Abstract:
An apparatus and method for processing a substrate in a processing system containing a deposition chamber, a treatment chamber, and an isolation region, separating the deposition chamber from the treatment is described herein. The deposition chamber deposits a film on a substrate. The treatment chamber receives the substrate from the deposition chamber and alters the film deposited in the deposition chamber with a film property altering device. Processing systems and methods are provided in accordance with the above embodiment and other embodiments.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/076,292, filed Nov. 6, 2014, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field 
         [0003]    The invention generally relates to a processing system including an isolation region that separates a deposition chamber from a treatment chamber. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    In semiconductor manufacturing, next generation chemical vapor deposition (CVD) films will likely require a treatment process following the film deposition process in order to obtain desired film properties. Additionally, the treatment process may need to be performed shortly after the film deposition process in order to avoid native oxide formation. 
         [0006]    Existing architectures for semiconductor processing systems are not designed for rapid sequential deposition and treatment processes. Moreover, conventional processing systems are large and take up significant and valuable floor space in cleanroom environments. Thus, increasing the size of conventional semiconductor processing systems to accommodate more rapid transfer of substrates from a deposition chamber to a treatment chamber is not an acceptable solution. 
         [0007]    Thus, there is a need for an improved semiconductor processing system suitable for sequential deposition and processing. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    A processing system including a deposition chamber, a treatment chamber, and at least one isolation region is disclosed herein. The deposition chamber is configured to deposit a film on the substrate. The treatment chamber is arranged to receive substrates from the deposition chamber. The treatment chamber passes the substrates away from the deposition chamber. The treatment chamber includes a film property altering device. The film property altering device is operable to treat the substrate disposed in the treatment chamber. The film property altering device alters the property of the film deposited in the deposition chamber. The isolation region is configured to separate the deposition chamber from the treatment chamber. 
         [0009]    In another embodiment, a method for processing a substrate in a processing system is described herein. The method includes transferring the substrate into the first deposition chamber. A film is deposited on the substrate while in the first deposition chamber. The substrate is transferred through a first isolation region separating the deposition chamber from a first treatment chamber. The property of the deposited film is altered in the first treatment chamber. 
         [0010]    In another embodiment, a processing system including a deposition chamber, a treatment chamber, at least one isolation region, and a transfer mechanism is described herein. The deposition chamber is configured to deposit a film on a substrate. The deposition chamber includes a substrate support. The substrate support is configured to support the substrate in an interior volume of the deposition chamber. The treatment chamber is in-line with the deposition chamber. The treatment chamber includes a substrate support and a film property altering device. The substrate support is configured to support a substrate in an interior volume of the treatment chamber for processing. The film property altering device is operable to treat the substrate disposed in the treatment chamber. The film property altering device alters the property of a film deposited on the substrate in the deposition chamber. The film property altering device is disposed in the interior volume of the treatment chamber. The film property altering device is substantially parallel to and above the top surface of the substrate support in the interior volume. The at least one isolation region is configured to separate the deposition chamber from the treatment chamber. The transfer mechanism is configured to transfer a substrate from the deposition chamber, through the isolation region, and into the treatment chamber. The deposition chamber, treatment chamber, isolation region, and transfer mechanism reside in a vacuum tight processing system. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, schematically illustrate the present invention and, together with the general description given above and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  schematically illustrates a layout for an inline processing system; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  illustrates one embodiment of an isolation region, where the isolation region is a gas curtain; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  illustrates another embodiment of an isolation region, where the isolation region is a slit valve; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4A  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a deposition chamber in a processing system; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4B  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a treatment chamber in a processing system; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  illustrations a top view of a carrier disposed within a chamber of the processing system; 
           [0018]      FIGS. 6A-6E  illustrates the process of a carrier transferring a substrate to a substrate support within a chamber of a processing system; 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  illustrates a layout of a linear processing system; 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  illustrates a layout of a vertical processing system; 
           [0021]      FIGS. 9A-9C  illustrates a sequence for a racetrack processing system; 
           [0022]      FIG. 10  illustrates a layout of a carousel processing system; 
           [0023]      FIG. 11A  illustrates a top view of a semiconductor tandem processing system; and 
           [0024]      FIG. 11B  illustrates an enlarged view of a quad processing station in the semiconductor tandem processing system. 
       
    
    
       [0025]    For clarity, identical reference numerals have been used, where applicable, to designate identical elements that are common between figures. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0026]      FIG. 1  schematically illustrates a sequential processing system  100  suitable for sequentially depositing and treating a film on a substrate within the processing system  100 . The processing system  100  includes a process station  122 , an isolation region  104 , and a load lock station  108 . The process station  122 , the isolation region  104 , and the load lock station  108  are connected to form a continuous vacuum tight platform  110 . 
