Patent Publication Number: US-11658051-B2

Title: Substrate transport

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 16/552,881, filed Aug. 27, 2019, (now U.S. Pat. No. 11,121,015), which is a continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 14/161,039, filed on Jan. 22, 2014, which claims priority from and the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/755,156 filed on Jan. 22, 2013, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     The aspects of the disclosed embodiment generally relate to substrate transports and, more particularly, to substrate carriers and their tool interface(s). 
     2. Brief Description of Related Developments 
     Substrates such as semiconductor wafers are generally carried between tools and stored in some form of carrier so the substrates are not exposed to the uncontrolled ambient environment in the semiconductor factory and protected from contaminants. Generally the carriers used remain at atmospheric pressure and chemistry in order to transport substrates to various processing equipment. Other substrate transport solutions include carriers that can be filled with an inert gas, such as nitrogen, but these carriers ultimately can expose the wafers to contamination because they are not hermetically sealed and the internal volume of the carrier can be exposed to uncontrolled environments on the processing equipment. A conventional carrier is constructed of materials which can attract moisture and oxygen and, in instances where moisture or oxygen is a contaminant of concern, the carrier internal environment during wafer transport or storage will likely result in contamination of the wafers. Even in the case of a conventional carrier filled with inert gas the water concentration inside the carrier can be elevated due to moisture entering the inert gas volume from internal carrier surfaces and this water can contaminate the wafer surface. It is noted that for some processes it is undesirable for substrates to be exposed to any type of contaminants, such as moisture, oxygen, and airborne particulates, when being transported from one tool to the next. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing aspects and other features of the disclosed embodiment are explained in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIGS.  1 A- 1 D  are schematic views of processing tools in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment; 
         FIGS.  2 A- 2 E  are schematic illustrations of a portion of a processing tool in accordance with aspects of the disclose embodiment; 
         FIGS.  3 A- 3 D  are schematic illustrations of a substrate carrier in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment; 
         FIGS.  4 A- 4 B  are schematic illustrations of a portion of a carrier in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment; 
         FIGS.  5 A- 5 C  are schematic illustrations of a portion of a processing tool in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment; 
         FIGS.  6 A and  6 B  are schematic illustrations of a portion of a processing tool in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment; 
         FIG.  7    is a schematic illustration of a portion of a processing tool in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment; 
         FIGS.  8 A- 8 D  are schematic illustrations of portions of a processing tool in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment; 
         FIGS.  9 A- 9 F  are schematic illustrations of portions of a processing tool in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment; 
         FIG.  10    is a flow diagram in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment; 
         FIGS.  11 - 30    are schematic illustrations of processing tools in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment; 
         FIGS.  31  and  32    are schematic illustrations of processing tools in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment; 
         FIGS.  33  and  34    are schematic illustrations of portions of a processing tool in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment; 
         FIGS.  35 A and  35 B  are schematic illustrations of portions of a processing tool in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment; 
         FIG.  36    is a flow chart in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment; 
         FIG.  37    is a schematic illustration of a fabrication facility in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment; 
         FIGS.  38 A and  38 B  are schematic illustrations of a portion of a processing too in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment; and 
         FIGS.  39  and  40    are flow diagrams in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Although the aspects of the disclosed embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings, it should be understood that the aspects of the disclosed embodiment can be embodied in many forms. In addition, any suitable size, shape or type of elements or materials could be used. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  1 A- 1 D , there are shown schematic views of substrate processing apparatus or tools incorporating aspects of the disclosed embodiment as disclosed further herein. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  1 A and  1 B , a processing apparatus, such as for example a semiconductor tool station  1090  is shown in accordance with an aspect of the disclosed embodiment. Although a semiconductor tool is shown in the drawings, the aspects of the disclosed embodiment described herein can be applied to any tool station or application employing robotic manipulators. In this example the tool  1090  is shown as a cluster tool, however the aspects of the disclosed embodiments may be applied to any suitable tool station such as, for example, a linear tool station such as that shown in  FIGS.  1 C and  1 D  and described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/442,511, entitled “Linearly Distributed Semiconductor Workpiece Processing Tool,” filed May 26, 2006, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. The tool station  1090  generally includes an atmospheric front end  1000 , a vacuum load lock  1010  and a vacuum back end  1020 . In other aspects, the tool station may have any suitable configuration. The components of each of the front end  1000 , load lock  1010  and back end  1020  may be connected to a controller  1091  which may be part of any suitable control architecture such as, for example, a clustered architecture control. The control system may be a closed loop controller having a master controller, cluster controllers and autonomous remote controllers such as those disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/178,615, entitled “Scalable Motion Control System,” filed Jul. 11, 2005, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. In other aspects, any suitable controller and/or control system may be utilized. 
     It is noted that one or more of the tool modules may include a workpiece transport or robot for transferring the workpiece(s) throughout the tool. 
     In the aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the front end  1000  generally includes load port modules  1005  and a mini-environment  1060  such as for example a mini-environment/equipment front end module (EFEM). The load port modules  1005  may be box opener/loader to tool standard (BOLTS) interfaces that conform to SEMI standards E15.1, E47.1, E62, E19.5 or E1.9 for 300 mm load ports, front opening or bottom opening boxes/pods and cassettes. In other aspects, the load port modules and other components of the tool, as described herein, may be configured to interface with or otherwise operate on 200 mm, 300 mm or 450 mm wafers or any other suitable size and shape of substrate such as for example larger or smaller wafers, rectangular or square wafers, or flat panels for flat panel displays, light emitting diodes or solar arrays. In other aspects the components of the tool, including for example the substrate transports, as described herein may be configured to handle hot wafers from any one or more of the semiconductor manufacturing processes described herein. Although two load port modules are shown in  FIG.  1 A , in other aspects any suitable number of load port modules may be incorporated into the front end  1000 . The load port modules  1005  may be configured to receive substrate carriers or cassettes  1050  from an overhead transport system, automatic guided vehicles, person guided vehicles, rail guided vehicles or from any other suitable transport method. The load port modules  1005  may interface with the mini-environment  1060  through load ports  1040 . The load ports  1040  may allow the passage of substrates between the substrate cassettes  1050  and the mini-environment  1060 . The mini-environment  1060  generally includes a transfer robot  1013 . In one aspect of the disclosed embodiment the robot  1013  may be a track mounted robot such as that described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,002,840, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. The mini-environment  1060  may provide a controlled, clean zone for substrate transfer between multiple load port modules. 
     The vacuum load lock  1010  may be located between and connected to the mini-environment  1060  and the back end  1020 . The load lock  1010  generally includes atmospheric and vacuum slot valves. The slot valves may provide the environmental isolation employed to evacuate the load lock after loading a substrate from the atmospheric front end and to maintain the vacuum in the transfer chamber when evacuating the lock with an inert gas such as nitrogen. It is noted that the term evacuate as used herein corresponds to the removal of gas from a volume where the removal is done by venting the gas, e.g. by opening a valve, or by pumping the gas out of the volume. In one aspect, during evacuation the gas may be replaced (e.g. purging) so as to maintain a predetermined pressure within the volume or the gas may not be replaced or only be partially replaced so that a vacuum is formed within the volume. The load lock  1010  may also include an aligner  1011  for aligning a fiducial of the substrate to a desired position for processing. In other aspects, the vacuum load lock may be located in any suitable location of the processing apparatus and have any suitable configuration. 
     The vacuum back end  1020  generally includes a transfer chamber  1025 , one or more processing station(s)  1030  and a transfer robot  1014 . The transfer robot  1014  will be described below and may be located within the transfer chamber  1025  to transport substrates between the load lock  1010  and the various processing stations  1030 . The processing stations  1030  may operate on the substrates through various deposition, etching, or other types of processes to form electrical circuitry or other desired structure on the substrates. Typical processes include but are not limited to thin film processes that use a vacuum such as plasma etch or other etching processes, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma vapor deposition (PVD), implantation such as ion implantation, metrology, rapid thermal processing (RTP), dry strip atomic layer deposition (ALD), oxidation/diffusion, forming of nitrides, vacuum lithography, epitaxy (EPI), wire bonder and evaporation or other thin film processes that use vacuum pressures. The processing stations  1030  are connected to the transfer chamber  1025  to allow substrates to be passed from the transfer chamber  1025  to the processing stations  1030  and vice versa. 
     Referring now to  FIG.  1 C , a schematic plan view of a linear substrate processing system  2010  is shown where the tool interface section  2012  is mounted to a transfer chamber module  3018  so that the interface section  2012  is facing generally towards (e.g. inwards) but is offset from the longitudinal axis X of the transfer chamber  3018 . The transfer chamber module  3018  may be extended in any suitable direction by attaching other transfer chamber modules  3018 A,  3018 I,  3018 J to interfaces  2050 ,  2060 ,  2070  as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/442,511, previously incorporated herein by reference. Each transfer chamber module  3018 ,  3019 A,  3018 I,  3018 J includes a substrate transport  2080  for transporting substrates throughout the processing system  2010  and into and out of, for example, processing modules PM. As may be realized, each chamber module may be capable of holding an isolated, controlled or sealed atmosphere (e.g. N2, clean air, vacuum). 
     Referring to  FIG.  1 D , there is shown a schematic elevation view of an exemplary processing tool  410  such as may be taken along longitudinal axis X of the linear transfer chamber  416 . In one aspect, as shown in  FIG.  1 D , the tool interface section  12  may be representatively connected to the transfer chamber  416 . In this aspect, interface section  12  may define one end of the tool transfer chamber  416 . As seen in  FIG.  1 D , the transfer chamber  416  may have another workpiece entry/exit station  412  for example at an opposite end from interface section  12 . In other aspects, other entry/exit stations for inserting/removing work pieces from the transfer chamber may be provided such as between the ends of the tool transfer chamber  416 . In one aspect of the disclosed embodiment, interface section  12  and entry/exit station  412  may allow loading and unloading of workpieces from the tool. In other aspects, workpieces may be loaded into the tool from one end and removed from the other end. In one aspect, the transfer chamber  416  may have one or more transfer chamber module(s)  18 B,  18   i . Each chamber module may be capable of holding an isolated, controlled or sealed atmosphere (e.g. N2, clean air, vacuum). As noted before, the configuration/arrangement of the transfer chamber modules  18 B,  18   i , load lock modules  56 A,  56 B and workpiece stations forming the transfer chamber  416  shown in  FIG.  1 D  is merely exemplary, and in other aspects the transfer chamber may have more or fewer modules disposed in any desired modular arrangement. In one aspect station  412  may be a load lock. In other aspects, a load lock module may be located between the end entry/exit station (similar to station  412 ) or the adjoining transfer chamber module (similar to module  18   i ) may be configured to operate as a load lock. As also noted before, transfer chamber modules  18 B,  18   i  have one or more corresponding transport apparatus  26 B,  26   i  located therein. The transport apparatus  26 B,  26   i  of the respective transfer chamber modules  18 B,  18   i  may cooperate to provide the linearly distributed workpiece transport system  420  in the transfer chamber. In other aspects the transfer chamber modules  18 B may be configured to allow any suitable transport cart (not shown) to travel between transfer chamber modules  18 B along at least a portion of the length of the linear transfer chamber  416 . As may be realized the transport cart  900  may include any suitable transport apparatus mounted thereto and substantially similar to those transport apparatuses described herein. As shown in  FIG.  1 D , in one aspect the arms of the transport apparatus  26 B may be arranged to provide what may be referred to as fast swap arrangement allowing the transport to quickly swap wafers from a pick/place location as will also be described in further detail below. The transport arm  26 B may have a suitable drive section for providing each arm with three (3) (e.g. independent rotation about shoulder and elbow joints with Z axis motion) degrees of freedom from a simplified drive system compared to conventional drive systems. In other aspects, the drive section may provide the arm with more or less than three degrees of freedom. As seen in  FIG.  1 D , in one aspect the modules  56 A,  56 ,  30   i  may be located interstitially between transfer chamber modules  18 B,  18   i  and may define suitable processing modules, load lock(s), buffer station(s), metrology station(s) or any other desired station(s). For example the interstitial modules, such as load locks  56 A,  56  and workpiece station  30   i , may each have stationary workpiece supports/shelves  56 S,  56 S 1 ,  56 S 2 ,  30 S 1 ,  30 S 2  that may cooperate with the transport arms to effect transport or workpieces through the length of the transfer chamber along linear axis X of the transfer chamber. By way of example, workpiece(s) may be loaded into the transfer chamber  416  by interface section  12 . The workpiece(s) may be positioned on the support(s) of load lock module  56 A with the transport arm  15  of the interface section. The workpiece(s), in load lock module  56 A, may be moved between load lock module  56 A and load lock module  56  by the transport arm  26 B in module  18 B, and in a similar and consecutive manner between load lock  56  and workpiece station  30   i  with arm  26   i  (in module  18   i ) and between station  30   i  and station  412  with arm  26   i  in module  18   i . This process may be reversed in whole or in part to move the workpiece(s) in the opposite direction. Thus, in one aspect, workpieces may be moved in any direction along axis X and to any position along the transfer chamber and may be loaded to and unloaded from any desired module (processing or otherwise) communicating with the transfer chamber. In other aspects, interstitial transfer chamber modules with static workpiece supports or shelves may not be provided between transfer chamber modules  18 B,  18   i . In such aspects of the disclosed embodiment, transport arms of adjoining transfer chamber modules may pass off workpieces directly (or through the use of a buffer station) from end effector or one transport arm to end effector of another transport arm to move the workpiece through the transfer chamber. The processing station modules may operate on the substrates through various deposition, etching, or other types of processes to form electrical circuitry or other desired structure on the substrates. The processing station modules are connected to the transfer chamber modules to allow substrates to be passed from the transfer chamber to the processing stations and vice versa. A suitable example of a processing tool with similar general features to the processing apparatus depicted in  FIG.  1 D  is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/442,511, previously incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     Referring now to  FIGS.  2 A- 2 E  a portion of a processing tool  200  (e.g. such as those processing tools described above) is illustrated. The processing tool  200  may include a controlled environment interface module  201  (referred to herein as an “interface module”), a transfer chamber  202 , a load lock  203  and a load port module  204 . The load port module may be any suitable load port module such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,641,348, 6,501,070, 6,815,661, 6,784,418, 6,765,222, 6,281,516 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/178,836 (US Pub. No. 2007/0009345) filed on Jul. 11, 2005, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. In one aspect the load port module may be configured to support and couple to a front opening unified pod (FOUP), a standard mechanical interface (SMIF) box or any other suitable portable substrate transfer/storage container  211  configured to hold any suitable size and shaped substrate(s) as described above. 
