Full Wafer Processing By Multiple Passes Through A Combinatorial Reactor

Abstract

Overlapping combinatorial processing can offer more processed regions, better particle performance and simpler process equipment. In overlapping combinatorial processing, one or more regions are processed in series with some degrees of overlapping between regions. In some embodiments, overlapping combinatorial processing can be used in conjunction with non-overlapping combinatorial processing and non-combinatorial processing to develop and investigate materials and processes for device processing and manufacturing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 processing first site isolated regions on a surface of a substrate using a plurality of site isolated reactors in a combinatorial manner;   moving the plurality of site isolated reactors relative to the substrate; and   processing second site isolated regions on the surface of the substrate using the plurality of site isolated reactors,
 wherein each of the first site isolated regions is separated from any other one of the first site isolated regions, 
 wherein each of the second site isolated regions is separated from any other one of the second site isolated regions, and 
 wherein at least one of the first site isolated regions touches or overlaps with at least one of the second site isolated regions. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising repeating moving and processing operations at least once for one or more additional sited isolated regions. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first site isolated regions, the second site isolated regions, and the one or more additional sited isolated regions entirely cover the surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first site isolated regions are separated from each other by twice a wall thickness of each of the plurality of site isolated reactors. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein processing the first site isolated regions on the surface of the substrate comprises forming a seal between the surface of the substrate and each of the plurality of site isolated reactors. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the seal is a non-contact seal. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of processing parameters used for processing the first site isolated regions on the surface of the substrate is varied in a combinatorial manner. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one of processing parameters is processing time. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein moving the plurality of site isolated reactors relative to the substrate comprises rotating or translating of the plurality of site isolated reactors relative to the substrate while keeping the substrate stationary. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein moving the plurality of site isolated reactors relative to the substrate comprises rotating or translating of the substrate relative to the plurality of site isolated reactors while keeping the plurality of site isolated reactors stationary. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the first site isolated regions touches the at least one of the second site isolated regions. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein each of the first site isolated regions touches the at least one of the second site isolated regions. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the first site isolated regions overlaps with at least one of the second site isolated regions. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein each of the first site isolated regions overlaps with at least one of the second site isolated regions. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein each of the first site isolated regions overlaps with two or more of the second site isolated regions. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising cleaning the surface of the substrate after processing the first site isolated regions and before processing the second site isolated regions. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first site isolated regions and the second site isolated regions have a hexagonal pattern. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein processing the second site isolated regions is performed in a combinatorial manner. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein all of the second site isolated regions are processed in a same manner. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the second site isolated regions is contiguous to at least one of the second site isolated regions.