Systems for Discretized Processing of Regions of a Substrate

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and systems for discretized, combinatorial processing of regions of a substrate such as for the discovery, implementation, optimization, and qualification of new materials, processes, and process sequence integration schemes used in integrated circuit fabrication. A substrate having an array of differentially processed regions thereon is processed by delivering materials to or modifying regions of the substrate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of performing combinatorial processing on regions of a substrate, comprising:
 dispensing fluids into a plurality of dispensing cells;   transferring the fluids from the plurality of dispensing cells to a plurality of processing cells in parallel; and   combinatorially processing at least two regions of the substrate;   wherein the at least two regions are defined by corresponding processing cells.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transferring the fluids includes actuating valves contemporaneously. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein different fluids or combinations of fluids are dispensed into the plurality of dispensing cells. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 maintaining a temperature constant across the at least two regions of the substrate.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 isolating each of the plurality of processing cells from an external environment.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the two regions forms a bottom of at least one processing cell, wherein the bottom is separable from the at least one processing cell. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein dispensing the fluids is performed in one of a serial manner or a serial parallel manner. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein during the combinatorial processing a common temperature history is shared among the regions. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fluids are transferred from the plurality of dispensing cells to the plurality of processing cells by an auto-delivery system. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the auto-delivery system is programmed to withdraw the fluids from the plurality of dispensing cells. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein at least one pump component of the auto-delivery system draws the fluids from the plurality of dispensing cells. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein a probe component of the auto-delivery system withdraws the fluids from the plurality of dispensing cells before the fluids are transferred to the plurality of processing cells. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein a translation station of the auto-delivery system translates the probe component vertically and horizontally. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein a multi-probe component of the auto-delivery system withdraws fluids from two or more of the plurality of dispensing cells concurrently. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the combinatorial processing of the at least two regions of the substrate is performed concurrently. 
     
     
         16 . A method of performing combinatorial processing on regions of a substrate, comprising:
 dispensing fluids into a plurality of dispensing cells;   transferring the fluids from the plurality of dispensing cells to the plurality of processing cells by an auto-delivery system; and   combinatorially processing at least two regions of the substrate wherein the at least two regions are defined by corresponding processing cells;   wherein a probe component of the auto-delivery system is heated and the heated probe component withdraws the fluids from the plurality of dispensing cells before the fluids are transferred to the plurality of processing cells; and   wherein the fluids are transferred from the plurality of dispensing cells to the plurality of processing cells in parallel.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 maintaining a constant temperature across the regions of the substrate.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 isolating each of the processing cells from an external environment.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the combinatorial processing of the at least two regions of the substrate is performed concurrently. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein a multi-probe component of the auto-delivery system withdraws fluids from two or more dispensing cells concurrently.