     The transfer chamber  202  may be any suitable transfer chamber configured to hold any suitable internal atmosphere. In one aspect the transfer chamber  202  may be configured to hold a vacuum within the chamber where the substrate transfer/storage container  211  is also configured to hold a vacuum therein and interface substantially directly with the vacuum environment of the transfer chamber  202 . In other aspect the transfer chamber  202  may be configured to cycle the atmosphere within the transfer chamber  202  between, for example, an atmospheric environment and a vacuum environment. The transfer chamber  202  may include one or more sealable openings  202 S for coupling the transfer chamber to any suitable semiconductor processing modules such as, for example, the interface module  201 , another transfer chamber, the load lock  203  and/or the load port module  204 . The transfer chamber  202  may also include any suitable substrate transport, such as substrate transport  202 T, for transporting substrates between one or more of the substrate processing modules coupled to the transfer chamber  202 . In one aspect the substrate transport  202 T may be a selectively complaint articulated robot arm (SCARA) having, for example, at least one upper arm  202 TU, at least one forearm  202 TF and at least one substrate holder or end effector  202 TE configured to hold at least one substrate  220 . In other aspects the substrate transport may be a frog leg style arm, a bisymmetric transport arm, a sliding link transport arm, an unequal link substrate transport arm or any other suitable transport configured to transport one or more substrates from one substrate holding location to another substrate holding location. 
     The load lock  203  may be any suitable load lock configured to cycle an internal environment of the load lock between any two environments such as, for example, the internal environment of the transfer chamber  202  and a processing module (not shown) or another transfer chamber (not shown) coupled to the load lock  203 . As may be realized, the load lock may include one or more sealable openings  203 S configured for coupling the load lock  203  to any suitable substrate processing module in a manner similar to that described above. 
     Referring also to  FIGS.  5 A- 8 C  the interface module  201  may be configured to interface with any suitable substrate carrier such as controlled environment substrate pod  210  (referred to herein as “substrate pod”) which will be described in greater detail below. The interface module  201  may include features, as will be described below, to dock with, open and close the substrate pod  210 . It is noted that while the substrate pod  210  is illustrated as a bottom opening pod and the interface module  201  is shown as being configured to open and close the bottom opening pod in other aspects the pod may be a front/side opening pod or a top opening pod including the features described herein and the interface module may be suitably configured, and including the features described herein, to open and close the pod. The interface module  201  may include a frame having a housing  201 H that forms one or more internal chambers. It is noted that while the interface module  201  is shown as a single substrate pod interface module in other aspects, as will be described below, the interface module may be a multi-port interface module that may have an internal chamber common to each of the pod interface ports or separate internal chambers for each pod interface port. In one aspect the internal chamber may be a vacuum chamber while in other aspects the internal chamber may be configured to hold any suitable environment. The housing may include one or more sealable openings  201 S configured for coupling the interface module  201  to other semiconductor processing modules such as those described herein and/or one or more view ports  201 VP for allowing visual inspection of the interior of the housing  201 H. As may be realized, the housing  201 H, and the other semiconductor processing modules described herein, may have multiple openings on a single side of the housing  201 H in a vertically stacked and/or horizontal side-by-side arrangement for coupling any suitable number of processing modules to the housing  201 H and allowing flexibility to integrate the interface module to multiple equipment configurations. 
     In one aspect the interface module  201  includes a port plate  209  and an elevator  730  which may be configured to open the substrate pod  210 . The elevator  730  may be coupled to at least a portion of the port plate  209 , such as for example, interface module door  209 D, to move the interface module door  209 D in, for example, the direction of arrow  799  for opening and closing the substrate pod  210 . The elevator may include any suitable linear actuator  530 A that may be isolated from the interior of the housing  201 H in any suitable manner, such as by a bellows  730 B to substantially prevent particle and organic contamination from entering the interior of the housing  201 H. In one aspect, the interface module door  209 D may include a pod interface  209 DP and an elevator interface  209 DE which may be movable relative to one another. For example, the pod interface  209 DP may be held in a spaced relationship with the elevator interface  209 DE in any suitable manner such as with resilient members  752 . The elevator  730  may be coupled to the pod interface  209 DP so that the port plate operates passively when the linear actuator  530 A is operated. For example, passive relative movement between the pod interface  209 DP and the elevator interface  209 DE, e.g. from operation of the elevator, may cause operation of door latch pin(s)  520 , a door latch actuator  530  or any other feature of the port plate as will be described below. In other aspects the pod interface  209 DP and the elevator interface  209 DE may have a unitary one piece construction and the features of the port plate may be operated in any suitable manner. 
     In one aspect, the port plate  209  may include, for example, one or more of a port seal  590 , a port door seal  591  (e.g. for sealing between the port door  209 D and a port rim  760 R, which forms an opening  201 X ( FIG.  7   ) of the interface module  201  for transferring substrates into an interior of the housing  201 H, to seal the opening  201 X), a pod clamp  500  and a door latch actuator  530 , one or more of which may be located on the interface module door  209 D and/or any other suitable location of the port plate  209 . The port plate  209  may also include one or more of a pod presence sensor  580  ( FIG.  5 B ), status indicators  610 , purge port(s)  600 , one or more door latch sensors  520  and a door presence sensor(s)  700  interface module door  209 D, one or more of which may be located on the interface module door  209  and/or any other suitable location of the port plate  209 . 
     Referring also to  FIG.  3 D  the port seal  590  may be disposed on one or more of the door  209 D or pod support surface  760  of the port plate  209  for forming a seal between the pod support surface  760  and a bottom surface  210 B of the substrate pod  210 . It is noted that the port seal(s)  590  and/or the pod clamp  500  may form a redundant seal system where at least one seal  590  is located in, for example, a horizontal plane and another other seal (e.g. pod clamp  500 ) is located in a substantially vertical plane (e.g. the seals are located in substantially orthogonally arranged planes) surrounding a circumference of the substrate pod  210 . In one aspect, the port seal  590  may include any suitable seal  590 A disposed substantially around a periphery of the door  209 D for sealing an interface between the door  209 D of the port plate  209  and a door  210 D ( FIG.  3 A- 3 C ) of the substrate pod  210 . The port seal  590  may also include any suitable seal  590 B disposed around a periphery of the pod support surface  760  for sealing an interface between the pod support surface  760  and a housing of the substrate pod  210 . In other aspects the port seal  590  may include any suitable number of seals having any suitable configuration. The port seal  590  may be recessed or otherwise affixed in or on one or more of the door  209 D, the pod support surface  760 , the housing  210 H or the door  210 D in any suitable manner. 
     The pod clamp  500  may be disposed along a periphery of a recessed portion  209 R ( FIG.  5 A ) of the port plate  209  in which, for example, the substrate pod  210  is placed. In other aspects the port plate  209  may not have a recessed area. The pod clamp  500  may be any suitable clamp for holding a housing  210 H ( FIG.  3 A- 3 C ) of the substrate pod  210  on the port plate  209 . In one aspect, the pod clamp  500  may be an inflatable clamp configured to grip and form a seal with a periphery of the substrate pod  210  housing. The pod clamp  500  may be inflated in any suitable manner, such as by any suitable pump (not shown). In other aspects, the pod clamp may include any suitable clasps, cams, levers or any other suitable releasable solid state or movable clamping mechanisms. 
     The door latch actuator  530  may include any suitable gripper for gripping a corresponding feature, such as post  310  ( FIG.  3 A ), of the substrate pod door  210 D (as will be described below). In one aspect the door latch actuator  530  may include a pin  530 P for aligning the door latch actuator with the post  310 , and one or more fingers  530 L for gripping the post  310 . In one aspect the fingers  530 L may be pivotally coupled to one or more of the pin  530 P and a surface of the port plate  209  so that as the pin  530 P is moved in the direction of arrow  798  the fingers  530 L rotate to grip the post  310  and move the substrate pod door against the interface module door  209 D to form a seal between the substrate pod door and the interface module door  209 D as will be described in greater detail below. A conduit pass through  770  may also be formed in the interface module door  209 D for providing any suitable sensors for the actuation of the door latch actuator  530  and/or for sensing when fingers  530 L grip the post  310 . In other aspects the door latch actuator  530  may be part of the elevator  730  such that when the linear actuator  530 A moves the elevator the fingers  530 L are caused to rotate in any suitable manner, e.g. such as by linear movement of the pin  530 P, for gripping the post  310 . 
     The pod presence sensor  580  ( FIG.  5 B ) may include a transmitter  580 T and a receiver  580 R for sensing the presence of the substrate pod  210  on the port plate  209  in any suitable manner. While the pod presence sensor  580  is illustrated as having a transmitter  580 T and receiver  580 R in separate housings in other aspects the transmitter and receiver may be disposed in a common housing. In one aspect the pod presence sensor may be a noncontact sensor such as a reflective sensor, through-beam sensor or any other optical, capacitive or contactless sensor. In still other aspects the pod presence sensor  580  may be any other suitable type of sensor, such as for example a contact sensor. The door presence sensor(s)  700  may be disposed on, for example, the interface module door  209 D for detecting, for example, the presence of the substrate pod  210  door against the interface module door  209 D in any suitable manner. One or more door latch sensors  520  may also be provided on, for example, the interface module door  209 D for passively unlatching the substrate pod door  210 D ( FIG.  3 A- 3 C ) from the substrate pod housing  210 H ( FIG.  3 A- 3 C ) as will be described below and/or sensing when the latch is released. 
     The status indicators  610  may be disposed at any suitable location on the interface module  201 . In one aspect the status indicators may be disposed on a surface of the port plate  209 . As can be seen in  FIG.  6 B  the status indicators  610  may include one or more visual indicators  610 A,  610 B,  610 C,  610 D,  610 E that communicate an operational status of the interface module  201  to, for example, an operator. It is noted that the status indicators  610  as well as the various sensors and drives of the interface module  201  may be operably connected to one or more controllers, such as controller  1091  ( FIG.  1 A ). The controller may receive signals from the various sensors and drives and provide corresponding signals to the status indicators  610  for providing the visual status indication. 
