System comprising a single wafer, reduced volume process chamber

1. A system, comprising:

a processing tool;

a process chamber within said processing tool;

a wafer chuck, said wafer chuck adapted to be positioned at a wafer processing position located within said process chamber and at a chuck wafer transfer position located outside of said process chamber; and

at least one lift pin opening in said wafer chuck.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a wafer lift system positioned outside of said process chamber, said wafer lift system comprising at least one wafer lift pin, whereby, when said wafer chuck is in said chuck wafer transfer position, said at least one wafer lift pin is adapted to be extended though said at least one lift pin opening and positioned at a lift pin wafer transfer position; and

a wafer transfer system that is adapted to position a wafer to be processed in said process chamber on said at least one wafer lift pin when said at least one wafer lift pin is in said lift pin wafer transfer position.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein said wafer chuck is operatively coupled to a door that is adapted to engage a front face of said process chamber to close said process chamber and thereby position said wafer chuck at said wafer processing position within said process chamber.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein said wafer chuck is formed integral with said door.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises a slot that is in communication with said process chamber and a sliding door that is adapted to be moved from a first position whereby said slot is open and said wafer chuck may be positioned at said wafer processing position within said process chamber to a second position whereby said sliding door blocks said slot and said wafer chuck cannot be positioned within said process chamber.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein said wafer lift system comprises means for moving said at least one wafer lift pin from a fully retracted position to said lift pin wafer transfer position.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein said means for moving said at least one wafer lift pin comprises a moveable body, a motor, a pinion operatively coupled to said motor and a rack, wherein said at least one wafer lift pin is operatively coupled to said moveable body, said pinion is operatively coupled to said motor and said rack is operatively coupled to said moveable body, wherein said rack and pinion are adapted to operatively engage one another.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein said process chamber has a volume of at most 5 liters.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein said process chamber is adapted to withstand an internal pressure of at least 0.5 MPa.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein said process chamber comprises a notched recess in a floor of said process chamber, wherein said notched recess is adapted to receive said wafer chuck when said wafer chuck is positioned at said wafer processing position within said process chamber.

11. The system of claim 2 , wherein said at least one wafer lift pin comprises three wafer lift pins.

12. A system, comprising:

a processing tool;

a process chamber within said processing tool, said process chamber comprising a notched recess in a floor of said process chamber and a volume of at most 5 liters;

a wafer chuck, said wafer chuck adapted to be positioned at a wafer processing position located within said process chamber and a chuck wafer transfer position located outside of said process chamber, wherein said wafer chuck is positioned in said notched recess when said wafer is positioned at said wafer processing position within said process chamber;

a plurality of lift pin openings in said wafer chuck;

a wafer lift system positioned outside of said process chamber, said wafer lift system comprising a plurality of wafer lift pins, whereby, when said wafer chuck is in said chuck wafer transfer position, each of said plurality of wafer lift pins is adapted to be extended though a corresponding one of said plurality of lift pin openings until said plurality of wafer lift pins are positioned at a lift pin wafer transfer position; and

a wafer transfer system that is adapted to position a wafer to be processed in said process chamber on said plurality of wafer lift pins when said plurality of wafer lift pins are positioned in said lift pin wafer transfer position.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein said wafer chuck is operatively coupled to a door that is adapted to engage a front face of said process chamber to close said process chamber and thereby position said wafer chuck at said wafer processing position within said process chamber.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the system further comprises a slot that is in communication with said process chamber and a sliding door that is adapted to be moved from a first position whereby said slot is open and said wafer chuck may be positioned at said wafer processing position within said process chamber to a second position whereby said sliding door blocks said slot and said wafer chuck cannot be positioned within said process chamber.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein said process chamber is adapted to have an anneal process performed on a wafer positioned therein, wherein said anneal process is performed at a pressure of at least 0.5 MPa using a processing gas comprising deuterium or a halogen.

16. A system, comprising:

a processing tool;

a process chamber within said processing tool, said process chamber comprising a notched recess in a floor of said process chamber and a volume of at most 5 liters;

a wafer chuck, said wafer chuck adapted to be positioned at a wafer processing position located within said process chamber and a chuck wafer transfer position located outside of said process chamber, wherein said wafer chuck is positioned in said notched recess when said wafer is positioned at said wafer processing position within said process chamber;

a plurality of lift pin openings in said wafer chuck;

a wafer lift system positioned outside of said process chamber, said wafer lift system comprising a plurality of wafer lift pins, whereby, when said wafer chuck is in said chuck wafer transfer position, each of said plurality of wafer lift pins is adapted to be extended though a corresponding one of said plurality of lift pin openings until said plurality of wafer lift pins are positioned at a lift pin wafer transfer position; and

a wafer transfer system that is adapted to position a wafer to be processed in said process chamber on said plurality of wafer lift pins when said plurality of wafer lift pins are positioned in said lift pin wafer transfer position.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein said wafer chuck is operatively coupled to a door that is adapted to engage a front face of said process chamber to close said process chamber and thereby position said wafer chuck at said wafer processing position within said process chamber.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the system further comprises a slot that is in communication with said process chamber and a sliding door that is adapted to be moved from a first position whereby said slot is open and said wafer chuck may be positioned at said wafer processing position within said process chamber to a second position whereby said sliding door blocks said slot and said wafer chuck cannot be positioned within said process chamber.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein said process chamber is adapted to have an anneal process performed on a wafer positioned therein, wherein said anneal process is performed at a pressure of at least 0.5 MPa using a processing gas comprising deuterium or a halogen.