Combinatorial Flow System and Method

Abstract

A reactor assembly having a plurality of reaction chambers defined therein is provided. The reactor assembly includes a fluid flow module that provides a pressurized control flow of fluid from an open container. In another embodiment, the reactor block includes a plurality of passageways defined over a surface of a substrate to accommodate the combinatorial processing in order to obtain multiple data points from a single substrate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fluid dispensing system comprising:
 a container having an opening for introduction of fluids and an outlet;   a pump in fluid communication with the outlet through a multi-way valve; and   a reactor in fluid communication with the multi-way valve such that the pump withdraws an amount of fluid from the container into a segment defined between the multi-way valve and the pump and forces the amount of the fluid from the segment into the reactor after transitioning the multi-way valve, wherein an outlet of the reactor constricts a flow of the fluid so that the flow of the fluid through the reactor is pressurized.   
     
     
         2 . The fluid dispensing system of  claim 1 , wherein the flow of the fluid is laminar. 
     
     
         3 . The fluid dispensing system of  claim 1 , wherein the reactor is one of a plurality of reactors disposed over a substrate, the plurality of reactors configured to process regions of the substrate in a combinatorial manner. 
     
     
         4 . The fluid dispensing system of  claim 3 , wherein each region is processed in a substantially uniform manner and differences between regions processed differently are due to a parameter being modified for the differently processed regions. 
     
     
         5 . The fluid dispensing system of  claim 1 , wherein the pump is bi-directional and is one of a syringe pump or a peristaltic pump, and wherein a heating element provides heat for the fluid in the segment. 
     
     
         6 . The fluid dispensing system of  claim 1 , wherein the reactor includes a plurality of partitions contacting a surface of the substrate, the plurality of partitions defining fluid lanes therebetween, the fluid lanes enabling access to the surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         7 . The fluid dispensing system of  claim 6 , wherein one of the partitions includes a window providing access to the surface of the substrate through corresponding fluid lane. 
     
     
         8 . The fluid dispensing system of  claim 1 , wherein an inlet to the reactor is along an axis of the reactor and the flow of the fluid proceeds radially across a surface of a substrate disposed under the reactor. 
     
     
         9 . A combinatorial processing system, comprising;
 a plurality of open staging vessels configured to receive fluid for wet processing operations;   a plurality of pumps in fluid communication with respective staging vessels through corresponding fluid lines; and   a plurality of reactors in fluid communication with respective pumps, wherein the pumps are configured to provide a forced flow of fluid from the respective staging vessels through respective reactors such that the fluid is pressurized within the reactor.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the respective reactors include partitions contacting a surface of a substrate disposed below the respective reactors, the plurality of partitions defining fluid lanes therebetween, the fluid lanes enabling access to the surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein each of the fluid lanes includes a valve configured to isolate a fluid path between one of the respective staging vessels and the respective pumps or the respective pumps and the respective reactors. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein an inlet to the reactor is along an axis of the reactor and the flow of the fluid proceeds radially across a surface of a substrate disposed under the reactor. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of reactors operate in parallel to process different regions of a substrate disposed thereunder differently. 
     
     
         14 . A combinatorial processing system, comprising;
 a plurality of fluid flow mechanisms, each having an open staging vessel configured to receive fluid for wet processing operations and a pump in fluid communication with an outlet of the staging vessel through a fluid line; and   reactors corresponding to respective fluid flow mechanisms, the reactors defining a reaction region on a surface of a substrate, the reactor in fluid communication with the pump,   wherein the pump is configured to provide a forced flow of the fluid from the staging vessel through the reactor such that the fluid is pressurized within the reactor, the reactor including fluid separation partitions configured to contact the surface of the substrate, wherein gaps between the plurality of partitions define fluid lanes enabling access to the forced flow of the fluid to the surface of the substrate.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a substrate support configured to rotate the substrate.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the fluid lanes have windows defined therein, the windows providing the access to the forced flow of the fluid to the surface ofthe substrate. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein access to the fluid lanes is controlled by respective access doors. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein each of the respective access doors are pivotably mounted alongside an end of a corresponding fluid separation partition. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the pump is configured to operate in a bidirectional manner. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising;
 a valve configured to fill the fluid line from the staging vessel when the pump provides flow in a first direction, the valve further configured to isolate the staging vessel from the fluid line when the pump provides flow in a second direction.