     The interface module  201  may also include one or more purge ports  600  ( FIGS.  6 A and  8 C ). In this aspect the purge port  600  is located on the pod support surface  760  for purging (e.g. evacuating) or otherwise charging (e.g. re-filling or filling) a gas/fluid reservoir or chamber  390  ( FIG.  3 C ) of the substrate pod  210  as will be described below. In one aspect the purging of the gas reservoir  390  may be automatically performed upon pumping down to vacuum of one or more of the interface module  201  and/or the substrate pod  210 . In other aspects the evacuating or charging of the gas reservoir  390  may be performed at any suitable time. The interface module  201  may also include other flow ports for flushing or otherwise purging gaps or sealed areas between, for example, the port plate  209 /port plate door  209 D and the substrate pod  210 . For example, the port plate  209  may include a gap flush supply port  810  ( FIG.  8 B ) and a gap flush exhaust port  811  ( FIG.  8 B ) for flushing a gap between, for example, the port plate  209  and the substrate pod  210  and/or a gap between the interface module door  209 D and the door of the substrate pod  210 . These gaps may be flushed with any suitable gas, such as nitrogen or other clean dry air, before the interface module door  209  is opened. The trapped volume between the port plate  209  and the substrate pod  210  and/or a gap between the interface module door  209 D and the door of the substrate pod  210  may also be pumped to a vacuum pressure equivalent to, for example, the internal pressure of the substrate pod  210  for removal of the substrate pod door  210 D. This will facilitate removal of particulates and by opening the substrate pod  210  in a vacuum particulate generation may be downstream of the substrate within the substrate pod  210  and exhausted through the exhaust port  811  of the interface module  201 .  FIG.  8 D  is a schematic illustration of a bottom of the interface module housing  201 H. As can be seen there are pass throughs for the purge port  600 , the flush supply port  810  and the flush exhaust port  811 . A vacuum roughing valve  877  for pumping down the interior of the housing  201 H and a vent valve  878  may also be provided. 
     The interface module door  209 D may also include one or more kinematic coupling pins  510 ,  511 ,  512  for positioning the substrate pod  210  relative to the port plate  209  in a predetermined location. The kinematic coupling pins  510 ,  511 ,  512  may be any suitable pins configured to interface with any suitable mating/locating features  301 ,  302 ,  303  of the substrate pod  210 . The kinematic coupling pins  510 ,  511 ,  512  may be fixed to the, for example, the door  209 D in any suitable manner such as with any suitable bearings  710  and seals  711  so that the kinematic coupling pins  510 ,  511 ,  512  may move relative to the pod interface  209 DP as will be described below. 
     Referring now to  FIGS.  3 A- 4 B , as noted above, the substrate pod  210  includes a housing  210 H and a door  210 D. The housing  210 H may form a pressure vessel and have any suitable shape and size such as, for example, a cylindrical or circular cross section and a top surface  210 T of the housing  210 H may be domed or substantially spherical to, for example, exploit hoop stress to reduce necessary wall thickness of the housing  210 H and weight of the substrate pod  210 . In one aspect, the substrate pod  210  has an interior  350  having an environment that may have a common atmosphere with, for example, any suitable portion of the processing tool to which it is connected (e.g. through the interface module  201 ). The passage or tunnel formed between the substrate pod  210  and the process tool through the interface module  201  may be referred to as a clean tunnel that connects the substrate pod substantially directly to the processing tool as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/123,391, entitled “Side Opening Unified Pod” and filed on May 19, 2008, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. For example, the clean tunnel provides the same cleanliness (as throughout the processing tool and interface module) from within the interior environment of the substrate pod  210 , through the interface between the substrate pod  210  and the interface module  201  and throughout the interface module and processing sections of the process tool. The clean tunnel may be closed (such as when the substrate pod(s) is removed from the interface module), and opened freely without degradation to the clean tunnel. In one aspect as shown in, for example,  FIGS.  2 A,  2 B and  11 - 30   , the substrate pod to interface module interface may also be arranged to enable direct integration of the substrate pod with the processing tool independent of the environment within the substrate pod prior to interface. Thus, in aspects of the disclosed embodiment illustrated in, e.g.,  FIGS.  2 A,  2 B and  11 - 30   , the substrate pod  210  may be interfaced with and integrated directly to processing tools having different or dissimilar environments (e.g. low vacuum to high vacuum, clean air to inert gas environment, or clean air to vacuum) and then transport directly between tools with different dissimilar environment and interfaced and integrated again with the tools. Accordingly, a substrate(s) at one tool with a controlled environment may be transferred directly with any suitable robot of the processing tool, from a processing section of the tool through the clean tunnel into the substrate pod  210 , the substrate pod  210  transported directly and interfaced to the interface module of another tool possibly with a dissimilar/different controlled environment, and the substrate(s) transferred directly with any suitable robot through the clean tunnel now defined in the other tool to a processing section without degradation of the controlled environment in the other process tool. In effect, the substrate pod to interface module interface in combination with the substrate pod  210  may be considered to define an exterior load lock, or carrier load lock. In one aspect the interface module port plate may incorporate a lid, which can be raised, lowered, rotated, or pivoted in place by any suitable actuator and/or mechanism. The lid provides isolation and control of the interface module environment allowing the interface module to act as a controlled environment pass thru when the substrate pod is not present. In one aspect the port plate or door may rotate after the wafer stack is lowered into the interface module interior volume. The stack can be rotated to align with the mating transfer robotics allowing the substrate pod automation to load the pod at an orientation other than the required wafer stack orientation. 
     In one aspect the housing  210 H may be configured to house five substrates while in other aspects the housing  210 H′ may be configured to house twenty-five substrates or any other suitable number of substrates such as, for example, three substrates or even one substrate. The housing may be constructed of any suitable material, such as, for example, a high structural modulus material, a metal or metal alloy (e.g. aluminum, stainless steel, titanium), a plastic, a composite, or a combination thereof and form an interior space  350  that is, for example, maintained at a vacuum pressure environment or an inert gas environment when an opening  350 X of the housing is sealed by the door  210 D (e.g. during transport or storage of the substrate pod  210 ) and/or when the housing  210 H is coupled to the interface module  201 . The housing  210  is structurally configured in any suitable manner (such as with reinforcing ribs, etc.) to support the external loads exerted on the housing when the interior is at, for example, vacuum pressure. As noted above, the housing  210 H may also include a gas (or other fluid) reservoir or chamber  390 . In other aspects the gas chamber  390  may be disposed in the door  210 D. In still other aspects both the housing  210 H and the door  210 D may include a gas chamber  390 . The chamber  390  may be configured to hold any suitable gas such as, for example, nitrogen or other inert gas. The chamber  390 , or any portion thereof, may be integrally formed with the housing  210 H or otherwise coupled to the housing in any suitable manner. The chamber  390  may be charged or otherwise replenished, for example, during transportation or storage of the substrate pod  210  or while substrate pod  210  is docked at an interface module. For example, an external port of substrate pod  210  which is mated to a suitable matching port on a station (e.g. an interface module, storage station, and/or transport system station) can be used to provide a replenishing supply of gas/fluid to chamber  390 . In some instances such a system can permit the volume of chamber  390  to be reduced as only the volume of gas/fluid necessary for the anticipated transportation time and accompanying anticipated leak rate during travel from one station to the next station is needed to be carried. Consequently, the volume of chamber  390  and thus footprint of the substrate pod can be reduced or minimized. In one aspect, the chamber  390  may be charged when interfaced with the interface module  201  such as, for example, through port  600 . The chamber  390  may extend around a periphery of the housing opening  350 X and hold any suitable volume of gas that may be released into the interior space  350  through, for example, a passage  340  that extends from the chamber  390  to a seal interface  342  ( FIG.  3 D ) between the housing  210 H and the door  210 D. The passage  340  may include a check valve or any other suitable valving to allow for a predetermined direction of gas/fluid flow from the chamber  390  as well as the replenishment of gas/fluid within the chamber  390 . In one aspect the flow of gas/fluid through the passage  340  may be blocked when the pod  210  is docked or otherwise interfaced with the interface module  201 . In other instances the flow of gas/fluid through the passage  340  may be not be blocked when the pod  210  is docked or otherwise interfaced with the interface module  201  and the gas/fluid can be permitted to empty from chamber  390 . In such an instance, chamber  390  may be filled with a gas/fluid prior to removal from interface module  201 . In some aspects, the specific gas/fluid charged into chamber  390  and/or the pressure of gas/fluid charged into chamber  390  during any given charging is chosen based on the device process requirements at each step of the process flow. For example, the gas/fluid charged into chamber  390  can be selected for compatibility with the substrates to be loaded into or loaded in substrate pod  210 . In some aspects, a first gas/fluid is charged into chamber  390  for a first transport of substrate pod  210 , the first gas/fluid in chamber  390  is released upon or after docking with interface module  201 , and a second gas/fluid is charged into chamber  390  for a second transport of substrate pod  210 . 
     It is noted that the passage  340  and the chamber  390  may provide a redundant system where the flow of gas/fluid from the chamber  390  flows into the interior  350  of the substrate pod  210  if the substrate pod  201  is experiencing a leak and the on-board chamber pressure (e.g. the pressure within the interior  350 ) has dropped below a predetermined low pressure threshold, such as to actuate valving in the passage or otherwise release the gas/fluid from the chamber through the passage  340 . This redundant system where gas/fluid is released only upon a leak may provide the volume of the chamber  390  to be reduced so that a footprint of the substrate pod is also reduced or minimized. In another aspect, if the on-board chamber pressure (e.g. the pressure within the interior  350 ) has dropped below a predetermined low pressure threshold, valving can be actuated in an external port mated to a suitable matching port on an interface module, storage station, or transport system to provide a continuous supply of gas/fluid to interior  350  from the chamber  390  via passage  340  or to replenish (e.g. charge or otherwise re-fill/fill) gas/fluid in chamber  390  to a specified pressure. 
     It is noted that the gas (or other fluid) within the chamber  390  and passage  340  may form a fluidic barrier seal which substantially surrounds one or more of the door seals  351 ,  352 . The fluidic barrier seal may have an atmosphere that is different from an atmosphere within the interior  350  and be isolated, in any suitable manner, from an atmosphere within the interior  350  such as will be described below. In one aspect the fluidic barrier seal may be a pressurized seal that is disposed between the atmosphere of the interior  350  and the atmosphere external to the substrate pod  210 . As noted above, in the event of a leak fluid is drawn from the chamber  390  through the passage  340  into the interior space  350  of the substrate pod  210 . This substantially prevents any ambient fab air (which may contain contaminants such as, for example, particulates, moisture, or oxygen) from being drawn into the interior space  350 . In some aspects, the gas/fluid charged into chamber  390  is chosen based on the device process requirements at each step of the process flow. As an example, under normal circumstances, with the seals  351 ,  352  in good condition (e.g. not leaking) the fluid remains in the chamber  390  and passage  340  and does not enter the interior space  350 . 
     In one aspect the housing  210 H may include any suitable features around a periphery of the housing for interfacing with any suitable clamping device (e.g. solid state clamping, movable mechanical clamping, etc.) such as, for example, pod clamp  500  of the interface module  201  for holding the substrate pod  210  on the interface module  201 . It is noted that the clamping of the substrate pod  210  to the interface module  201  may provide a force for compression of the port seal  590 . The housing may also include any suitable handles, such as overhead transport handle  349 , to facilitate automated and/or manual transport of the substrate pod  210 . 
     In one aspect the door  210 D includes one or more substrate holding supports  210 RS, e.g. a rack  210 R, arranged in a vertical stack. The rack  210 R may be mounted to the door  210 D in any suitable manner or integrally formed with the door  210 D so that when the door  210 D is removed from the housing  210 H the substrates are removed from the housing  210 H (e.g. the substrates are transported with the door). The rack  210 R and the portions of the rack that contact the substrate(s) may be constructed of any suitable material such as, for example, PEEK (Polyether ether ketone) or BKM materials. In one aspect the substrate holding supports  210 RS may include a rear stop  210 RP so that the substrates held on each support is restrained. In another aspect a substrate retainer  210 RR may be mounted to the housing  210 H and actuated by, for example, the interface module  201  such that actuation of the retainer holds the substrates on their respective supports  210 RS within the rack  210 R. The substrate retainer  210 RR may provide a force on each individual substrate in the rack  210 R that presses or otherwise urges the individual substrates against the rear stop  210 RP substantially preventing substrate movement within the substrate pod  210  during transport of the substrate pod  210  (and the substrates therein). In other aspects, the actuation of the retainer can be vertical and may provide a vertical force on each individual substrate in the rack that presses or urges the substrate to seat in a conical support. As noted above, the external surface of the door  210 D may include one or more suitable mating/locating (e.g. kinematic coupling) features  301 ,  302 ,  303  for interfacing with the kinematic pins  510 ,  511 ,  512  of the interface module  201 . The external surface of the door may also include a post  310  that is configured to interface with the door latch actuator  530 . 