         [0027]    A pump system  120  is coupled to the load lock station  108 , the process station  122 , and the isolation region  104 . The pump system  120  controls the pressure within the processing system  100 . The pump system  120  may be utilized to pump down and vent the load lock station  108  as needed to facilitate entry and removal of substrates from the vacuum tight platform  110 . 
         [0028]    The process station  122  includes at least one deposition region  102  and at least one treatment region  106 . At least one of the one or more treatment regions  106  is sequentially downstream (i.e., relative to the direction of process flow through the processing system  100 ) from at least one of the deposition regions  102 . For example, the treatment region  106  may be sequentially downstream of the last of several deposition regions  102  (illustrated as D i  in  FIG. 1 ). The isolation region  104  is utilized to prevent, or at least substantially minimize, the flow of gases between the regions  102 ,  106 . 
         [0029]    The processing system  100  is coupled to a controller  112  by a communication cable  128 . The controller  112  is operable to control processing of a substrate (not shown) within the processing system  100 . The controller  112  includes a programmable central processing unit (CPU)  116  that is operable with a memory  114  and a mass storage device, an input control unit, and a display unit (not shown), such as power supplies, clocks, cache, input/output (I/O) circuits, and the like, coupled to the various components of the processing system  100  to facilitate control of the processes of processing a substrate. The controller  112  may also include hardware for monitoring the processing of a substrate through sensors (not shown) in the processing system  100 . 
         [0030]    To facilitate control of the processing system  100  and processing a substrate, the CPU  116  may be one of any form of general purpose computer processors for controlling the substrate process. The memory  114  is coupled to the CPU  116  and the memory  114  is non-transitory and may be one or more of readily available memory such as random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), floppy disk drive, hard disk, or any other form of digital storage, local or remote. Support circuits  118  are coupled to the CPU  116  for supporting the CPU  116  in a conventional manner. The process for processing a substrate is generally stored in the memory  114 . The process for processing a substrate may also be stored and/or executed by a second CPU (not shown) that is remotely located from the hardware being controlled by the CPU  116 . 
         [0031]    The memory  114  is in the form of computer-readable storage media that contains instructions, that when executed by the CPU  116 , facilitates the operation of processing a substrate in the processing system  100 . The instructions in the memory  114  are in the form of a program product such as a program that implements the operation of processing a substrate. The program code may conform to any one of a number of different programming languages. In one example, the disclosure may be implemented as a program product stored in computer readable storage media for use with a computer system. The program(s) of the program product define functions of the embodiments. Illustrative computer-readable storage media include, but are not limited to: (i) non-writable storage media (e.g., read-only memory devices within a computer such as CD-ROM disks readable by a CD-ROM drive, flash memory, ROM chips or any tope of solid-state non-volatile semiconductor memory) on which information is permanently stored; and (ii) writing storage media (e.g. floppy disks within a diskette drive or hard-disk drive or any type of solid-state random-access semiconductor memory) on which alterable information is stored. Such computer-readable storage media, when carrying computer-readable instructions that direct the functions of the methods described herein, are embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         [0032]    A motion mechanism (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) is provided to transfer substrates through each respective deposition region  102  and treatment region  106  of the process station  122  that are separated by the isolation region  104 . The substrate may leave the processing system  100  through another load lock station  108  connected downstream of the last treatment region  106  of the processing system  100 . The substrate processed therein is not exposed to the substantially ambient (e.g., atmospheric) environment outside the processing system  100  in which the substrate may oxidize, because the load lock station  108 , process station  122 , and isolation region  104  are interconnected to form a vacuum tight platform  110 . 
         [0033]      FIG. 2  is an illustration of one embodiment of the isolation region  104  configured as a gas curtain  202 . The gas curtain  202  separates any two adjacent deposition and treatment regions  102 ,  106  of the process station  122  of the processing system  100 . In the configuration depicted in  FIG. 2 , the process station  122  is a single processing chamber having the deposition and treatment regions  102 ,  106  defined therein as part of a single contiguously interior volume of the processing chamber. For example, the gas curtain  202  provides a flow of process inert gases that separates the deposition region  102  from the treatment region  106 . The gas curtain  202  includes at least one nozzle  204  disposed in the isolation region  104 . The nozzle  204  may be aligned with an exhaust port  208 . A gas source  206  is coupled to nozzle  204  through a conduit  212 . Process inert gases, such as nitrogen among other gases, may be provided from the nozzle  204  to produce a vertical gas curtain  210  of inert gas. The vertical gas curtain  210  isolates the gases used in the deposition region  102  from gases used in the treatment region  106 . The gases provided by the gas curtain  210  may flow out of the isolation region  104  through an exhaust port  208  formed in the bottom of the isolation region  104 . The exhaust port  208  may be coupled to a facilities exhaust (not shown). 
