Wafer processing apparatus and method
First Claim
1. An apparatus for vacuum processing of wafers, comprising:
- (a) a vacuum processing chamber;
(b) a wafer support within said vacuum processing chamber, said wafer support being capable of supporting a wafer;
(c) gas flow passages positioned to permit release of a desired process gas flow in proximity to the surface of the wafer; and
(d) an ultraviolet energy source within said vacuum processing chamber separate from the wafer and positioned to illuminate the wafer with ultraviolet energy.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A plasma reactor with in situ ultraviolet generation processing aparatus and method. Ultraviolet light to illuminate the face of a wafer being processed is generated by a plasma which is within the vacuum processing chamber but is remote from the face of the wafer. It is useful to design the gas flow system so that the ultraviolet-generating plasma has its own gas feed, and the reaction products from the ultraviolet-generating plasma do not substantially flow or diffuse to the wafer face. A transparent isolator between the ultraviolet plasma space and the processing space near the wafer face is useful so that the ultraviolet plasma can be operated at a vacuum level slightly different from that used near the wafer face, but this transparent window is not made thick enough to act as a full vacuum seal. Optionally, this window may be omitted entirely.
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Citations
63 Claims
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1. An apparatus for vacuum processing of wafers, comprising:
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(a) a vacuum processing chamber; (b) a wafer support within said vacuum processing chamber, said wafer support being capable of supporting a wafer; (c) gas flow passages positioned to permit release of a desired process gas flow in proximity to the surface of the wafer; and (d) an ultraviolet energy source within said vacuum processing chamber separate from the wafer and positioned to illuminate the wafer with ultraviolet energy. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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2. A method for processing of wafer, comprising the steps of:
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(a) transferring a wafer into a vacuum processing chamber; (b) flowing a desired mixture of process gases through the space in proximity to the surface of the wafer; and (c) illuminating the surface of said wafer with ultraviolet light generated by plasma which is within said chamber but which is generated remotely from the surface of said wafer.
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18. An apparatus for processing a workpiece comprising:
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(a) a vacuum processing chamber within a process module; (b) a support capable of engaging said workpiece with said chamber; (c) gas distributors positioned within said chamber to direct a process gas to a face of said workpiece; and (d) an ultraviolet energy source within said module away from the face of said workpiece positioned to couple ultraviolet energy to the space adjacent the face. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A method of processing a workpiece comprising the steps of:
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(a) disposing said workpiece into a process chamber of a process module at low pressure; (b) introducing process gas into said chamber to a face of said workpiece; and (c) generating ultraviolet energy within said module remote from the face of said workpiece and coupled to the space within said chamber adjacent the face.
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22. A vacuum process module for processing a workpiece comprising:
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(a) a heater coupled to said workpiece; and (b) a source of ultraviolet light coupled to said workpiece. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An apparatus for vacuum processing of wafers, comprising:
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(a) a first chamber; (b) a second chamber within said first chamber with a wafer disposed therein; (c) gas flow passages positioned to provide a gas to the wafer; and (d) an ultraviolet energy source within a third chamber which is within said first chamber to illuminate the wafer with ultraviolet energy. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. An apparatus for processing a workpiece comprising:
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(a) a vacuum processing chamber within a process module; (b) a support capable of engaging said workpiece with said chamber; (c) gas distributors positioned within said chamber to direct a process gas to a face of said workiece; and (d) an ultraviolet energy source within said module away from the face of said workpiece positioned to couple ultraviolet energy to the space adjacent the face. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52)
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53. The method for processing of wafers, comprising the steps of:
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(a) transferring a wafer into a processing chamber; (b) introducing process gases into a first chamber within said processing chamber; (c) illuminating the surface of said wafer with ultraviolet light generated by a plasma which is generated in a second chamber separate from said first chamber and within and in fluid communication with said processing chamber. - View Dependent Claims (54)
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55. A method of processing a workpiece comprising the steps of:
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(a) disposing said workpiece into a process chamber of a process module at low pressure; (b) introducing process gas into said chamber to a face of said workpiece; and (c) generating ultraviolet energy within said module remote from the face of said workpiece and coupled to the space within said chamber adjacent the face. - View Dependent Claims (63)
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56. A vacuum processing module comprising:
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(a) a process chamber with a wafer disposed therein; (b) a first chamber within and in fluid communication with said process chamber; (c) a heater coupled to said first chamber; (d) a second chamber within and in fluid communication with said process chamber, separate from said first chamber; and (e) a source of ultraviolet energy within said second chamber, said energy source being positioned to illuminate said wafer. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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Specification