     As noted above, the interior space  350  of the housing  210 H may be held at a vacuum pressure when the door seals the opening  350 X of the housing  210 H. In one aspect the door  210 D may be sealingly held against the housing  210 H with, for example, a differential pressure between the vacuum inside the housing  210 H and an atmospheric (or other) pressure outside the sealed substrate pod  210 . The differential pressure may provide a force such that the weight of the substrate(s) held in the rack  210 R is supported and seals such as, for example, seals  351 - 353  (which will be described below) disposed between the door  210 D and the housing  210 H are compressed. In one aspect, the substrate pod  210  may include a door latch  400  ( FIGS.  4 A and  4 B ) to substantially prevent the door  210 D from separating from the housing  210 H in the event the vacuum within the sealed housing  210 H is lost. It is noted that in this aspect the door latch  400  may not be used to seal the door  210 D against the housing  210 H but rather the door latch  400  merely holds the door&#39;s  210 D position relative to the housing  210 H in the event of pressure loss within the housing  210 H. In other aspects the door latch  400  may be used to seal the door  210 D against the housing  210 H in any suitable manner. In one aspect the door latch  400  may be a ball lock mechanism while in other aspects the door latch  400  may be any suitable latch. Here the door latch includes a plunger  401 P and one or more balls  401 B disposed at least partly within the door  210 D. The plunger is moveable in the direction of arrow  410  inside passage  402 P while balls  104 B are movable in the direction of arrow  411  inside passage  402 B (which intersects passage  402 P). The plunger  401 P includes a ball contact area  401 PB and a recessed area  401 PR and may be biased in the direction of arrow  410 B in any suitable manner, such as by a resilient member. When in the biased or locked position, e.g. shown in  FIG.  4 B , the plunger  401 P contacts the balls  401 B with the ball contact area  401 PB for urging the balls in the direction of arrow  411 U so that at least one ball is positioned inside recess  210 LR which is disposed in the housing  210 H for locking the door  210 D to the housing  210 H. When in the retracted or unlocked position, e.g. as shown in  FIG.  4 A  the balls are allowed to move into the recessed area  401 PR of the plunger  401 P and out of the recess  210 LR for unlocking the door  210 D from the housing  210 H. In one aspect a sensor may be disposed on the door latch to detect if the carrier is placed properly on the interface module, if the door was installed properly at a previous station, or if the door is being replaced properly during reloading of the pad. For example, the extent of ball lock plunger elevation could be used to get this information. 
     The seals  351 ,  352 , which may be vacuum seals, between the door  210 D and the housing  210 H may have a redundant arrangement. A gas reservoir seal  353  may also be provided. In one aspect the seal  352  may be an inner seal having the atmosphere of the interior  350  on one side of the seal. The gas reservoir seal  353  may be an outer seal having an outside atmosphere (e.g. an atmosphere external to the substrate pod  210 ) on one side of the seal  353  and an atmosphere of the fluidic barrier on an opposite side of the seal  353 . The seal  351  may be an intermediate seal having an atmosphere of the fluidic barrier seal on one side of the seal  351 . The area formed between seals  351  and  352  may form a void having any suitable atmosphere that may be the same or different than one or more of the interior  350  atmosphere or the atmosphere of the fluidic barrier seal. The intermediate seal  351  may isolate the fluidic barrier seal from the inner seal  352  while one or more of the seals  351 ,  352  may isolate the fluidic barrier seal from the interior  350 . It is noted that while the seals  351 - 353  are shown as being recessed into the door  210 D in other aspects the seals may be recessed or otherwise affixed to one or more of the door  210 D and housing  210 H. It is also noted that the seals  351 - 353  may have a circular shape (e.g. circular seal geometry) while in other aspects the seals may have any suitable sealing geometry. The redundancy of the seals  351 ,  352  may provide protection against a damaged seal and/or particulate within the seal area that may prevent positive contact between the mating surface of the door  210 D and housing  210 H. The seals  351 ,  352  may be placed in two distinct planes P 1 , P 2  and the seal surfaces may be recessed to, for example, protect the seal surfaces from damage. While the planes P 1 , P 2  are shown as distinct horizontal planes that substantially surround a circumference of the substrate pod  210  in other aspects one or more of the seals may be placed in a vertical plane. It is noted that placement of the seals  351 ,  352  on separate planes may provide protection for one or more of the seals  351 ,  352  from impact with other objects or wafer robotics which could tear or otherwise damage the inner seal  352 . The gas reservoir seal  353  may be located outward, with respect to a centerline CL of the pod  210 , of one or more of the seals  351 ,  352 . In the event that both seals  351 ,  352  fail the gas reservoir seal  353  may provide for a clean environment within the interior space  350  as gas is released from the gas reservoir  390  into the interior space  350 . In some aspects, seal  353  may be more compliant than seals  351  and  352  and positioned in a suitable manner such as to provide initial contact with the mating seal surface on the housing when the door is being mated to the housing. In such aspects, seal  353  may provide suitable compliance to initiate a vacuum seal and permit a vacuum force on the pod door to provide compression force for seals  351 ,  352  and permit the use of less compliant seal materials for seals  351  and  352  which may be desirable for vacuum applications. As may be realized, any suitable sensors may be located onboard the pod  210  in any suitable location to monitor the pressure within the interior space  350  and/or gas reservoir  390  and provide a warning or other alert to an operator (e.g. through for example controller  1091 — FIG.  1 A ) if a leak or loss or pressure is detected. If a leak is detected the controller  1091  or the operator may direct the pod  210  to a predetermined location for diagnosis and/or direct the pod  210  to a station to replenish the gas/fluid in chamber  390 . 
     It is noted that the mating surface for each of the seals  351 - 353  may be recessed. In one aspect where the seals  351 - 353  are located on the door  210 D the housing  210 H may include recessed areas  351 R- 353 R ( FIG.  3 D ) in which the seals  351 - 353  interface with the housing  210 H. In other aspects where one or more seals are located in the housing  210 H the door  210 H may include the recessed areas. In still other aspects the one or more seals  351 - 353  and recessed areas  351 R- 353 R may be suitably located on any one of the door  210 D and housing  210 H. 
     Referring now to  FIGS.  4 A,  4 B,  7 ,  9 A- 9 F and  10    an exemplary docking or loading of the pod  210  to the interface module  201  will be described. The pod  210  is moved to the interface module  201  and mated with the kinematic pins  510 - 512  in any suitable manner ( FIG.  10   , Block  5000 ;  FIGS.  9 A- 9 B ). The pod presence sensor  580  ( FIG.  5 B ) may register the pod as being present with, for example, the controller  1091  ( FIG.  1 A ). As noted above, the kinematic pins  510 - 512  may be movably mounted to the elevator interface  209 DE so that as the elevator  730  is lowered the kinematic pins  510 - 512  are retracted relative to, for example, the pod interface  209 DP ( FIG.  10   , Block  5001 ;  FIG.  9 C ) so that the housing  210 H contacts the port seal  590  ( FIG.  5 A ). The pod housing  210 H may be clamped to the port plate  209  in any suitable manner such as with, for example, clamp pod clamp  500  ( FIG.  10   , Block  5002 ). At least the space (e.g. a port door gap) between the pod door  210 D and the pod interface  209 DP (e.g. interface module door) may be evacuated or pumped down ( FIG.  10   , Block  5003 ). In one aspect a low pressure flow of clean dry air may be dispersed through the port door gap and wash across the seals  590 A and  590 B; such as when a substrate pod is not fully docked on the interface module  201 . This low pressure flow of clean dry air may prevent particulates from the ambient fab environment from settling on the seal and causing a leak. In addition, the positive pressure substantially prevents particles from settling into the port door gap and then later being deposited into the internal clean vacuum space of the interface module  201  and/or substrate pod  210 . The clean dry air flow velocity can be low to avoid turbulence into the ambient factory environment. When the substrate pod is present on the kinematic pins the horizontal gap formed between the port door and substrate pod bottom surface can direct the clean dry air flow horizontally across the seals and as the substrate pod lowers the gap decreases which may increase the clean dry air velocity to dislodge any particulate. In other aspects the internal chamber of housing  201 H ( FIG.  5 A ) may be pumped down. The pod door  210 D may be removed ( FIG.  10   , Block  5004 ;  FIGS.  9 D- 9 F ) where elevator  730  ( FIG.  7   ) may be lowered further so that movement of the elevator interface  209 DE causes the fingers  530 L to clamp the post  310  of the pod door  210 D. Movement of the elevator interface  209 DE may also cause the door latch pin(s)  520  to engage the plunger  401 P of the lock  401  so that the plunger  401 P is moved to the retracted position ( FIG.  4 A ) for releasing the lock  401  as described above. The substrate retainer (as described above) may also be disengaged for releasing the substrates from the housing  210 H. During this process, the gas reservoir  390  may be sealed in any suitable manner to retain the gas/fluid therein or the gas in reservoir  390  may be exhausted, for example, into the interior of the interface module  201  or into the interior of the substrate pod, and reservoir  390  later recharged with gas/fluid, for example, during later closure of the substrate pod door. It is noted that relative movement between the pod interface  209 DP and the elevator interface  209 DE may be limited by a predetermined amount such that once the lock  401  is unlocked and the post  310  is gripped by the door latch mechanism  530  the pod interface  209 DP and the elevator interface  209 DE move in unison for removing the pod door  210 D from the housing  210 H. The pod door  210 D may be moved by any suitable amount with the elevator  730  such that a desired substrate  990  on the rack  210 R is placed along a desired substrate transfer plane STP so that the substrate may be removed from the rack  210 R by for example, substrate transport  202 T for transport to any suitable processing module connected to the interface module  201 . 
     It is noted that there may be a pressure differential between the interior space  350  of the substrate pod  210  and the interior of the interface module  201 . The interface between the substrate pod  210  and the interface module  201  may be configured to accommodate this pressure differential in any suitable manner such as through a dynamic pressure equalization. For example, the elevator  730  may be controlled by, for example, any suitable controller such as controller  1091 , so that the elevator  730  forms an electronic relief valve. For example, as the interior of the interface module  201  is pumped down to vacuum, the pressure at some point will cross-over the vacuum pressure inside the substrate pod  210  and the port door  209 D and the pod door  210 D will push open under, for example, the force from the positive pressure differential. Once the pod door  210 D opens, the volume of substrate pod  210  comes into fluid communication with the volume of the interface module  201  allowing the pressure inside the substrate pod  210  and the pressure inside the interface module  201  to equalize, substantially eliminating any pressure differential between the two volumes (e.g. the inside of the substrate pod and the inside of the interface module). This pressure equalization may be performed without any prior knowledge of the pressure within the substrate pod  210  and/or the pressure within the interface module  201  such that pressure sensors may not be needed in the substrate pod  210 . 
     Unloading the pod  210  from the interface module  201  may be performed in a manner substantially opposite that described above for loading the pod  210  on the interface module  201 . In one aspect, there may be a substrate protrusion sensor for detecting if one or more substrates are protruding out of, for example, the rack  210 R before the rack is inserted into the housing  210 H. 
     It is noted that while or as the elevator is lowered, the substrates may be mapped (e.g. the location of each substrate and/or its orientation may be determined) by any suitable substrate mapping device (e.g. optical sensors/cameras, capacitive sensors, etc.). In one aspect the entire stack of substrates in the rack  210 R may be presented to the substrate transport  202 T for transfer in a batch, while in other aspects one or more substrates may be presented to the substrate transport  202 T at a time. The elevator  703  may also include a rotational drive for rotating, e.g. by any suitable amount, at least a portion of the port plate  209  and the substrates held thereon. In one aspect the gas reservoir  390  may be replenished at any suitable time when the pod  210  is docked to the interface module  201  such as, for example, when the substrates are being transported to and from the rack  210 R. The internal pressure of the pod  210  may also be read in any suitable manner by the interface module  201  before the door  210 D is opened. 
     In some aspects, the interface module may have one or more port door substrate supports or shelves located below the port door. The interface module can be configured with one or more side ports  201 S, e.g. a side port comprising a slot valve such as those shown in  FIG.  5 C . In some aspects when the port door is in a position to align one or more of the port door supports with one or more of the side ports, substrates can be placed via a substrate transport through a side port onto the port door supports. In some aspects, the elevator can index to present one or more specific port door supports  209 SS to one or more side ports at a level appropriate for a substrate transport to place substrates on or remove substrates from the supports. In one aspect, substrate pod  210  is not present on interface module  201  and the port door is in the fully up position. In such an aspect, the port door supports  209 SS can be used to pass substrates through the interface module from side port to side port. In other aspects when substrate pod  210  is present, the interface module  201  can be also be used as a pass-through wherein one or more of either or both of the port door supports  209 SS and substrate holding supports  210 RS are used to hold one or more substrates. In some aspects wherein substrate pod  210  is not present, a first side port is connected to one type of atmosphere (e.g. gas at a first pressure such as atmospheric pressure or a first level of vacuum) and a second side port is connected to another type of atmosphere (e.g. gas at a second pressure such as vacuum or a second level of vacuum) and the lower chamber of interface module  201  is used as a loadlock wherein a substrate is placed on a port door support  209 SS via a side port  201 S, the atmosphere in the lower chamber is adjusted, and the substrate is removed via a side port  201 S. In other aspects, when substrate pod  210  is present, the interface module  201  can be also be used as a loadlock wherein one or more of either or both of the port door supports  209 SS and substrate holding supports  210 RS are used to hold one or more substrates passed into the interface module via a side port  201 S while the atmosphere in the lower chamber is adjusted. These aspects may permit substrates to exit or enter equipment through the space typically occupied by a conventional loadlock thereby reducing the total equipment footprint while also allowing substrate transport from substrate pod  210  directly to a vacuum process. As may be realized, when a substrate pod  210  is open on the interface module the interior of the substrate pod may communicate with and may form part of the pass-through atmosphere. 
