Semiconductor processing tool platform configuration with reduced footprint

1 . A substrate processing system comprising:

a factory interface having a controlled environment;

a transfer chamber of heptagonal shape and comprising:

four first facets; and

three second facets, wherein each of the three second facets has a width that is narrower than that of each of the four first facets;

a first processing chamber attached to a first facet of the four first facets;

a second processing chamber attached to a second facet, of the four first facets, positioned opposite from the first facet, wherein an outer distance between a back end of the first and second processing chambers is within 20% of 140 inches;

a first auxiliary chamber attached to a first of the three second facets, wherein the first auxiliary chamber is smaller than the first processing chamber;

a load lock attached to a second of the three second facets and to the factory interface;

a second auxiliary chamber attached to a third of the three second facets; and

a robot attached to a bottom of the transfer chamber, the robot adapted to transfer substrates to and from the first processing chamber, the second processing chamber, the first auxiliary chamber, and the load lock.

2 . The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein the first processing chamber is an epitaxial processing chamber, and wherein the controlled environment is an environment of ultra-low oxygen and ultra-low moisture comprising 25% or lower than oxygen and moisture levels in ambient conditions.

3 . The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein the controlled environment is an inert gas environment.

4 . The substrate processing system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a gas panel positioned one of adjacent to or above the first auxiliary chamber; and

one or more gas lines connected between the gas panel and the first auxiliary chamber to feed processing gases to the first auxiliary chamber from the gas panel.

5 . The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first auxiliary chamber or the second auxiliary chamber comprises a pre-clean chamber, or a post-clean chamber.

6 . The substrate processing system of claim 1 , further comprising a gas panel positioned between one of the first and second auxiliary chambers and a floor of the substrate processing system, the gas panel to feed processing gases to the first and second auxiliary chambers.

7 . The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein the four first facets are sequentially positioned along a back end of the transfer chamber opposite from a front end where the load lock is attached, and further comprising:

a second processing chamber attached to a second of the four first facets;

a third processing chamber attached to a third of the four first facets; and

a fourth processing chamber attached to a fourth of the four first facets.

8 . The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein the load lock is one of a batch load lock, a single-slot, or a double-slot load lock.

9 . The substrate processing system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a third processing chamber attached to a third facet of the four first facets; and

a fourth processing chamber attached to a fourth facet, of the four first facets, positioned adjacent to the third facet and between the first and second facets;

wherein a length between a front surface of the factory interface and a back end of the third and fourth processing chambers is within 20% of 150 inches.

10 . The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein a distance between a center of the robot and a center of one of the first auxiliary chamber is within 20% of 35 inches.

11 . The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein the robot comprises an arm and end effector of a combined length sufficient to reach a substrate to a center of the first processing chamber, the first auxiliary chamber, and the load lock.

12 . The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein the first auxiliary chamber is attached to the transfer chamber adjacent to a first side of the load lock, and further comprising:

an alternating current (AC) power box to power the first auxiliary chamber, the AC power box located adjacent to the first processing chamber;

an electrical control box to control functioning of the first auxiliary chamber, wherein the electrical control box is attached to the AC power box; and

AC cables attached to the AC power box being run between the AC power box and the first auxiliary chamber.

13 . The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein the load lock is attached to the transfer chamber between the first and second auxiliary chambers.

14 . The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first auxiliary chamber or the second auxiliary chamber is a degas chamber and the second auxiliary chamber also comprises batch wafer storage.

15 . A mainframe for a semiconductor manufacturing device comprising:

a transfer chamber of heptagonal shape and comprising:

a bottom;

four first facets, wherein each of the first four facets is adapted for attachment to a processing chamber;

two second facets, wherein each of the two second facets has a width that is narrower than that of each of the four first facets and is adapted for attachment to an auxiliary chamber that is smaller than the processing chambers;

a single third facet, wherein the single third facet is adapted for attachment to a load lock, and wherein the single third facet is positioned between the two second facets and also has a width that is narrower than that of each of the four first facets; and

a robot attached to the bottom, the robot adapted to transfer substrates to and from the processing chamber, the auxiliary chamber, and the load lock, wherein a distance between a center of the robot and a center of the auxiliary chamber, when attached, is within 20% of 35 inches.

16 . The mainframe of claim 15 , wherein the transfer chamber further comprises a top, wherein the four first facets are sequentially attached between the bottom and the top at a back end of the transfer chamber opposite from the single third facet.

17 . The mainframe of claim 15 , wherein the robot comprises an arm and end effector of a combined length sufficient to reach a substrate to a center of any attached processing chamber, the auxiliary chamber, or the load lock.

18 . A method of operating a substrate processing system comprising a factory interface having a controlled environment and a factory interface robot; a transfer chamber of heptagonal shape and comprising four first facets and three second facets, where each of the three second facets has a width that is narrower than that of each of the four first facets; a first processing chamber attached to a first facet of the four first facets; a first auxiliary chamber attached to a first of the three second facets and is a degas chamber; a second processing chamber attached to a second facet, of the four first facets, positioned opposite from the first facet, wherein an outer distance between a back end of the first and second processing chambers is within 20% of 140 inches; a load lock attached to a second of the three second facets and to the factory interface; a second auxiliary chamber attached to a third of the three second facets; and a transfer chamber robot attached to a bottom of the transfer chamber, the method comprising:

causing the factory interface robot to transfer a substrate from the factory interface to the load lock;

causing the transfer chamber robot to transfer the substrate from the load lock to the first auxiliary chamber to be degassed in the first auxiliary chamber;

causing the transfer chamber robot to transfer the substrate from the first auxiliary chamber to one of the first processing chamber or the second processing chamber;

causing the transfer chamber robot to transfer the substrate from the one of the first processing chamber or the second processing chamber to the second auxiliary chamber to be degassed and stored in the second auxiliary chamber; and

causing the transfer chamber robot to transfer the substrate from the second auxiliary chamber to the load lock.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

causing the transfer chamber robot to transfer the substrate to a substrate support of the transfer chamber for cooling before transferring the substrate to the load lock; and

causing the factory interface robot to transfer the substrate from the load lock to a front opening unified pods attached to the factory interface.

20 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

causing the substrate to be processed by the first auxiliary chamber to remove a pattern of a film pre-deposited on the substrate and to clean a surface of the substrate;

causing the substrate to be processed by the one of the first processing chamber or second processing chamber to perform epitaxial growth of a crystalline film deposited on the substrate; and

causing the substrate to be processed by the second auxiliary chamber to perform a post-clean of the substrate.