         [0034]    The gas curtain  202  allows a substrate (not shown) to move seamlessly from deposition region  102  to the treatment region  106  utilizing a motion mechanism, future (described below). While allowing two adjacent deposition and treatment regions  102 ,  106  to be connected through the gas curtain  210 , cross contamination between adjacent regions  102 ,  106  is reduced or substantially eliminated while allowing rapid transfer between the regions  102 ,  106 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 3  provides another embodiment of the isolation region  104  configured as a slit valve assembly  300 . In the configuration depicted in  FIG. 3 , the deposition and treatment regions  102 ,  106  of the process station  122  are defined as two separate processing chambers. 
         [0036]    The slit valve assembly  300  includes a slit valve opening  302  formed in the sidewalls  304 A,  304 B, a slit valve door  306  and an actuator  308 . The sidewalls  304 A,  304 B are bound in an interior region of the isolation region  104  in which the slit valve door  306  may be disposed. The slit valve door  306  may be moved by the actuator  308  between a first (closed) position  312  that seals the slit valve opening  302 , and a second (open) position  312  that allows the substrate to be transferred through the slit valve opening  302  between the deposition region  102  and the treatment region  106 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 4A  provides a cross sectional view of one embodiment of the deposition region  102  having a motion mechanism  400  disposed therein. Although not shown in  FIG. 4A , the motion mechanism  400  is similarly present in the isolation region  104  and the treatment region  106  to facilitate transfer of the substrate between the regions  102 ,  104 ,  106 . 
         [0038]    Continuing to refer to  FIG. 4A , the deposition chamber includes a lid  416 , sidewalls  418 , bottom  432 , showerhead  410  and substrate support  426 . The showerhead  410  is disposed in the interior of the deposition region  102  and coupled to the lid  416 . A gas panel  420  is connected to the showerhead  410  by a conduit  422 . The gas panel  420  provides process gas to the showerhead  410 . The showerhead  410  directs a downward flow  412  of the process gas into a reaction zone  436  defined between the showerhead  410  and the substrate support  426 . The showerhead  410  may also be connected to an RF source  424 . The RF source  424  provides RF power to the showerhead  410  such that a plasma may be formed from the process gas present in the reaction zone  436 . 
         [0039]    Optionally, nozzles  414  may be utilized to introduce the process gas into the reaction zone  436  as an alternative to the showerhead  410 . The nozzles  414  may be disposed in the interior of the deposition region  102 . For example, the nozzles  414  may be coupled to the sidewall  418  and/or lid  416  of the deposition region  102 . The gas panel  420  is coupled to each nozzle  414  by a conduit  422 . 
         [0040]    The substrate support  426  is disposed in the interior of the deposition region  102 , and is coupled to the bottom  434  of the deposition region  102 . The substrate support  426  further includes a platform  438 . An actuator  444  is coupled to the substrate support  426  to raise and/or lower the platform  438 . The actuator  444  controls the spacing between a substrate  428  positioned on the substrate support  426  and the showerhead  410 . The substrate support  426  is coupled to ground  432 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 4A  further depicts the deposition region  102  at a time when the motion mechanism  400  has delivered the substrate  428  to the deposition region  102 . The motion mechanism  400  includes a substrate carrier  402 , a guide rail  404 , a permanent magnet  406 , and a magnetic motor  408 . The guide rails  404  are coupled to the bottom  434  of the deposition region  102 . The guide rails  404  interact with a guide  405  coupled to the substrate carrier  402 . The guide  405  is configured to slide along and/or over guide rails  404 . The guide  405  and guide rails  404  allow the substrate carrier  402  to be positioned within the deposition region  102  in a predefined position. The guide  405  and guide rails  404  allow the substrate carrier  402  to move between the other regions  104 ,  106  or other portion of the processing system  100 . The guide  405  and guide rails  404  may be a ball bearing or solid slide, an air or magnetic bearing or other suitable bearing system. 
         [0042]    The substrate carrier  402  is configured to carry the substrate  428  through the processing system  100 . The permanent magnets  406  are coupled to the lateral ends of the substrate carrier  402  in proximity of the magnetic motor  408 . The magnetic motor  408  may be disposed within or outside of the deposition region  102 . The magnetic motor  408  may include a plurality of coils. The coils may be sequentially energized to create an alternating magnetic field. The polarity of the magnetic field may be controllably sequenced to urge the permanent magnet  406 . Thus, the substrate carrier  402  and substrate thereon is moved to a predefined position within the deposition region  102 . The magnetic field also allows the carrier to move between regions  102 ,  104 ,  106 . In one embodiment, the magnetic motor  408  may be a sawyer motor. 