     Referring now to  FIGS.  11 - 30    exemplary processing tools will be described in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment. 
       FIG.  11    illustrates a processing tool  11000  having a central transfer chamber  11001  and one or more processing modules  11002  (substantially similar to those described above) communicably coupled to one or more sides of the central transfer chamber  11001 . The central transfer chamber  11001  may have any suitable polygonal shape. In this aspect one or more interface modules  201  may be integral with or otherwise connected to the central transfer chamber for allowing coupling of one or more substrate pods  210  to the processing tool  11000  so that a clean tunnel is formed between the substrate pod(s)  210  and, for example, any suitable portion of the processing tool. One or more robotic transports  11003 A- 11003 D may be disposed within the central transfer chamber  11001 , such as at each corner of the central transfer chamber, for transporting substrates between each other, the processing modules  11002  and the interface modules  201 . As may be realized, while two processing modules  11002  are shown on each side of the central transfer chamber  11001  in other aspects any suitable number of processing modules may be coupled to each side of the central transfer chamber in a side by side and/or a stacked configuration. In one aspect an overhead transport (not shown) or any other suitable transport may transfer the substrate pod(s)  210  to the interface modules  201  of the processing tool  11000 . As may be realized, the central transfer chamber may also include any other suitable processing equipment such as substrate aligners and substrate buffers. 
       FIG.  12    illustrates a processing tool  12000  substantially similar to processing tool  11000 . In this aspect the central transfer chamber  11001  is shown with substrate aligners  12001  and substrate buffers  12002  disposed within the central transfer chamber  11001 . Here a transport  12004 , such as an overhead transport or other suitable transport, is shown interfaced with one side of the central transfer chamber  11001  in any suitable manner. In one aspect one or more interface modules  201  may provide the interface between the transport  12004  and central transfer chamber  11001  while in other aspects any suitable interface, such as an equipment front end module including one or more load ports, may be provided as the interface between the transport  12004  and central transfer chamber  11001 . 
     Referring now to  FIG.  13    another exemplary processing tool  13000  is illustrated in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment. Here the central transfer chamber  13001  comprises one or more distinct transfer chambers  13001 A- 13001 D that are connected to each other in any suitable manner so that a clean tunnel is formed between the transfer chambers  13001 A- 13001 D. Here the distinct transfer chambers may each include one or more substrate transport robots  13003  and be connected to each other by interface modules  201  and or any suitable load lock and/or buffer modules  13005 . As may be realized, while the interface modules  201  are shown as being arranged in line along a centerline of the central transfer chamber  13001  in other aspects the interface modules  201  and/or load lock and/or buffer modules  13005  may have any suitable arrangement. 
       FIG.  14    illustrates a processing tool  14000  substantially similar to processing tool  13000  however in this aspect the interface modules  201  are centrally arranged in central transfer chamber  14001  in a clustered arrangement such that each distinct transfer chamber  13001 A- 13001 D is connected to another distinct transfer chamber  13001 A- 13001 D by both an interface module  201  and a load lock or buffer module  13005 . As may be realized, substrate pods  210  may be transported to the processing tools  13000 ,  14000  in any suitable manner such as those described herein. 
       FIG.  15    illustrates a processing tool  15000  having a central interface module having two port plates  209  for holding two substrate pods  210 . As noted above, the central interface module may be a multi-port interface module having a common internal chamber for the port plates  209  or separate internal chambers for each of the port plates  209 . In this aspect transfer chambers  15001 A,  15001 B (substantially similar to those described herein) are connected to opposite sides of the interface module  201 . Each transfer chamber  15001 A,  15001 B may have one or more processing modules  11002  connected to one or more sides of the transfer chamber  15001 A,  15001 B in any suitable manner such as described herein. The process tool may have ends  15000 E 1 ,  15000 E 2  with the clean tunnel extending between the ends  15000 E 1 ,  15000 E 2 . The interface module may be located between the ends of the clean tunnel and may define a mid-entry or intermediate entry to the clean tunnel for inserting or removing substrates from the clean tunnel. 
       FIG.  16    illustrates a processing tool  16000  having a clustered architecture. The processing tool  16000  includes a multi-faceted central transfer chamber  16001  having one or more processing modules connected to one or more facets/sides of the transfer chamber  16001 . In this aspect, two interface modules  201  are connected to respective facets of the transfer chamber  16001  but in other aspects any suitable number of interface modules may be connected to the transfer chamber  16001 . One or more suitable transfer robots  16003  may be provided within the transfer chamber  16001  for transferring substrates between substrate pods  210  coupled to the interface modules  201  and the processing modules  11002 . 
       FIGS.  17  and  18    illustrate processing tools  17000 ,  18000  substantially similar to processing tool  15000 . However in these aspects the interface module includes three port plates  209  for coupling three substrate pods  210  to the processing tools  17000 ,  18000 . As may be realized the transfer chambers  17001 A,  17001 B may be linearly elongated transfer chambers having a length corresponding to a length of the interface module  201 . Each transfer chamber  17001 A,  17001 B may include one or more transport robots  17002  suitably configured (e.g. in any suitable manner) to extend the length of a respective transfer chamber  17001 A,  17001 B for accessing each sealable opening  201 S of the interface module  201  and each processing module  11002  connected to the transfer chamber  17001 A,  17001 B. It is noted that at least one processing module  11002  may be connected to the elongated side of the transfer chamber  17001 A,  17001 B opposite the interface module in a side by side and/or stacked arrangement. 
       FIG.  19    illustrates a processing tool  19000  substantially similar to those described above with respect to  FIGS.  17  and  18   . However, only one transfer chamber  17001 A is provided. The transport  12004  is provided to transfer substrate pod(s)  210  to the interface module  201 . As may be realized the transport  12004  may also pass between the transfer chamber  17001 A,  17001 B in  FIGS.  17  and  18    to transfer substrate pods  210  to the interface module  201 . 
       FIG.  20    illustrates a cluster type processing tool  20000  having a central transfer chamber  20001  (which may be substantially similar to transfer chamber  16001 ), one or more processing modules connected to the transfer chamber  20001  and an equipment front end module  20005  connected to the transfer chamber  20001 . The equipment front end module  20005  may be substantially similar to those described above (see e.g.  FIGS.  1 A- 1 D ) and be connected to the transfer chamber  20001  in any suitable manner such as through one or more load locks  20003 . In some embodiments (not illustrated), one or both of load locks  20003  may be replaced by an interface module and interface module  201  may be removed from transfer chamber  20001 . As may be realized, the transfer chamber  20001  may include an interface module  201  and/or one or more of the processing module  11002  may be replaced with an interface module(s)  201 . As may be realized one or more suitable transports  20010  may be provided for transferring substrate cassettes  1050  to the equipment front end module  20005  and/or substrate pods  210  to the interface module  201 . 
     Referring now to  FIG.  21    another processing tool  21000  in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment. Here the processing tool  21000  includes an elongated interface module  201  and transfer chamber  17001 A substantially similar to those described above with respect to, e.g.  FIGS.  17  and  18   . An elongated transfer chamber  21001  may be connected to the transfer chamber  17001 A and include one or more suitable transport carts  21002  (e.g. passive carts that have fixed substrate supports or active carts with one or more transport arms mounted to the carts) configured to traverse a length of the elongated transfer chamber  21001 . The transport carts  21002  may be driven along the length of the elongated transfer chamber  21001  in any suitable manner such as by magnetic levitation, cables, belts or any other drive configuration. The transport carts  21002  may also be configured to pass above/below one another and may include Z-motion capabilities for transferring substrates along different transfer planes and to processing modules and/or transfer chambers having stacked entrances and exits. One or more processing cells  21005 A- 21005 C may be connected substantially directly (e.g. through a sealable port) to the elongated transfer chamber  21001  in any suitable manner and along any portion of the elongated transfer chamber  21001 . In one aspect each processing cell may include a central transfer chamber  15001  and one or more processing modules  11002  connected to the central transfer chamber  15001 . In other aspects the processing cells may be connected to the elongated transfer chamber  21001  by, for example, a load lock or buffer module. Here processing cell  21005 C is located on an end of the elongated transfer chamber  21001  opposite the interface module  201  and processing cells  21005 A,  21005 B are located on opposite lateral sides of the elongated transfer chamber  21001 . In other aspects the elongated transfer chamber  21001  may have any suitable length such that any suitable number of processing cells may be connected to the elongated transfer chamber  21001 . As may also be realized the interface module  201  and transfer chamber  17001 A may be located at any suitable location(s) along the elongated transfer chamber  21001 . In one aspect more than one interface module  201  (and associate transfer chamber) may be connected to the elongated transfer chamber  21001  and/or incorporated into one or more of the processing cells  21005 A- 21005 C. 
     Referring now to  FIGS.  22  and  23    another processing tool  22000  is illustrated in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment. The processing tool  22000  may be substantially similar to processing tool  21000 . However, in this aspect the interface module may be elongated to interface with any suitable number of substrate pods  210  (which for exemplary purposes only the interface module  201  in  FIG.  22    is illustrated as being configured to interface with six substrate pods while the interface module  201  in  FIG.  23    is illustrated as being configured to interface with four substrate pods). As may be realized the transfer chamber  22001  connecting the interface module  201  to the elongated transfer chamber  21001  may also be elongated and configured to access each sealable opening  201 S of the interface module  201 . For example, the transfer chamber  22001  may include two stationary transfer robots  17002  substantially similar to those described above with respect to  FIGS.  17  and  18   . Each transfer robot  17002  may be configured to transport substrates between a respective half of the interface module  201  and the elongated transfer chamber  21001 . In other aspects the transfer chamber  22001  may include one or more transfer robots mounted to a shuttle or slide so that the transfer robots can traverse a length of the transfer chamber  22001  in a manner similar to that described above with respect to the carts  21002 . 
     Referring to  FIG.  24    another processing tool  24000  is illustrated. In this aspect the processing tool includes two interface modules  201 A,  201 B and associated transfer chambers, a first elongated transport chamber section  21001 A, a second elongated transfer chamber section  21001 B, one or more processing cells  21005 A- 21005 C and an inline transfer chamber  17001 C. Each of the transfer chambers  17001 A- 17001 C may include one or more transport robots  17002  substantially similar to those described above. Each of the elongated transport chamber sections  21001 A,  21001 B may include one or more carts  21002  substantially similar to those described above. Here, the transfer chambers  17001 A,  17001 B may be connected to opposite lateral sides of the first elongated transport chamber section  21001 A for transferring substrates between substrate pods  210  coupled to the interface modules  201 A,  201 B into the first elongated transfer chamber section  21001 A. The inline transfer chamber  17001 C may connect the first elongated transfer chamber section  21001 A with the second elongated transfer chamber section  21001 B in any suitable manner. Here the longitudinal axis of the inline transfer chamber  17001 C is aligned with a longitudinal axis of each of the first and second elongated transfer chamber sections  21001 A,  21001 B. Processing cells  21005 A,  21005 C may be connected to the inline transfer chamber  17001 C in any suitable manner such as by one or more load locks  24001 - 24004 . It is noted that each of the load locks  24001 - 24004  may include one or more stacked load locks for transferring substrates between the respective processing cells  21005 A,  21005 C and the inline transfer chamber  17001 C along different stacked transport planes. The processing cell  21005 B may be disposed at an end of the second elongated transfer chamber section  21001 B in any suitable manner and may also include stacked substrate transfer/processing planes. As may be realized, in other aspects the components of the processing tool  24000  may have any suitable arrangement for processing substrates. 
     Referring to  FIG.  25   , another processing tool  25000  is shown in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment. The processing tool  25000  may be substantially similar to processing tools  21000 ,  22000 ,  23000  and  24000 . However, as may be realized any of the processing tools described herein may be connected to the, for example, the elongated transfer chamber  21001  in any suitable manner. For exemplary purposes only,  FIG.  25    illustrates process tools  12000  being connected to opposite lateral sides of the elongated transfer chamber  21001 . 
