Patent ID: 8215262

Claim:
A cluster tool for processing a substrate, comprising: a first processing rack that comprises two or more groups of two or more substrate processing chambers that are stacked in a vertical direction, wherein the two or more substrate processing chambers in the two or more groups have a first side and a second side that are aligned along a first direction to access the substrate processing chambers therethrough; a first robot assembly positioned adjacent to the first processing rack and operable to transfer a substrate to the substrate processing chambers in the first processing rack from the first side, wherein the first robot assembly comprises: a robot operable to position a substrate at one or more points generally contained within a horizontal plane; a vertical motion assembly having a vertical actuator assembly operable to position the robot in a direction generally parallel to the vertical direction; and a horizontal motion assembly having a motor operable to position the robot in a direction generally parallel to the first direction; and a second robot assembly positioned adjacent to the first processing rack and operable to transfer a substrate to the substrate processing chambers in the first processing rack from the second side, wherein the second robot assembly comprises: a robot operable to position a substrate at one or more points generally contained within a horizontal plane; a vertical motion assembly having a vertical actuator assembly operable to position the robot in a direction generally parallel to the vertical direction; and a horizontal motion assembly having a motor operable to position the robot in a direction generally parallel to the first direction, wherein the horizontal motion assembly comprises a robot support interface having the robot coupled thereto, one or more walls that form an interior region in which the motor is enclosed, the one or more walls defining an elongated opening through which the robot support interface travels, and wherein the motor is operable to move the robot support interface laterally in the elongated opening.