         [0043]    The exterior of the sidewalls  418  of the deposition region  102  may include a bank  442 . The magnetic motor  408  may be positioned within the bank  442 . In the bank  442 , the magnetic motor  408  isolated from the environment within the deposition region  102  by the sidewall  418 . The magnetic motor  408  runs the length of the processing system  100  to allow controllable positioning of the substrate carrier  402  within the processing system  100 . The controller  112  is utilized to control the sequencing of the polarities of the magnetic motor  408  in response to the position of the substrate carrier  402  within the deposition region  102 . Sensors (not shown) are disposed within the processing system  100  to provide positional feedback of the substrate carrier  402  to the controller  112 . 
         [0044]      FIG. 4B  provides a cross sectional view of the treatment region  106  illustrating the motion mechanism  400  disposed therein. The treatment region  106  includes a lid  450 , sidewalls  452 , a bottom  454 , a film property altering device  456  and a substrate support  458 . The film property altering device  456  is configured to provide energy and/or chemicals to the film deposited in the deposition region  102  while the substrate and substrate carrier  402  are positioned in the treatment region  106 . The film property altering device  456  may be disposed in the interior or exterior of the treatment region  106 . In at least one embodiment, the film property altering device  456  is coupled to the lid  450 . 
         [0045]    In some embodiments, a treatment source  460  may be connected to the film property altering device  456  by a conduit  422 . The treatment source  460  provides chemical or energy to the film property altering device  456 . The energy from the treatment source  460  will direct a downward treatment flow  462  to the substrate  428 . The treatment flow  462  is operable to treat the substrate  428  disposed in the treatment region  106  to alter the property of the film deposited in the deposition region  102  shown in  FIG. 4A . 
         [0046]    The substrate support  458  is disposed in the interior of the treatment region  106 . The substrate support  458  is coupled to the bottom  454  of the treatment region  106 . The substrate support  458  further includes a platform  464 . An actuator  466  is coupled to the substrate support  458  to raise and/or lower the platform  464 . 
         [0047]      FIG. 4B  further depicts the treatment region  106  at a time when the motion mechanism  400  delivers the substrate  428  to the treatment region  106 . As described above with reference to  FIG. 4A , the motion mechanism  400  includes the substrate carrier  402 , the guide rail  404 , the permanent magnet  406 , and the magnetic motor  408 . 
         [0048]    The process of moving the substrate  428  into the deposition region  102  and loading the substrate  428  onto the substrate support  426  is provided in more detail in  FIGS. 6A-6E . 
         [0049]    Referring now to a top view of the substrate carrier  402  illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the substrate carrier  402  includes the substrate receiving pocket  430 , the permanent magnet  406 , and the guide  405 . The substrate  428  may be supported on top the substrate carrier  402 . The motion mechanism  400  is operable to deliver the substrate  428  disposed on the substrate carrier  402  to the deposition region  102 . The magnetic motor  400  may also align the substrate carrier  402  and substrate  428  with the platform  438  of the substrate support  426 . Lift pins (shown in  FIG. 6C ) extendable through the substrate support  426 . The lift pins are configured to raise the substrate  428  off the substrate carrier  402 . The raised substrate  428  allows the substrate carrier  402  to be moved clear of the platform  438  by the motion mechanism  400 . The lift pins supporting the substrate  428  retract through the substrate support  426  to position the substrate  428  on the platform  438  of the substrate support  426 . The substrate support  426  with substrate  428  positioned thereon may be displaced upwards to place the substrate  428  in a processing position proximate the showerhead  410 . 
         [0050]    After processing the substrate  428  disposed on the substrate support  426 , the substrate support  426  may be lowered away from the showerhead  410  to a transfer position below the plane in which the substrate carrier  402  travels. The lift pins are actuated to space the substrate  428  from the substrate support  426 . The space allows for the substrate carrier  402  to be moved between the elevated substrate  428  and the platform of the substrate support  426 . The lift pins then retract to place the substrate  428  back onto the substrate carrier  402 . The motion mechanism  400  then delivers the substrate  428  disposed on the substrate carrier  402  from the deposition region  102  to the treatment region  106 . 