     Referring now to  FIG.  26    another processing tool  26000  is illustrated in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment. Here two processing cells  18000 A,  18000 B, each of which may be substantially similar to processing tool  18000  ( FIG.  18   ) or any other suitable processing tool such as those described herein, may be connected to each other through, for example, load locks  26001 ,  26002  in any suitable manner. An equipment front end module  26005  (similar to those described above) may be provided separate from the processing cells  18000 A,  18000 B. The equipment front end module  26005  may have load ports on one or more sides for coupling cassettes  1050  to the equipment front end module  26005 . The equipment front end module  26005  may also have one or more interface modules  201  connected to another side of the equipment front end module  26005 . One or more transport robots of the equipment front end module  26005  may transfer substrates between the cassettes  1050  and substrate pods  210  coupled to each of the interface modules  201 . The substrate pods  210  may be transferred between the interface module  201  connected to the equipment front end module  26005  and the processing cells  18000 A,  18000 B in any suitable manner such as by, e.g., transport system  26007 . Transport system  26007  may be any suitable transport system including but not limited to an overhead transport system. In some embodiments, transport system  26007  can transport substrate pods to interface modules  201  located at one or more of processing cells  18000 A,  18000 B or load locks  26001 ,  26002 . In some embodiments (not illustrated), one or both of load locks  26001 ,  26002  may be replaced by an interface module. 
       FIG.  27    illustrates another processing tool  27000  in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment. The processing tool  27000  may be substantially similar to processing tool  26000  however in this aspect one or more of the interface modules  201 A- 201 C may connect the equipment front end module  26005  to one or more of the processing cells  18000 A,  18000 B. For example, interface modules  201 A,  201 C may be pass through modules that allow substantially direct transfer of substrates between the transfer chambers of processing cell  18000 B and the equipment front end module  26005 . The interface modules  201 A,  201 C may also allow for the transfer of substrates between the cassettes  1050  and the substrate pods  210  so that the substrate pods can be transferred throughout the processing tool  27000  by transport system  26007 . 
       FIGS.  28  and  29    illustrate processing tools  28000 ,  29000  including combinations of the processing tools described herein. For example, the processing tool  28000  includes an equipment front end module  26005  for transferring substrates to one or more substrate pods  210  as described above. Any suitable transport system, such as transport system  26007 , may transport the substrate pods between the interface module  201  of the equipment front end module  26005  and the interface modules of one or more processing cells, which in this example, include processing cells that are substantially similar to processing tools  19000  and  14000 . Processing tool  29000  may also include an equipment front end module  26005  for transferring substrates to one or more substrate pods  210  as described above. Any suitable transport system, such as transport system  26007 , may transport the substrate pods between the interface module  201  of the equipment front end module  26005  and the interface modules of one or more processing cells, which in this example, include processing cells that are substantially similar to processing tool  14000 . As may be realized, the transport system  26007  may transport the substrate pods  210  to any suitable number and type of processing cells. 
       FIG.  30    illustrates the equipment front end module  26005 . As described above, the equipment front end module  26005  may transfer substrates between the cassettes  1050  and the substrate pods  210 . In one aspect the equipment front end module  26005  may be configured for sortation (in any suitable manner) of the substrates substantially directly between the cassettes  1050  and the substrate pods  210 . The equipment front end module  26005  may be located on a floor or suspended from, for example, a ceiling or supported on, for example, pylons. Any suitable transport system, such as transport system  26007 , may transport the substrate pods  210  holding the sorted substrates to interface modules  201  of any suitable processing cell  30000  such as those described herein. 
     Referring now to  FIG.  31   , a processing tool  31000  is illustrated in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment. The processing tool  31000  may be substantially similar to those described above. In one aspect the processing tool  31000  includes an atmospheric mini-environment (EFEM)  1060  having one or more load port modules  1005 . One or more load lock  203  may be coupled to the mini-environment  1060  in any suitable manner such as through a sealable opening  203 S. One or more interface modules  201  may be coupled to the load lock  203  in any suitable manner, such as through sealable openings  203 S. A transfer chamber  202  may be coupled to the load lock  203  in any suitable manner, such as through a sealable opening  203 S and one or ore processing modules  1030  may be coupled to the transfer chamber  202 . In this aspect the substrates may enter or exit the load lock through the interface modules  201 , the mini-environment  1060  and/or transfer chamber  202 . The transfer chamber  202  and processing modules  1030  may form a vacuum and/or atmospheric processing platform  32001  ( FIG.  32   ) for processing substrates in a vacuum or atmospheric environment. In one aspect, the load lock  203  may include any suitable substrate transport which may be substantially similar to those described above for transferring substrates to and from the vacuum interfaces (e.g. interface modules  201  and transfer chamber  202 ). In this aspect the substrate transport  202 T of the transfer chamber  202  and a substrate transport of the mini-environment may transfer substrates substantially directly onto the substrate transport of the load lock  203  for transfer substrates through the load lock  203 . In this aspect transfer of the substrates from pods  210  to the load lock  203  through a respective interface module  201  may be performed under vacuum conditions (e.g. in a vacuum environment where the interface modules provide a vacuum to vacuum interface) while in other aspects the interface modules  201  may provide a vacuum to atmospheric interface. 
     Referring now to  FIG.  32   , a processing tool  32000  is illustrated in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment. The processing tool  32000  may be substantially similar to processing tool  31000  however, in this aspect the interface modules  201  interface with the atmospheric mini-environment  1060  such that substrates enter and exit the load lock  203  through the mini-environment  1060  or transfer chamber  202 . Substrates can enter and/or exit the vacuum interface modules  201  through the mini-environment  1060 . In this aspect the interface module may be configured to evacuate a pod or substrate carrier  210  mated to the interface module  201  in the manner described herein so that substrates can be transferred from the pod  210  to the mini-environment in an atmospheric environment and so that the atmospheric environment extends to an interior environment of the interface module  201  (such as the interior environment described below or an interior of the housing  210 H). The interface module  201  may also be configured to pump down an interior of the pod  210  to a vacuum pressure, as described herein, before the pod  210  is uncoupled from the interface module  201  so that the pod  210  is moved to another processing tool or station. Pumping an interior of the pod  210  to a vacuum pressure may provide batch load lock functions for downstream vacuum processing tools or platforms. For example, the substrates may arrive at the downstream processing tools under vacuum conditions which may eliminate evacuating and pumping of the load lock  203  (e.g. coupled to an interface module to which the pod is coupled) when transferring substrates from the pod  210 , reducing cycle times for the downstream vacuum processing tools.  FIGS.  33  and  34    illustrate portions of a processing tool and show a mini-environment having one or more interface modules  201  coupled thereto in various positions relative to the load port modules  1005  and load lock(s)  203 . For example,  FIG.  33    illustrates the load port modules  1005  and load locks  203  being disposed on longitudinal sides of the mini-environment  1060  while one or more interface modules  201  are located on one or more of the lateral sides of the mini-environment  1060 .  FIG.  34    illustrates a load lock  203  and interface module  201  being located on the same longitudinal side of the mini-environment  1060 . In other aspects the interface modules, load port modules and load locks may have any suitable arrangement relative to each other and the mini-environment  1060 . 
       FIGS.  35 A and  35 B  illustrate portions of a processing tool (which may be substantially similar to those described above) in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiments where the interface module  201 ′ may include a pod (e.g. substrate carrier) to tool interface that is configured to selectably interface a bottom opening pod  210  substantially directly with a mini-environment  1060 , load lock  203  and/or transfer chamber  202  having a box/opener to tool standard (BOLTS) interface  35001  for side opening pods (see also  FIGS.  33  and  34   ). In one aspect the interface module  201 ′ includes a frame  201 F having at least one closable opening  201 FO through which substrates pass and being configured for coupling to one or more of the minienvironment  1060  (e.g. atmospheric processing chamber) and vacuum processing chamber such as the load lock  203  (e.g.  FIG.  31   ). In one aspect a door interface  209 D′ and elevator  730  which may be substantially similar to the port door  209 D and elevator  730  described above may be connected to the frame  201 F. The elevator  730  may move the door interface  209 D′ in the direction of arrow  799  by any suitable amount so that, for example, substrates in the rack  210 R are aligned with a transfer plane of a substrate transport of the mini-environment  1060  and/or load lock  203  to which the interface module  201 ′ is connected. In one aspect where a substrate transport robot of the mini-environment  1060  and/or load lock  203  includes a Z-axis drive for moving the robot arm in the direction of arrow  799  the elevator  730  may have a reduced stroke such as to effect separation of the pod door  210 D from the pod housing  210 H. In other aspects where a substrate transport robot of the mini-environment  1060  and/or load lock  203  does not include a Z-axis drive for moving the robot arm in the direction of arrow  799  the elevator  730  may have any suitable stroke such as to effect separation of the pod door  210 D from the pod housing  210 H and to index the substrate rack  210 R of the pod  210  and place each substrate carried by the pod  210  along a transfer plane of the robot arm. 
     The interface module  201 ′ may also include an environmental shroud  35002  that, in one aspect, is movable in the direction of arrow  799 . The shroud  35002  may be driven in the direction of arrow  799  in any suitable manner and by any suitable drive between a retracted position  35030  and an extended position  35031 . For example, drive  35005  (which may be substantially similar to elevator  730  and or substantially similar to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,458 issued on Aug. 4, 1998 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,949 issued on Jul. 4, 2000 the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties) may be connected to the shroud  35002  for moving the shroud  35002  in the direction of arrow  799  between the retracted position  35030  and the extended position  35031 . The drive  35005  may be a linear actuator, screw drive or any other suitable drive for moving the shroud  35002  as described herein. The shroud  35002  may include a pod housing interface  35010  and one or more side walls  35011 . The pod housing interface  35010  may include any suitable port seal(s)  500  for sealing the pod housing  210 H against the pod housing interface  35010 . The pod housing interface  35010  may also include one or more clamps  35590  configured to clamp the pod housing  210 H to the pod housing interface  35010 . In one aspect the seal  590  and one or more clamps  35590  may be substantially similar to the seal and clamp described above with respect to, for example,  FIGS.  5 A- 10   . As may be realized the pod housing interface  35010  may include an aperture that circumscribes the door interface  209 D′ so that the pod door  210 D interfaces with the door interface  209 D′ while the pod housing interface  35010  is coupled with the pod housing  210 H via the seal  590  and clamp  35590 . The pod housing interface  35010  may be coupled to and form a seal with the one or more side walls  35011  in any suitable manner. The one or more side walls  35011  may be sealed against the load port  1040  so that when the pod housing  201 H is coupled to the pod housing interface  35010 , the pod housing interface  35010  and one or more walls  35011  form a sealed or otherwise isolated controlled environment enclosure  35002 E. 
     In one aspect any suitable seals may be provided between the one or more side walls  35002  and the load port  1040  and between the pod housing interface  35010  and the load port  1040  for sealing the shroud  35002  against the load port  1040 . For example, when the shroud  35002  is moved in the direction of arrow  799  to form the isolated controlled environment enclosure  35002 E, the side walls  35011  may interface in any suitable manner with seal members  35020 A,  35020 B of the load port  1040  BOLTS interface  35001 . In one aspect the seal members  35020 A,  35020 B may be disposed on the BOLTS interface  35001  (or any other suitable location of the load port  1040 ) and/or on the side walls  35011 . The seal members  35020 A,  35020 B may be any suitable seal members such as a labyrinth seal, bellows seal, or any other seal configured to hold a controlled or otherwise isolated vacuum and/or atmospheric environment  35002 E between the shroud  35002  and the load port  1040 . The pod housing interface  35010  may be configured to interface in any suitable manner with seal member  35020 C of the load port  1040  BOLTS interface  35001 . The seal member  35020 C may extend between seal members  35020 A,  35020 B. In one aspect the seal members  35020 A,  35020 B,  35020 C may be of unitary one piece construction while in other aspects one or more of the seal members  35020 A,  35020 B,  35020 C may be an individual seal member that interfaces with the other seal members. It is noted that a bottom  35002 B of the shroud  35002  may form any suitable seal with the interface module  201 ′ so that in combination with the seal members  35020 A,  35020 B,  35020 C the isolated controlled environment enclosure  35002 E between the shroud  35002  and the load port  1040  is formed. The seal between the bottom of the shroud  35002  and the interface module  201 ′ may be any suitable seal such as a bellows seal, compression seal, labyrinth seal or any other suitable seal. In one aspect the seal members  35020 A,  35020 B may be disposed on the BOLTS interface  35001  (or any other suitable location of the load port  1040 ) and/or on the side walls  35011 . The seal members  35020 A,  35020 B may be any suitable seal members such as a labyrinth seal, bellows seal, or any other seal configured to hold a controlled or otherwise isolated vacuum and/or atmospheric environment between the shroud  35002  and the load port  1040 . 
