Processing Substrates Using Site-Isolated Processing

Abstract

Substrate processing systems and methods are described for processing substrates having two or more regions. The processing includes one or more of molecular self-assembly and combinatorial processing. At least one of materials, processes, processing conditions, material application sequences, and process sequences is different for the processing in at least one region of the substrate relative to at least one other region of the substrate. Processing systems are described that include numerous processing modules. The modules include a site-isolated reactor (SIR) configured for one or more of molecular self-assembly and combinatorial processing of a substrate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 providing a substrate comprising two or more regions; and   processing a plurality of regions of the substrate, the processing comprising one or more of molecular self-assembly or combinatorial processing, wherein at least one of materials, processes, processing conditions, material application sequences, or process sequences is different for the processing in at least one region of the substrate relative to at least one other region of the substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing of the plurality of regions comprises use of a site-isolated reactor (SIR) configured for the processing, wherein the SIR isolates at least one of the two or more regions from at least one other of the two or more regions during the processing. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the SIR includes at least one processing cell, the method further comprising moving the processing cell and the substrate relative to each other. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing of the plurality of regions comprises use of a plurality of modules including at least one module configured for pre-processing operations and at least one module configured for post-processing operations. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of modules comprises at least one of a wet processing module, a dry processing module, or a treatment module. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising controlling an environment of the processing, wherein the controlling comprises control of at least one of temperature, pressure, or composition of the environment. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing includes modifying the substrate, wherein the modifying comprises at least one of physical modifications, chemical modifications, electrical modifications, thermal modifications, magnetic modifications, photonic modifications, or photolytic modifications. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one of physical modifications, chemical modifications, electrical modifications, thermal modifications, magnetic modifications, photonic modifications, or photolytic modifications comprises at least one of cleaning, surface modification, surface preparation, deposition, etching, planarization, chemical mechanical planarization, electrochemical mechanical planarization, lithography, patterning, implantation, irradiation, electromagnetic irradiation, microwave irradiation, radio frequency (RF) irradiation, thermal treatment, infrared (IR) treatment, ultraviolet (UV) treatment, deep ultraviolet (DUV) treatment, extreme ultraviolet (EUV) treatment, electron beam treatment, or x-ray treatment. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein deposition comprises at least one of electrochemical deposition, electroless deposition, physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, vapor phase epitaxy, liquid phase epitaxy, chemical beam epitaxy, molecular beam epitaxy, molecular self-assembly, or evaporation. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein surface modification comprises functionalization. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing comprises modifying at least one of the two or more regions of the substrate using at least one predefined sequence of modifications. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing comprises modifying at least one of the two or more regions using a predefined sequence of modifications and modifying the at least one other region using a different predefined sequence of modifications. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing comprises one or more of sequentially processing regions of at least one group of regions and simultaneously processing regions of at least one other group of regions. 
     
     
         14 . A method comprising:
 providing at least one substrate comprising two or more regions; and   processing the substrate using a plurality of modules, wherein one of the modules is configured for a wet processing operation and comprises a site-isolated reactor (SIR) to perform combinatorial processing on the two or more regions of the substrate, the SIR moveably affixed to a frame and including a processing cell, the processing cell having a bottom surface configured to seal against a surface of the substrate to define one of the regions, wherein the processing cell is sealed on a top surface through a septum.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising capturing information on the processing by the SIR. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the providing of the substrate is performed with an interface, and further comprising:
 moving the substrate between the interface and one of the plurality of modules using a first handler; and   moving the substrate between the interface and another of the plurality of modules using a second handler.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the septum is configured such that when the septum is pierced by a probe, the probe enters an interior of the processing cell. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the one of the modules further comprises a probe movably affixed to the frame and configured to pierce the septum and deliver processing fluid into the processing cell. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the one of the modules further comprises a liquid reservoir, and wherein the probe is movable between a position adjacent the liquid reservoir and a position adjacent the processing cell. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the probe is configured to withdraw the processing fluid from the liquid reservoir when the probe is in the position adjacent the liquid reservoir.