Contaminant-free work piece processing system

A processing system includes a housing having an interior chamber and a central vertical axis extending through the interior chamber. A rotor is disposed within the housing interior chamber and is configured to support one or more work pieces. At least one lift actuator is configured to linearly displace the rotor along the central vertical axis between a lower, inactive vertical position and an upper, transfer vertical position. At least one levitation actuator is spaced above the rotor and is configured to exert a magnetic pulling force on the rotor to levitate the rotor upwardly from the transfer vertical position to a working vertical position. Further, an annular stator assembly is coupled with the housing, is disposed about and spaced radially outwardly from the rotor and includes a motor stator, the at least one lift actuator being configured to vertically displace the rotor relative to the stator assembly.