     In operation of the interface module  201 ′ any suitable substrate pod  210  transport (such as any suitable overhead transport system, manual operator, etc.) may deliver a substrate pod  210  to the interface module  201 ′ ( FIG.  36   , Block  36000 ). It should be understood that while the operation of the interface module  201 ′ is described herein with respect to the mini-environment  1060  in other aspects the interaction between the interface module  201 ′ and one or more of the load lock  203  and transfer chamber  202  may be substantially similar to that described herein for the mini-environment  1060 . The substrate pod  210  may be docked with the interface module  201 ′ ( FIG.  36   , Block  36001 ) so that, for example, the pod door  210 D is mated with the door interface  209 D′ in any suitable manner, such as in a manner described above and so that the pod housing  210 H forms a seal with the pod housing interface  35010  of the shroud  35002 . In one aspect the substrate pod  210  may be delivered to the interface module  201 ′ in a docked position while in other aspects the substrate pod  210  may be delivered to the interface module  201 ′ in an undocked position. When the substrate pod is delivered in an undocked position the interface module  201 ′ may include any suitable shuttle or transport unit for moving the substrate pod  210  from the undocked position to a docked position. The door interface  209 D′ may be substantially similar to port door  209 D described above. Any space between the door interface  209 D′ and pod door  210 D may be evacuated (in this aspect pumped down to a vacuum and/or vented) to, for example, remove contaminants ( FIG.  36   , Block  36002 ). The pod door  210 D may be unlatched from the pod housing  210 H in the manner described above and the drive  730  may move the pod door  210 D and the stack of substrates thereon to separate the pod door  210 D from the pod housing  210 H and to pace a predetermined substrate in the stack of substrates at a predetermined position/elevation  35040 . 
     The interior volume of the pod  210  and/or the space between the pod door  210 D and door interface  209 D′ may be evacuated (e.g. in this aspect purged) with any suitable gas (e.g. such as nitrogen or other inert gas) so that a pressure within the interior volume of the pod  210  and/or the space between the pod door and port door is at an atmospheric pressure substantially equal to or greater than a pressure within the mini-environment  1060  ( FIG.  36   , Block  36003 ). In one aspect the substrate pod  201  may be delivered to the interface module  201 ′ in a vacuum condition (e.g. the interior volume of the pod is held at a vacuum pressure) and brought up to an atmospheric pressure in the manner described above for interfacing with the mini-environment  1060 . In other aspects the substrate pod  201  may be delivered to the interface module  201 ′ in an atmospheric condition (e.g. the interior volume of the pod is held at atmospheric pressure) and purged with, e.g., an inert gas in the manner described above for interfacing with the mini-environment  1060 . In yet other aspects, where the interface module is coupled to a chamber configured to hold a vacuum such as the load lock  203  and transfer chamber  202  a vacuum within the pod  210  may be maintained by the interface module  201 ′ so that a vacuum environment of the load lock  203  and/or transfer chamber  202  is shared with the pod  210  and/or the isolated controlled environment enclosure  35002 E. 
     The drive  35005  may move the shroud  35002  in the direction of arrow  799  so that the pod housing  210 H is moved away from the pod door  210 D as shown in  FIG.  35 B  so that the stack of substrates on the rack  210 R are exposed or otherwise accessible by any suitable substrate transport of the mini-environment ( FIG.  36   , Block  36004 ). In one aspect the pod housing  210 H may be lifted by the shroud  35002  in a manner substantially similar to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,458 issued on Aug. 4, 1998 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,949 issued on Jul. 4, 2000 the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. In other aspects the shroud  35002  may be substantially stationary and positioned so as to provide the isolated controlled environment enclosure  35002 E around the load port  1040 . The substrate pod  210  may be delivered to the pod housing interface  35010  of the substantially stationary shroud  35002  (where the aperture in the pod housing interface is sealed by the port plate  209 ′ in a manner substantially similar to that described above with respect to interface module  201 ). It is noted that the drive  730  may include any suitable stroke so that the stack of substrates in the rack  210 R may be lowered from the pod housing interface  35010  of the substantially stationary shroud  35002  for placing a predetermined substrate or substrate support  210 RS substantially along a transfer plane of the mini-environment in a manner similar to that described below. 
     The load port door  1040 D may be opened in any suitable manner so that the interior of the isolated controlled environment enclosure formed at least in part by the shroud  35002  is in communication with the interior of the mini-environment  1060  ( FIG.  36   , Block  36005 ) through the opening  201 FO. The drive  730  may move the rack  210 R in the direction of arrow  799  so that a predetermined substrate (or substrate holding support  210 RS) is placed along a transfer plane of the mini-environment  1060  substrate transport (which may be substantially similar to transfer robot  1013  described above) for transfer of the predetermined substrate to and/or from the mini-environment  1060  ( FIG.  36   , Block  36006 ). In other aspects the substrate transport of the mini-environment may include a Z-axis drive so that a transfer plane of the mini-environment may move in the direction of arrow  799  for removing or placing substrates from/to the rack  210 R while the rack  210 R remains substantially stationary in the direction of arrow  799 . 
     As may be realized, transfer of the substrate pod  210  from the interface module  210 ′ may occur in a manner substantially opposite to that described above with respect to  FIG.  36   . In one aspect the interface module  210 ′ may include one or more vacuum pumps and/or roughing valves, such as described above, configured to pump the internal volume of the substrate pod  210  to any suitable vacuum pressure before the substrate pod  210  is removed from the interface module  201 ′. 
     As may be realized, while one or more interface modules  201 ′ is/are illustrated on a common side of the mini-environment, in other aspects the interface module  201 ′ may be placed on any suitable side of the mini-environment (as described above) such as to a BOLTS interface  35001  or any other suitable interface of the mini-environment  1060 . As may also be realized, the interface module  201 ′ may provide one or more of a vacuum to atmosphere interface, an atmosphere to vacuum interface or both depending on, for example, upstream and downstream substrate process flow requirements. For example, in one aspect one or more interface modules  201 ′ may be located within a fabrication facility  37000  as shown in  FIG.  37   . The fabrication facility may be substantially similar to that described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,272,827 issued on Sep. 25, 2012 the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In one aspect the fabrication facility includes processing modules PTC, PTC 1 , PTC 2 , PTB 1 , PTB 2 , PTA 1 , PTA 2  and any suitable transport  37001  for transporting pods  210  to and from the interface modules  201 ′. As may be realized some of the processing modules PTC, PTC 1 , PTC 2 , PTB 1 , PTB 2 , PTA 1 , PTA 2  may be atmospheric processing modules while other ones of the processing modules PTC, PTC 1 , PTC 2 , PTB 1 , PTB 2 , PTA 1 , PTA 2  may be vacuum processing modules. In this aspect the transport  37001  is an overhead transport system including overhead pod storage  37001 S but in other aspects the transport  37001  may be any suitable transport. In one aspect one interface module  201 ′ may be connected to an atmospheric processing station PTC 1  (such as at an EFEM or other atmospheric chamber) positioned in the process flow between an atmospheric processing station PTC and a vacuum processing station PTC 2 . The interface module  201 ′ at processing station PTC 1  may be configured to interface the substrate pod  210  to the atmospheric process and then pump the substrate pod  210  to a vacuum for interfacing with the vacuum process of processing module PCT 2  (e.g. where a load lock operation may be omitted as the substrate pod  210  is already at a vacuum atmosphere so that the pod  210  may interface substantially directly with the vacuum environment in a manner substantially similar to that described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/123,391 entitled “Side Opening Unified Pod” and filed on May 19, 2008). The interface module  201 ′ at processing station PTC 2  may be upstream of atmospheric processing module PTB 1  such that the pod  210  may be delivered to processing station PTB 1  with the interior of the pod at a vacuum where the interface module  201 ′ of processing station PTB 1  evacuates the pod  210  for interfacing with an atmospheric environment of processing station PTB 1 . In other aspects the interface module at processing station PTC 2  may evacuate the pod  210  so that the interior of the pod  210  is at an atmospheric pressure for delivery to the atmospheric processing station PTB 1 . 
     Referring now to  FIG.  38 A  the interface module  201 ′ may be configured as a pass-through load lock or chamber that allows one or more substrates to pass through the interface module  201 ′ into one processing chamber  38000 , such as a vacuum processing chamber or an atmospheric processing chamber from another chamber  38001 , such as another vacuum processing module or another atmospheric processing chamber. In one aspect the processing chamber  38001  may be an atmospheric processing chamber such as the mini-environment  1060  described above and the processing chamber  38000  may be a vacuum processing chamber substantially similar to one or more of back end  1020 , transfer chamber  1025  and processing stations  1030  or any other suitable vacuum processing chamber (or vice versa). In other aspects both processing chambers  38000 ,  38001  may be atmospheric processing chambers such as mini-environment  1060 . In still other aspects both processing chambers  38000 ,  38001  may be vacuum processing chambers such as one or more of back end  1020 , transfer chamber  1025  and processing stations  1030  or any other suitable vacuum processing chamber. 
     As an example of a pass through load lock or chamber, the interface module  201 ′ may be sealed such that the interface module door  209 D″ seals the opening in the port plate  209  ( FIG.  39   , Block  39000 ). A rack  38010  having one or more substrate holding locations  38011 A,  38011 B may be connected to or otherwise depend from the interface module door  209 D″ so that the one or more substrate holding locations  38011 A,  38011 B are position along one or more substrate transfer planes STP extending between the processing chamber  38001  and the processing chamber  38000 . A substrate may be transferred through sealable opening  203 S 1  to a substrate holding location  38011 A,  38011 B within the interface module  201 ′ from the processing chamber  38001  by transfer robot  38013  (e.g. with sealable opening  203 S 2  closed) ( FIG.  39   , Block  39010 ). The transfer robot may be substantially similar to one or more robotic transport described herein depending on the atmosphere (e.g. atmospheric or vacuum) within the processing chamber  38001 . Where processing chamber  38001  is an atmospheric processing chamber and processing chamber  38001  is a vacuum processing chamber the sealable opening  203 S 1  may be closed and the interface module  201 ′ may be pumped to a vacuum atmosphere of the processing chamber  38000  ( FIG.  39   , Block  39020 ). Where processing chamber  38001  and processing chamber  38001  have the same environment (e.g. both processing chambers have an atmospheric environment or both processing chambers have a vacuum environment) the sealable opening  203 S 1  may be closed and the pumping of the chamber may be omitted where the interface module is already at the vacuum or atmospheric pressure of the processing chambers  38000 ,  38001 . The sealable opening  203 S 2  may be opened and a transfer robot  38014  (which may be substantially similar to the vacuum and atmospheric transfer robots described herein depending on an environment of the processing chamber  38000 ) of the processing chamber  38000  may transport the substrate from the interface module  201 ′ to the processing chamber  38000  ( FIG.  39   , Block  39030 ). Transfer of the substrate from processing chamber  38000  to processing chamber  38001  may occur in a manner substantially opposite to that described above where the pumping down of interface module  201 ′ to vacuum is placed with venting the interface module  201 ′ to bring the interface module  201 ′ to an atmospheric pressure of the processing module  38001 . Again, as noted above, where processing chambers  38000 ,  38001  both have an atmospheric environment or a vacuum environment the venting of the interface module  201 ′ may be omitted. 