         [0051]      FIGS. 6A-6E  depict a sequence of the motion mechanism  400  entering deposition region  102 , and loading the substrate  428  onto the substrate support  426  for deposition.  FIG. 6A  depicts the motion mechanism  400  entering the deposition region  102  from the isolation region  104 . The substrate support  426  is in a lowered (transfer) position  601 . The substrate support  426  in the lowered position  601  allows the substrate carrier  402  to be positioned thereover. 
         [0052]    In  FIG. 6B , the substrate carrier  402  is aligned above the platform  438  of the substrate support  426 . Sensor(s) (not shown) within the deposition region  102  may communicate with the controller (not shown) that controls the operation of the motion mechanism  400  to align the substrate carrier  402  with the platform  438 . The controller stops the motion mechanism  400  when the substrate carrier  402  is aligned with the platform  438 . The substrate  428  disposed on the substrate carrier  402  is now positioned between the showerhead  410  and the platform  438  of the substrate support  426 . 
         [0053]    In  FIG. 6C , the substrate  428  is removed from the substrate carrier  402 . The substrate support  426  further includes lift pins  600 . The lift pins  600  are initially in a retracted position, such that the tops of the lift pins  600  are below or flush with the top surface of the platform  438 . The controller communicates with the actuator  444  to raise the lift pins  600  when the substrate  428  disposed on the substrate carrier is aligned with the platform  438 . The lift pins  600  are extended through the top surface of the substrate support  426 . The lift pins  600  then come into contact with the substrate  428  and lift the substrate  428  above the substrate carrier  402 . The motion mechanism  400  may move the substrate carrier  402  clear of the platform  438  of the substrate support  426  when the lift pins  600  are in an extended position  602 . 
         [0054]    In  FIG. 6D , the controller communicates with the actuator  444  to lower the lift pins  600  when the motion mechanism  400  moves the substrate carrier  402  beyond the platform  438  of the substrate support  426 . The substrate  428  is set on the platform  438  of the substrate support  426  when the lift pins  600  are retracted back through the substrate support  426 . The substrate support  426  may then raise the substrate  428  to a processing position proximate the showerhead. The substrate carrier  402  remains clear of the platform  438  until the deposition process is complete. 
         [0055]    In  FIG. 6E , the deposition process in the deposition region  102  begins. The sensor(s) communicates with the controller when the substrate  428  is secured on the platform  438 . The controller then communicates with the actuator (not shown) to raise the platform  438  of the substrate support  426  towards the showerhead  410 . Deposition may begin once the platform  438  is in a raised position  604  placing the substrate  428  proximate the showerhead  410 . 
         [0056]    The sequence of  FIGS. 6A-6E  is performed in reverse, once the deposition process is completed, to return the substrate  428  back to the substrate carrier  402 . The motion mechanism  400  may move the substrate carrier  402  having the substrate  428  disposed thereon through the isolation region  104  and into either another deposition region  102  or treatment region  106  when the substrate  428  is supported on the substrate carrier  402  and the substrate support  426  is clear below the substrate carrier  402 . 
         [0057]      FIG. 7  illustrates a top view of one configuration of a linear processing system  700 . The linear processing system  700  includes a load lock station  108 , a deposition region  102 , an isolation region  104 , a treatment region  106 , alternate chambers  702 ,  704 ,  706 , and a motion mechanism  400 . The load lock station  108 , the deposition region  102 , isolation region  104 , the treatment region  106  and the alternate chambers  702 ,  704 ,  706  are linearly coupled in an X-Z coordinate system. 
         [0058]    The load lock station  108 , the deposition region  102 , the treatment region  106 , and the alternate chambers  702 ,  704 ,  706  are collectively referred to as a vacuum tight, linear processing platform  712 . The isolation region  104  separates any two adjacent linear processing regions  102 ,  106 . 
         [0059]    The motion mechanism  400  includes a substrate carrier  402 , permanent magnet  406  and magnetic motor  408 . The motion mechanism  400  may move a substrate carrier  402  from the load lock station  108 , through the isolation region  104 , and into the deposition region  102 . The magnetic motor  408  is utilized to generate a force on the permanent magnet  406  coupled to the substrate carrier  402 , thus urging the substrate carrier  402  to move within the linear processing system  700 . 
         [0060]    The deposition region  102  may be any one of a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber, a spin-on coating chamber, a flowable (CVD) chamber, a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber, atomic vapor deposition (ALD) chamber, epitaxial deposition chamber, or other deposition chamber suitable for depositing thin films. 
         [0061]    The treatment region  106  may be any one of thermal treatment chamber, an annealing chamber, a rapid thermal anneal chamber, a laser treatment chamber, an electron beam treatment chamber, a UV treatment chamber, an ion beam implantation chamber, an ion immersion implantation chamber, or other treatment chamber capable of altering the properties of the deposited film. 
