Abstract: A combinatorial processing system having modular dispense heads is provided. The modular dispense heads are disposed on a rail system enabling an adjustable pitch of the modular dispense heads for the combinatorial processing. The modular dispense heads are configured so that sections of the modular dispense heads are detachable in order to accommodate various processes through a first section without having to completely disconnect and re-connect facilities to a second section.

Abstract: A vented combinatorial processing cell is described, including a sleeve having an end forming a fluid seal with a region of a substrate, a flow head including a vent and disposed in the sleeve to dispense fluid onto the region, the flow head, the substrate, and the sleeve defining a chamber for processing the region, a fluid source attached to the flow head to deliver the fluid into the chamber, and a vacuum port attached to the flow head to remove fluid from the chamber.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, initializing a boundary estimate for an optimization of a linear programming model describing a network of media servers for servicing requests for media content items from subscriber devices, where the boundary estimate is an estimate of an infeasible solution of the linear programming model, and calculating iteratively, using an exponential potential function, additional boundary estimates for the linear programming model, wherein the calculating resolves to an improved boundary estimate that corresponds to placement of copies of the media content items at the media servers subject to a set of constraints on storage capacity of media servers and on bandwidth for communication links in the network. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A reactor assembly having vertically adjustable flow cells is provided. The vertically adjustable flow cells include passageways for distributing a fluid to a reaction region isolated below a bottom surface of corresponding flow cells. The adjustable flow cells enable another dimension of variability for combinatorial processing. Thus, additional data may be gathered for effects on process parameter variations, material variations, process sequence variations, etc., for semiconductor processing operations.

Abstract: A gas bearing seal using porous materials for distribution of gas flow can provide site isolation during wet processing. In some embodiments, a flow cell comprises a porous media gas bearing surrounding a periphery of the flow cell, isolating the liquid inside the flow cell from the ambient air outside the flow cell. In some embodiments, a protective chuck comprises a porous media gas bearing disposed in a middle of the protective chuck, isolating the liquid outside the protective chuck with the gaseous ambient generated by the porous media gas bearing.

Abstract: A cleaning assembly is provided. The cleaning assembly includes a plate having a front surface and a back surface and a manifold affixed to an edge of the plate. The manifold has a plurality of outlets extending therefrom. The plate further includes a plurality of cups extending through the plate. The plurality of cups have an upper body with an outlet extending from the back surface and the plurality of cups have a sealing portion coupled to the upper body and extending from the front surface of the plate. Each outlet of the upper body is coupled to one of the corresponding plurality of outlets of the manifold. The plate also includes a plurality of alignment pins extending from the front surface of the plate. The plurality of alignment pins are configured to support an edge of a substrate, wherein one of the plurality of alignment pins is slidably mounted to the plate. A plurality of guide pins extends the same distance from the back surface.

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.

Abstract: A gas bearing seal using porous materials for distribution of gas flow can provide site isolation during wet processing. In some embodiments, a flow cell comprises a porous media gas bearing surrounding a periphery of the flow cell, isolating the liquid inside the flow cell from the ambient air outside the flow cell. In some embodiments, a protective chuck comprises a porous media gas bearing disposed in a middle of the protective chuck, isolating the liquid outside the protective chuck with the gaseous ambient generated by the porous media gas bearing.

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.

Abstract: A cleaning chamber is provided. The cleaning chamber includes a base portion housing a chuck and a lid affixed to the base portion. A support assembly is linked to the lid and the support assembly includes a top plate spaced apart from a bottom plate, the top plate has a plurality of openings defined therethrough and the bottom plate has a plurality of openings defined therethrough. The cleaning chamber includes a plurality of cups extending through corresponding pairs of the plurality of openings of the top plate and the bottom plate. The plurality of cups is configured to seal against a surface of a substrate, wherein each cup of the plurality of cups is independently supported by the bottom plate.

Abstract: A cleaning chamber is provided. The cleaning chamber includes a base portion housing a chuck and a lid affixed to the base portion. A support assembly is linked to the lid and the support assembly includes a top plate spaced apart from a bottom plate, the top plate has a plurality of openings defined therethrough and the bottom plate has a plurality of openings defined therethrough. The cleaning chamber includes a plurality of cups extending through corresponding pairs of the plurality of openings of the top plate and the bottom plate. The plurality of cups is configured to seal against a surface of a substrate, wherein each cup of the plurality of cups is independently supported by the bottom plate.