     As can be seen above, the transfer of the substrate from the processing chamber  38001  to the processing chamber  38000  is performed without the pod  210  engaged to the interface module  201 ′. Referring to  FIG.  38 B , in other aspects the pass-through load lock may be effected with the pod  210  engaged with the interface module  201 ′. For example, the pod  210  may be loaded on the interface module  201 ′ in a manner similar to that described above such that the pod housing  210 H seals the interface module port plate  209  opening ( FIG.  40   , Block  40000 ). The interface module door  209 D″ may remove the pod door  210 D from the pod housing  210 H and lower the pod door  210 D so that at least one of the substrate holding supports  210 RS of the rack  210 R are positioned along at least one substrate transfer plane STP ( FIG.  40   , Block  40010 . As may be realized, one or more of the substrate holding supports  210 RS may be empty so that a substrate may be transported through the sealable opening  203 S 1  from the processing module  38001  and to the empty substrate support ( FIG.  40   , Block  40020 ). Where processing chamber  38001  is an atmospheric processing chamber and processing chamber  38001  is a vacuum processing chamber the sealable opening  203 S 1  may be closed and the interface module  201 ′ may be pumped to a vacuum atmosphere of the processing chamber  38000  ( FIG.  40   , Block  40030 ). Where processing chamber  38001  and processing chamber  38001  have the same environment (e.g. both processing chambers have an atmospheric environment or both processing chambers have a vacuum environment) the sealable opening  203 S 1  may be closed and the pumping of the chamber may be omitted where the interface module is already at the vacuum or atmospheric pressure of the processing chambers  38000 ,  38001 . The sealable opening  203 S 2  may be opened and a transfer robot  38014  of the processing chamber  38000  may transport the substrate from the interface module  201 ′ to the processing chamber  38000  ( FIG.  40   , Block  40040 ). Transfer of the substrate from processing chamber  38000  to processing chamber  38001  may occur in a manner substantially opposite to that described above where the pumping down of interface module  201 ′ to vacuum is replaced with venting the interface module  201 ′ to bring the interface module  201 ′ to an atmospheric pressure of the processing module  38001 . Again, as noted above, where processing chambers  38000 ,  38001  both have an atmospheric environment or a vacuum environment the venting of the interface module  201 ′ may be omitted. In other aspects, the substrate may be returned from processing chamber  38000  to the pod  210  ( FIG.  40   , Block  40050 ). For example, the substrate may be transferred from an atmospheric environment of processing chamber  38001  to a vacuum environment of processing chamber  38000  as described above. The substrate may then be transferred from the vacuum environment of the processing chamber  38000  to a substrate holding support  210 RS of the pod positioned in a vacuum environment of the interface module  201 ′. In one aspect the pod door may be closed (e.g. with an interior of the pod  210  at vacuum) so that substrate can be transferred within the pod under vacuum conditions. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment a substrate transport system includes a carrier having a housing forming an interior environment having an opening for holding at least one substrate and a door for sealing the opening from an outside atmosphere where when sealed the interior environment is configured to maintain an interior atmosphere therein, the housing including a fluid reservoir exterior to the interior environment and configured to contain a fluid, forming a different atmosphere in the fluid reservoir than the interior atmosphere, to form a fluidic barrier seal that seals the interior environment from an environment exterior to the carrier. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the fluid reservoir is configured to release fluid into the interior environment upon a breach of the first environment. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the substrate transport system includes a vacuum chamber having a carrier interface, the carrier interface being configured to support the carrier for transport of the at least one substrate in the vacuum chamber. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment at least one of the housing and door includes a redundant seal arrangement, the redundant seal arrangement including at least one vacuum seal disposed around a periphery of the opening and at least one fluid reservoir seal. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the fluid reservoir contains a gas at a pressure higher than the pressure of the interior atmosphere. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the fluid reservoir contains a gas at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the interior atmosphere is at a pressure less than atmospheric pressure. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the housing of the carrier is configured to support a vacuum interior environment. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the at least one vacuum seal of the redundant seal arrangement includes a first seal located in a first plane and a second seal located in a second plane where the first and second planes are distinct from one another. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment each of the seals of the redundant seal arrangement mate with a recessed sealing surface in at least one of the housing and door. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the housing includes a fluid reservoir channel in communication with the fluid reservoir such that the fluidic barrier seal is disposed outward of the at least one vacuum seal and at least one fluid reservoir seal is disposed around a periphery of the fluid reservoir channel. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the fluid reservoir is configured to release a fluid through the fluid reservoir channel into the interior environment upon a breach of the at least one vacuum seal. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the door is sealed to the housing from a vacuum force of the interior environment. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the door is released through a dynamic pressure equalization between the interior environment and the vacuum chamber. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the carrier interface includes a redundant seal arrangement including a first seal located in a first plane and a second seal located in a second plane where the first and second planes are substantially orthogonal to each other. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the substrate transport includes a passive door lock configured to retain the door to the housing upon loss of the vacuum force. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the passive door lock comprises a ball lock detent and a ball lock plunger. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the substrate transport system includes a passive door lock holding the door to the housing, where the carrier interface is configured to release the passive door lock. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the vacuum chamber includes at least one sealable opening for coupling the vacuum chamber to at least one substrate processing module. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the carrier interface includes a purge port configured to purge at least one of a space between the door and the carrier interface and a seal between the door and the housing. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the carrier interface is a passive interface. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment a substrate transport includes a housing forming an interior environment for housing at least one substrate in a first atmosphere, the housing including an opening to the interior environment and a fluid reservoir forming a fluidic barrier seal with a second atmosphere different from and external to the first atmosphere, a door configured to close the opening, where when the opening is closed the housing is configured to maintain the first atmosphere within the interior environment and a redundant seal arrangement disposed on at least one of the housing and the door, the redundant seal arrangement including at least a first seal disposed around a periphery of the opening and at least a second seal where the second seal is disposed between the first seal and the fluidic barrier seal. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the housing includes a fluid reservoir channel in communication with the fluid reservoir and disposed outward of the first seal, the substrate transport further including a fluid reservoir seal outwardly disposed around a periphery of the fluid reservoir channel. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the fluid reservoir is configured to release a fluid through the fluid reservoir channel into the interior environment upon a breach of one or more of the first and second seals. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the door is sealed to the housing from a vacuum force of the interior environment. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the substrate transport includes a passive door lock configured to retain the door to the housing upon loss of the vacuum force. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the passive door lock comprises a ball lock detent and a ball lock plunger. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the passive door lock is configured to be passively released. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the door is configured to support the at least one substrate. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment a substrate transport includes a housing having an interior environment configured to hold at least one substrate in a first atmosphere, the first atmosphere being common to a substrate processing atmosphere, a door for sealing the interior environment, and a fluidic barrier seal between the door and the housing, the fluidic barrier seal having a second atmosphere different from and isolated from the first atmosphere where an outer seal isolates the fluidic barrier seal from an external atmosphere outside the housing and an inner seal isolates the fluidic barrier seal from the first atmosphere so that a void exists between the fluidic barrier seal and the first atmosphere. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment an intermediate seal is provided to isolate the fluidic barrier seal from the inner seal. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the fluidic barrier seal includes a fluid reservoir distinct from the interior environment and connected to the housing and a fluid channel. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the fluid channel connects the fluid reservoir to an interface between the housing and the door. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the fluidic barrier seal is a pressurized seal disposed between the external atmosphere and the first atmosphere. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment a processing system includes substrate processing tool, a controlled environment carrier having an interior environment and a fluidic barrier seal having a different atmosphere than the interior environment, and a controlled environment interface module configured to couple the controlled environment carrier with the substrate processing tool where a passage formed through the coupling of the controlled environment carrier to the process tool through the controlled environment interface module forms a clean tunnel. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment a gap formed between a port door of the controlled environment interface module and a bottom surface of the controlled environment carrier can direct a clean dry air flow across seals between the port door and bottom surface. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the controlled environment interface module defines a mid-entry or intermediate entry to the clean tunnel. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the controlled environment interface module is located between ends of the clean tunnel. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the controlled environment interface module includes a rotatable port door that is movable into an interior volume of the controlled environment interface module where rotation of the port door allows controlled environment carrier automation to load the controlled environment carrier at an orientation other than a required wafer stack orientation. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the controlled environment interface module comprises a pass through load lock. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment an interior atmosphere of the controlled environment carrier, when the controlled environment carrier is open, communicates with an interior atmosphere of the pass through load lock. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the controlled environment interface module is a pass through module that includes a port door having integral substrate supports. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the integral substrate supports move as a unit with the port door. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the interior environment and an environment of the process tool are a common environment that extends through the controlled environment interface module. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the fluidic barrier seal is a pressurized seal with respect to the atmosphere of the internal environment. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the controlled environment carrier includes a housing for holding the interior environment and a door for sealingly closing the housing, the fluidic barrier seal includes a passage formed at an interface between the housing and the door when the door is closed. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment an interface between the controlled environment carrier and the controlled environment interface module includes a fluid port for charging a fluid of the fluidic barrier seal independent from the atmosphere of the interior environment. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment an interface between the controlled environment carrier and the controlled environment interface module includes a fluid port for evacuating a fluid from the fluidic barrier seal independent from the atmosphere of the interior environment. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the fluid port is configured to automatically evacuate the fluid from the fluidic barrier seal before and/or separate from a pumping down to a vacuum atmosphere of one or more of the controlled environment carrier and controlled environment interface module. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the substrate processing tool includes a central transfer chamber and process modules communicably coupled to one or more sides of the central transfer chamber, the controlled environment interface module being connected to the central transfer chamber. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the central transfer chamber includes at least one transfer robot for transferring one or more substrates between the controlled environment interface module and the process modules. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the central transfer chamber has polygonal shape. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the central transfer chamber includes a plurality of transfer chambers coupled to each other. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the plurality of transfer chambers are coupled to each other at least by the controlled environment interface module. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the plurality of transfer chambers are coupled to each other through a linear transport tunnel. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the controlled environment interface module is disposed at one or more ends of the linear transport tunnel. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the substrate processing tool includes an automated handling system for transferring the controlled environment carrier to the controlled environment interface module. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the process tool includes an equipment front end unit distinct from the controlled environment interface module. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment a method for sealing a substrate carrier is provided. The method includes providing a substrate carrier housing having an internal environment and a door for closing the internal environment, providing a fluidic barrier seal at an interface between the housing and the door where the fluidic barrier seal extends around a periphery of the door and has a different atmosphere than the internal environment. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the method further includes providing a first seal disposed at the interface between the internal environment and the fluidic barrier seal and providing a second seal disposed at the interface between the fluidic barrier seal and an atmosphere external to the housing. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the method further includes providing an intermediate seal disposed between the first seal and the fluidic barrier seal. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment a substrate loader module includes a substrate carrier to processing tool interface module having at least one closable opening through which substrates pass and being configured for coupling to one or more of a vacuum environment of a processing tool and an atmospheric environment of the processing tool. The substrate carrier to processing tool interface module including a vacuum interface configured to allow opening of an internal environment of a substrate carrier to the vacuum environment of a processing tool, and an atmospheric interface configured to allow opening of the internal environment of the substrate carrier to the atmospheric environment of the processing tool. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the substrate carrier to processing tool interface module is configured to evacuate or charge a substrate carrier fluidic barrier seal located between a door of the substrate carrier and a housing of the substrate carrier. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the substrate carrier to processing tool interface module is configured to evacuate or charge an internal environment of the substrate carrier. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the substrate carrier to processing tool interface module includes a Z-axis drive for moving at least a portion of the substrate carrier in a direction transverse to a transfer plane of a substrate into and out of the substrate carrier. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the substrate carrier to processing tool interface module is configured to separate a shell of the substrate carrier from a door of the substrate carrier to expose substrate racks connected to the door. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the substrate carrier to processing tool interface module is configured for coupling to a load lock of a substrate processing tool. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the substrate carrier to processing tool interface module is configured for coupling to a minienvironment of a substrate processing tool. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment a substrate processing tool includes an atmospheric processing chamber having an atmospheric environment therein, a vacuum processing chamber having a vacuum environment therein and being connected to the atmospheric processing chamber, and a substrate carrier to processing tool interface module having at least one closable opening through which substrates pass and being configured for coupling to one or more of the atmospheric processing chamber and vacuum processing chamber. The substrate carrier to processing tool interface module including a vacuum interface configured to allow opening of an internal environment of a substrate carrier to the vacuum environment of the vacuum processing chamber, and an atmospheric interface configured to allow opening of the internal environment of the substrate carrier to the atmospheric environment of the atmospheric processing chamber. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the vacuum processing chamber comprises a load lock wherein the substrate carrier to processing tool interface module is connected to the load lock. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the atmospheric processing chamber comprises a mini-environment wherein the substrate carrier to processing tool interface module is connected to the mini-environment. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the vacuum processing chamber comprises a load lock and the atmospheric processing chamber comprises a mini-environment where the substrate carrier to processing tool interface module is connected to both the load lock and the mini-environment. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the substrate carrier to processing tool interface module is configured to evacuate or charge a substrate carrier fluidic barrier seal located between a door of the substrate carrier and a housing of the substrate carrier. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the substrate carrier to processing tool interface module is configured to evacuate or charge an internal environment of the substrate carrier. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the substrate carrier to processing tool interface module is configured to form a pass-through load lock connected to the vacuum processing chamber and the atmospheric processing chamber, the substrate carrier to processing tool interface module having substrate support shelves disposed underneath one of the at least one closable opening. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the substrate carrier to processing tool interface module is configured so that a substrate is transported through the pass through load lock into the vacuum processing chamber from the atmospheric processing chamber and for substrate exit into a vacuum environment of a substrate carrier coupled to the substrate carrier to processing tool interface module. 
     In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment the atmospheric processing chamber is an equipment front end module having a back connected to the vacuum processing chamber, a BOLTS interface opposite the back and sides extending between the BOLTS interface and the back, the substrate carrier to processing tool interface module being coupled to one of the back, sides and BOLTS interface. 
     It should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the aspects of the disclosed embodiment. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the aspects of the disclosed embodiment. Accordingly, the aspects of the disclosed embodiment are intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances that fall within the scope of the appended claims. Further, the mere fact that different features are recited in mutually different dependent or independent claims does not indicate that a combination of these features cannot be advantageously used, such a combination remaining within the scope of the aspects of the invention.