         [0062]    The alternate chambers  702 ,  704 ,  706  may be additional deposition regions  102 , additional treatment regions  106 , or a combination of additional deposition regions  102  and treatment regions  106 . Additionally, any one or all of the alternate chambers  702 ,  704 ,  706  may be omitted from the processing system  100 . 
         [0063]      FIG. 8  illustrates a side view of another embodiment of an inline processing system  800 . The inline processing system  800  includes a first linear processing section  802  coupled to a second linear processing section  804 . The direction of travel of a substrate within each of the sections  802 ,  804  are not co-linear. For example, a substrate may travel through the first linear processing section  802  in a positive y-direction of an X-Y coordinate system, while the substrate travel through the second linear processing section  804  may be in a negative y-direction. The sections  802 ,  804  may be connected by a coupling section  806 . 
         [0064]    The first linear processing section  802  includes a load lock station  108 , an isolation region  104 , a deposition region  102 , optional alternate chambers  810 ,  812 ,  814 , a treatment region  106 , and a first magnetic motor  820 . The isolation region  104  separates at least the deposition region  102  from the treatment region  106 . The first magnetic motor  820  runs along the length of the first linear processing section  802 . The motion mechanism (not shown in  FIG. 8 ) uses the first magnetic motor  820  to move the substrate within the first linear processing section  802 . The alternate chambers  810 ,  812 ,  814  may be either another deposition region  102  or treatment region  106 . Additionally, any one or all of the alternate chambers  810 ,  812 ,  814  may be omitted from the first linear processing section  802 . 
         [0065]    The second linear processing section  804  may include one or more of a load lock station  108 , an optional deposition region  102 , an isolation region  104 , a treatment region  106 , an optional alternate chambers  816 ,  817 ,  818 , and a second magnetic motor  824 . The isolation region  104  separates at least the treatment region  106  from the deposition region  102 . The second magnetic motor  824  runs along the length of the second linear processing section  804 . The motion mechanism (not shown) uses the second magnetic motor  824  to move the substrate disposed on a substrate carrier along the length of the second linear processing section  804 . The alternate chambers  816 ,  817 ,  818  may be either a deposition region  102  or treatment region  106 . Additionally, any one or all of the alternate chambers  816 ,  817 ,  818  may be omitted from the second linear processing section  804 . 
         [0066]    The coupling section  806  connects the first linear processing section  802  to the second linear processing section  804 . A third magnetic motor  822  is integrated with the coupling section  806  to move the substrate disposed on the substrate carrier from the first linear processing section  802  to the second linear processing section  804 . The isolation region  104  may also separate the first linear processing section  802  and the second linear processing section  804 . The third magnetic motor  822  runs along the coupling section  806 . The motion mechanism (not shown) uses the magnetic motor  822  to move the substrate and substrate carrier along the coupling section  806  in order to position the substrate within the system. 
         [0067]      FIGS. 9A-9C  illustrate a top view of a racetrack processing system  900 . The racetrack processing system  900  includes a first section  930 , a second section  932 , a third section  934 , and a fourth section  936 . The first section  930 , second section  932 , third section  934  and fourth section  936  are coupled together to form a rectangular racetrack. 
         [0068]    In one embodiment, the first section  930  includes a load lock station  912 , an isolation region  104 , a deposition region  102 , optional alternate chambers  902 ,  904 , a via  920 , an optional treatment region  106 , and a first magnetic motor  920 . The isolation region  104  separates at least the regions  102 ,  106 . The isolation region  104  also allows for the deposition region  102  to be in fluid communication with the treatment region  106 . The isolation region  104  may be a gas curtain (as depicted in  FIG. 2 ) or a slit valve (as depicted in  FIG. 3 ). 
         [0069]    The first magnetic motor  920  runs along the length of the first section  930 , for example along an outer side  950 . The first magnetic motor  920  positions the substrate carrier  402  along the length of the first section  930 . The permanent magnet  406  coupled to the substrate carrier  402 , engages with the first magnetic motor  920  to move the substrate carrier  402  within the first section  930 . The alternate chambers  902 ,  904  may be either a deposition region  102  or treatment region  106 . Additionally, any one or all of the alternate chambers  902 ,  904  may be omitted from the first section  930 . The via  914  is the last section (with respect to the load lock station  912 ) in the first section  930 . The via  914  fluidly communicates with the second section  932 , and couples the first section  930  to the second section  932 . 
