Methods for discretized processing and process sequence integration of regions of a substrate

1. A system for combinatorial processing of a plurality of regions on a substrate comprising: a first line and a second line,

wherein the first line is operable for combinatorial processing of a plurality of discrete regions on a substrate using locally uniform processing,

wherein the combinatorial processing comprises varying at least one of a material, a unit process, a processing condition, or a process sequence in a combinatorial manner among the plurality of regions;

wherein each of the plurality of discrete regions is defined by a processing cell enclosing a corresponding discrete region;

wherein a bottom surface of a side of the processing cell provides a seal against the surface of the substrate; and

wherein the processing cell includes a sealed upper surface coupled to the side surfaces to isolate processing regions defined above one of the discrete regions from an external environment;

wherein the second line is operable for non-combinatorial processing in a substantially uniform manner across the plurality of discrete regions and areas between the plurality of discrete regions; and

wherein the substrate can be moved between the first line and the second line for sequential processing.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of discrete regions are site isolated so that the combinatorial processing in one region does not diffuse into nearby regions.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the non-combinatorial processing in a substantially uniform manner comprises a wet technique selected from a cleaning process, a surface modification process, and an electrochemical process.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the locally uniform processing is operable to form a structure on the substrate, and wherein the structure comprises a via, hole, trench, line, test structure or interconnect.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the non-combinatorial processing in a substantially uniform manner comprises depositing, patterning, etching, cleaning, planarizing, implanting, and treating.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the non-combinatorial processing in a substantially uniform manner comprises a dry process deposition technique selected from a plasma-based technique or a gas phase technique.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a module operable to evaluate the processing after the combinatorial processing or after the non-combinatorial processing.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein processing fluids are both delivered and removed through the processing cell when performing the combinatorial processing.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the sealed upper surface is a septum through which processing fluids are delivered to the one of the discrete regions.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a substrate transport system operable to position each of the plurality of discrete regions under the processing cell and against the seal.

11. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a fluid delivery system operable to deliver a plurality of processing fluids to the processing cell.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the fluid delivery system comprises a septum sealing the top of the processing cell and a needle probe capable of piercing the septum to introduce processing fluids into the processing cell.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the needle probe further comprises a resistive temperature-control element or a fluid heat-exchanger type temperature-control element.

14. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a vacuum line operable to remove processing fluids from the processing cell.

15. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a rinse line operable to deliver rinse fluids to the processing cell.

16. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a gas purge line operable to deliver purge gases to the processing cell.

17. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a mini-environment enclosing the substrate, a substrate transport system and the processing cell, wherein the mini-environment can be provided with a controlled atmosphere.

18. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a transport system operable to position the processing cell above each of the plurality of discrete regions and sealed against the substrate.

19. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of processing cells disposed to allow processing of a plurality of discrete regions in parallel.

20. A system for combinatorial processing of a plurality of regions on a substrate comprising: a first line and a second line,

wherein the first line is operable for combinatorial processing of a plurality of discrete regions on a substrate using locally uniform processing,

wherein the combinatorial processing comprises thin-film deposition techniques in combination with isolation or photolithographic techniques operable to deposit thin-films on predefined discrete regions on the substrate;

wherein the combinatorial processing comprises varying at least one of a material, a unit process, a processing condition, or a process sequence in a combinatorial manner among the plurality of regions;

wherein the second line is operable for non-combinatorial processing in a substantially uniform manner across the plurality of discrete regions and areas between the plurality of discrete regions;

wherein the substrate can be moved between the first line and the second line for sequential processing;

wherein each of the plurality of discrete regions is enclosed by a processing cell;

wherein a bottom surface of a side of the processing cell provides a seal against the surface of the substrate; and

wherein the processing cell includes a sealed upper surface coupled to the side surfaces to isolate a processing region above the discrete region from an external environment.