Substrate Transport Vacuum Platform

1 - 17 . (canceled)

18 . A transport apparatus comprising:

a substrate transport chamber configured to have process modules connected thereto and configured to have at least one load lock connected thereto, where the substrate transport chamber has a general elongate length extending along a centerline of the substrate transport chamber and a narrower width;

a robot drive connected to the substrate transport chamber, where the robot drive is mounted to the substrate transport chamber at a singular fixed location on the substrate transport chamber, where the location is at least partially offset from the centerline of the substrate transport chamber;

an arm having a first end connected to the robot drive, where the arm comprises at least two links connected in series to form the arm; and

at least one end effector connected to a second end of the arm,

where the arm is configured to be moved by the robot drive to move the at least one end effector among the at least one load lock and the process modules while the robot drive is retained at the singular fixed location on the vacuum transport chamber.

19 . The transport apparatus as in claim 18 where the at least two links comprises a first link and a second link, where the first link comprises a first end connected to the robot drive and an opposite second end, where the second link comprises a first end connected to the second end of the first link, where the second link comprises a second end having the at least one end effector connected thereto, where the at least two links comprises only the first and second links.

20 . The transport apparatus as in claim 18 where the at least one end effector comprises at least two end effectors rotatably connected to the second end of the arm.

21 . The transport apparatus as in claim 20 where the at least two end effectors comprises a first end effector configured to support only one substrate thereon.

22 . The transport apparatus as in claim 20 where the at least two end effectors comprises a first end effector configured to support a plurality of substrates thereon in a stacked spaced configuration.

23 . The transport apparatus as in claim 20 where the at least two end effectors are each connected to the arm to be independently rotatable relative to each other.

24 . The transport apparatus as in claim 18 where the at least one end effector comprises a dual end effector having two laterally spaced holding areas for respectively holding two substrates, where the two laterally spaced holding areas are fixed relative to each other.

25 . The transport apparatus as in claim 24 where the dual end effector is configured to support a plurality of substrates thereon in a stacked spaced configuration at each of the two laterally spaced holding area.

26 . The transport apparatus as in claim 18 where the at least one end effector comprises an end effector having at least two laterally spaced holding areas configured to hold at least one respective substrate at each of the at least two laterally spaced holding areas, where the at least two laterally spaced holding areas are fixed relative to each other.

27 . The transport apparatus as in claim 18 where the arm is configured to be moved by the robot drive to move the at least one end effector among the at least one load lock and two or more opposing ones of the process modules while the robot drive is retained at the singular fixed location on the vacuum transport chamber.

28 . The transport apparatus as in claim 18 where the arm is configured to be moved by the robot drive to move the at least one end effector among the at least one load lock and two or more opposing sets of the process modules while the robot drive is retained at the singular fixed location on the vacuum transport chamber.

29 . A method comprising:

providing a substrate transport chamber configured to have process modules and at least one load lock connected thereto, where the substrate transport chamber has a general elongate length extending along a centerline of the substrate transport chamber and a narrower width;

mounting a robot drive to the substrate transport chamber, where the robot drive is mounted to the substrate transport chamber at a singular fixed location on the substrate transport chamber, where the location is at least partially offset from the centerline of the substrate transport chamber;

connecting a robot arm to the robot drive, where a first end of the robot arm is connected to the robot drive, and where the robot arm comprises two links connected in series; and

connecting at least one end effector to a second end of the robot arm.

30 . The method as in claim 29 where the connecting of the robot arm includes the two links comprising a first link and a second link, where the first link comprises a first end connected to the robot drive and an opposite second end, where the second link comprises a first end connected to the second end of the first link, where the second link comprises a second end having the at least one end effector connected thereto.

31 . The method as in claim 29 where the connecting of the at least one end effector includes the at least one end effector comprising at least two end effectors rotatably connected to the second end of the robot arm.

32 . The method as in claim 31 where the connecting of the at least one end effector includes the at least two end effectors comprising a first end effector configured to support only one substrate thereon.

33 . The method as in claim 31 where the connecting of the at least one end effector includes the at least two end effectors comprising a first end effector configured to support a plurality of substrates thereon in a stacked spaced configuration.

34 . The method as in claim 31 where the connecting of the at least one end effector includes the at least two end effectors each being connected to the robot arm to be independently rotatable relative to each other.

35 . The method as in claim 29 where the connecting of the at least one end effector includes the at least one end effector comprising a dual end effector having two laterally spaced holding areas configured to respectively hold at least one substrate thereat, where the two laterally spaced holding areas are fixed relative to each other.

36 . The method as in claim 35 where the dual end effector is configured to support a plurality of substrates thereon in a stacked spaced configuration at each of the two laterally spaced holding area.

37 . The method as in claim 35 where the connecting of the at least one end effector includes the at least one end effector comprising an end effector having at least two laterally spaced holding areas configured to hold at least one respective substrate at each of the at least two laterally spaced holding areas, where the at least two laterally spaced holding areas are fixed relative to each other.