         [0070]    The second section  932  further includes a first via  914  and a second magnetic motor  922 . The first via  914  couples the first section  930  to the third section  934 , and allows for the substrate carrier  402  to move from the first section  930  to the third section  934  of the racetrack processing system  900 . The second magnetic motor  922  runs along the length of the second section  932 , for example along an outer perimeter. The substrate carrier  402  uses the second magnetic motor  922  to move along the length of the second section  932 . The permanent magnet  406  and the permanent magnet  926  engage with the second magnetic motor  922  to move the substrate carrier  402  within the second section  932 . 
         [0071]    The third section  934  includes a load lock station  916 , an optional deposition region  102 , an isolation region  104 , a treatment region  106 , optional alternate chamber  906 ,  908 , and the first via  914 . The isolation region  104  separates the regions  102 ,  106 . The isolation region  104  separates the treatment region  106  from the deposition region  102 . The isolation region  104  may be a gas curtain (as depicted in  FIG. 2 ) or a slit valve (as depicted in  FIG. 3 ). 
         [0072]    The third magnetic motor  924  runs along the length of the third section  934 , for example, along an outer perimeter  952 . The substrate carrier  402  uses the third magnetic motor  924  to move along the length of the third section  934 . The second permanent magnet  926  engages with the third magnetic motor  924  to move the substrate carrier  402  within the third section  934 . The alternate chambers  906 ,  908  may be either a deposition region  102  or treatment region  106 . Additionally, any one or all of the alternate chambers  906 ,  908  may be omitted from the third section  934 . 
         [0073]    The fourth section  936  includes the load lock stations  912 ,  916  and a second via  918 . The second via  918  couples the first section  930  to the third section  934 . The via  918  allows for a substrate  428  to either leave the racetrack processing system  900  or, alternatively, return through the racetrack processing system  900  one or more additional times. 
         [0074]      FIG. 9A  represents racetrack processing system  900  when two substrate carriers  402   a ,  402   e  are waiting to enter a chamber, and six chambers are processing the substrate carriers  402   b ,  402   c ,  402   d ,  402   f ,  402   g ,  402   h . When the six chambers are processing, the isolation region  104  will not allow any chamber to be in fluid communication with another chamber. 
         [0075]      FIG. 9B  represents the racetrack processing system  900  after the six chambers are finished processing, and substrate carriers  402  have moved one station forward. Once the six chambers are finished processing, the isolation region  104  allows each chamber to be in fluid communication with an adjacent chamber. Each substrate carrier  402  may move one station forward. Substrate carriers  402   e ,  402   f ,  402   g ,  402   h  move by using the magnetic coupling between permanent magnet  926  and third magnetic motor  924 . Substrate carriers  402   a ,  402   b ,  402   c ,  402   d  move by using the magnetic coupling between permanent magnet  406  and the first magnetic motor  920 . Additionally, substrate carrier  402   d  will move across the via  914  by using the magnetic coupling between permanent magnets  406 ,  926 . 
         [0076]    In  FIG. 9C , the pump system  120  begins to pump down the racetrack processing system  900 . The isolation regions  104  are once again closed, as the chambers are ready to begin process. The substrate carrier  402   h  may either unload the substrate  428  through the load lock station  916 , or the substrate carrier  402   h  may pass through the second via  918  and wait in the load lock station  912  to enter the racetrack processing system  900  once more. The substrate carrier  402   e  uses the magnetic coupling between the second magnetic motor  922  and the permanent magnets  406 ,  926  to move across the second section  932 . The process depicted in  FIGS. 9A-9C  repeats as many times as desired by the user. 
         [0077]      FIG. 10  illustrates a top view for another embodiment of the processing system  100 . The layout depicted in  FIG. 10  is a carousel processing system  1000 . The carousel processing system  1000  includes a load lock station  1010  and a carousel processing section  1014 . 
         [0078]    The load lock station  1010  allows for a substrate (not shown) to enter the carousel processing section  1014 . Once the substrate is finished processing, the substrate leaves the carousel processing section  1014  through the same load lock station  1010 . 
         [0079]    The carousel processing section  1014  further includes a deposition region  102 , an isolation region  104 , a treatment region  106 , optional alternate chambers  1004 ,  1006 ,  1008 , and a robot  1012 . The isolation region  104  separates at least the regions  102 ,  106 . The robot  1012  moves the substrate among the carousel stations  1016 . The alternate chambers  1002 ,  1004 ,  1006  may be either a deposition region  102  or a treatment region  106 . Additionally, any one or all of the alternate chambers  1002 ,  1004 ,  1006  may be omitted from the carousel processing section  1014 . 