Abstract: A configuration tool for a programmable HVAC controller is provided. The configuration tool may accept user input, and may generate a corresponding configuration profile based on the user input. The configuration profile may be downloaded to a programmable HVAC controller, which may, among other things, reconfigure the I/O terminals of the programmable HVAC controller. The configuration tool may generate a terminal diagram that labels at least some of the I/O terminals of the programmable HVAC controller based on the particular configuration profile. In some cases, the configuration tool may output the terminal diagram in a format that can be printed on a label, with the label being suitable for adhering to the programmable HVAC controller.

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.

Abstract: A gas bearing seal using porous materials for distribution of gas flow can provide site isolation during wet processing. In some embodiments, a flow cell comprises a porous media gas bearing surrounding a periphery of the flow cell, isolating the liquid inside the flow cell from the ambient air outside the flow cell. In some embodiments, a protective chuck comprises a porous media gas bearing disposed in a middle of the protective chuck, isolating the liquid outside the protective chuck with the gaseous ambient generated by the porous media gas bearing.

Abstract: An aligner, chuck, and end effector for substrate processing are provided. The aligner includes a rotatable substrate support having a surface for supporting the substrate. The rotatable substrate support has a diameter less than a diameter of the substrate and surfaces of the rotatable substrate support are coated with a coating consisting essentially of a poly(p-xylylene) polymer. The chuck includes a flat platform that supports the substrate during processing. The chuck is larger than the substrate and may include holes though which lift pins can pass assist the loading/unloading of the substrate. The end effector includes an arm supporting a first extension and a second extension, wherein the arm, the first extension and the second extension are coated with a coating consisting essentially of a poly(p-xylylene) polymer.

Abstract: A system for combinatorially processing a substrate is provided. The system includes a reactor or chemical library having a plurality of chambers defined within the reactor or library, the chambers operable to mix fluids disposed therein. A drive system is disposed below a bottom surface of the reactor. The drive system is operable to rotate a plurality of support plates below the surface of the substrate. The plurality of support plates has a non-circular shape. The non-circular shape of adjacent support plates includes extensions configured to traverse overlapping regions of rotation during rotation of adjacent support plates. Each of the extensions has a magnet disposed thereon.

Abstract: An integrated processing tool is described comprising a full-wafer processing module and a combinatorial processing module. Chemicals for use in the combinatorial processing module are fed from a delivery system including a set of first manifolds. An output of each first manifold is coupled to at least one mixing vessel. An output of each mixing vessel feeds more than one of a set of second manifolds. An output of each set of second manifolds feeds one of multiple site-isolated reactors of the combinatorial processing module.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention describe substrate processing tools and methods. The substrate processing tool includes a housing defining a chamber and a substrate support coupled to the housing and configured to support a substrate within the chamber. The substrate has an upper surface with a first portion and a second portion surrounding the first portion. An isolation unit including a body is coupled to the housing and positioned within the chamber above and spaced apart from the first portion of the upper surface of the substrate. The body includes at least one outlet on a lower surface thereof, which is in fluid communication with at least one fluid pump. The at least one fluid pump is configured to drive fluid through the at least one of outlet to form a barrier around the first portion of the upper surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Substrate processing systems and methods are described for site-isolated processing of substrates. The processing systems include numerous site-isolated reactors (SIRs). The processing systems include a reactor block having a cell array that includes numerous SIRs. A sleeve is coupled to an interior of each of the SIRs. The sleeve includes a compliance device configured to dynamically control a vertical position of the sleeve in the SIR. A sealing system is configured to provide a seal between a region of a substrate and the interior of each of the SIRs. The processing system can include numerous modules that comprise one or more site-isolated reactors (SIRs) configured for one or more of molecular self-assembly and combinatorial processing of substrates.

Abstract: A cleaning assembly is provided. The cleaning assembly includes a plate having a front surface and a back surface and a manifold affixed to an edge of the plate. The manifold has a plurality of outlets extending therefrom. The plate further includes a plurality of cups extending through the plate. The plurality of cups have an upper body with an outlet extending from the back surface and the plurality of cups have a sealing portion coupled to the upper body and extending from the front surface of the plate. Each outlet of the upper body is coupled to one of the corresponding plurality of outlets of the manifold. The plate also includes a plurality of alignment pins extending from the front surface of the plate. The plurality of alignment pins are configured to support an edge of a substrate, wherein one of the plurality of alignment pins is slidably mounted to the plate. A plurality of guide pins extends the same distance from the back surface.