing chambers coupled to one of the faces of the transfer chamber, each of the processing chambers having an opening aligned with one of the openings in the transfer chamber to allow substrate and mask transfer between the processing chambers and the transfer chamber.

A method of processing a plurality of substrates comprising:

• transferring seven substrates to a transfer chamber of a processing system wherein the transfer chamber has sidewalls with twelve faces configured for attaching chambers thereto;
• depositing a silicon containing film on the seven substrates in seven separate processing chambers directly attached to the transfer chamber;
• and
• transferring the seven substrates into a load lock chamber coupled to the transfer chamber after depositing only the silicon containing film deposition.