         [0080]      FIG. 11A  illustrates a top view of a semiconductor tandem processing system  1100 . The system  1100  is generally a self-contained system having the necessary processing utilities supported on a mainframe structure  1101  that can be easily installed and provides a quick start up for operation. System  1100  generally includes four different regions: a front-end staging area  1102 , a load lock station  1108 , and a transfer chamber  1104  in communication with a plurality of processing stations  1106  through isolation valves  1110 . The processing stations  1106  may be single substrate, tandem substrate, or other multi-substrate processing region. A tandem substrate processing station  1106  is shown in  FIG. 11A . Front-end staging area  1102 , which is generally known as a factory interface, generally include an enclosure having at least one substrate containing cassette  1109  positioned in communication therewith via a pod loader, for example. The system  1100  may also include a pair of front-end substrate transfer robots  1113 , which may generally be single-arm robots configured to move substrates between the front-end staging area  1102  and the load lock station  1108 . The pair of front-end substrate robots  1113  are generally positioned proximate cassettes  1109  and are configured to remove substrates for processing, as well as position substrates therein once processing of the substrates is complete. Although two cassettes  1109  are shown, an embodiment of the invention contemplates using a stackable substrate cassette feeder assembly (not shown). The stackable substrate cassette feeder assembly may be configured to store a plurality of cassettes  1109  in a vertical stack and individually deliver the cassettes  1109  to outer cassette locations/pod loaders when needed. The front-end staging area  1102  is selectively in communication with the load lock station  1108  to allow transfer of substrates through, for example, a selectively actuated slit valve (not shown). Additionally, load lock station  1108  may also be selectively in communication with the transfer chamber  1104  via another selectively actuated slit valve, for example. The load lock station  108  isolates the interior of the substrate transfer chamber  1104  from the interior of the front-end staging area  1102  during the process of transferring one or more substrates into the transfer chamber  1104  for processing. The load lock station  1108  may be a side-by-side substrate type chamber, a single substrate type chamber, or multi-substrate-type load lock chamber, for example, as is generally known in the art. 
         [0081]    As illustrated in  FIG. 11A , a substrate transfer robot  1105  may be centrally positioned in the interior portion of the transfer chamber  1104 . The substrate transfer robot  1105  is generally configured to retrieve substrates from the load lock station  1108  and transport the substrates to one of the processing stations  1106  positioned about the perimeter of the transfer chamber  1104 . Additionally, the substrate transfer robot  1105  is generally configured to transport substrates between the respective tandem processing stations  1106 , as well as from other processing stations  1106 , and back into the load lock station  1108 . The substrate transfer robot  1105  generally includes a single dual-blade configured to support two substrates simultaneously thereon. The blade may include two support surfaces generally aligned in a single plane to hold the substrates thereon. Additionally, the blade of the substrate transfer robot  1105  is selectively extendable, while the base is rotatable, which allows the blade access to the interior portion of any of the processing station  1106 , load lock station  1108 , and/or any other station positioned around the perimeter of the transfer chamber  1104 . 
         [0082]      FIG. 11B  is an enlarged view of one embodiment of the processing station  1106  configured to simultaneously process a plurality of substrates. In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 11B , the processing station  1106  is illustrated as a quad processing station  1120 . The quad processing station  1120  includes four chambers  1124 . The chambers  1124  may include, for example, one or more deposition regions  102  and/or one or more treatment regions  106 . Each chamber  1124  is separated from an adjacent chamber  1124  by an isolation region  104 . The isolation region  104  may be a slit valve or a gas curtain as previously described. The isolation region  104  further includes a motion mechanism  1126 . The motion mechanism  1126  moves a substrate between chambers  1124 , such as, for example, from the deposition region  102  to the treatment region  106 . The motion mechanism  1126  may be a magnetically levitated motion mechanism, and includes a blade  1128 , a puck (not shown), and a magnetic coil (not shown). The magnetic coil is positioned in the isolation region  104 . The blade  1128  is attached to the levitating puck, which is levitated by the magnetic coil. The motion mechanism  1126  is configured to move the substrate between substrate supports disposed in each of the chambers  1124 . Alternatively, there may be more than motion mechanism  1126 , such that one blade  1128  can pass the substrate to another blade  1128  or between designated pairs of substrate supports. The quad processing station  1106  may be extended to include more than four processing chambers. 
         [0083]    Referring back to  FIG. 11A , the dual processing station  1122  includes a deposition region  102 , an isolation region  104 , and a treatment region  106 . The isolation region  104  separates the deposition region  102  from the treatment region  106 . The isolation region  104  further includes a motion mechanism  1126 , as described above, and is operable to move the substrate between the deposition region  102  and the treatment region  106 .