Patent ID: 8029226

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: an equipment front end module that physically handles workpieces in atmosphere; a load lock coupled to the equipment front end module and positioned to receive workpieces therefrom, the load lock providing for transfer of workpieces between atmosphere and a vacuum environment; a first vacuum chamber containing a robot, the first vacuum chamber having four facets, one of the four facets selectively coupled to the load lock by an isolation valve; two process modules that provide a first process, the two process modules coupled in a vacuum-sealed engagement to two opposing ones of the four facets in a vacuum-sealed engagement; two wide process modules, each having two entrances, and each providing a second process; and a second vacuum chamber containing two robots and a transfer station, the second vacuum chamber coupled in a vacuum-sealed engagement to one of the four facets of the first vacuum chamber, the two wide process modules positioned on opposing sides of the second vacuum chamber with each of the robots of the second vacuum chamber positioned between an entrance of each of the two wide process modules, the robots further positioned to transfer workpieces between one another; wherein workpieces can be transferred among the load lock, the two process modules, and the two wide process modules in vacuum by the robots of the first vacuum chamber and the second vacuum chamber, and wherein a processing speed of the two process modules is substantially balanced with the processing speed of the two wide process modules.