Methods and apparatuses for energetic neutral flux generation for processing a substrate
First Claim
1. A method of treating a substrate, comprising:
- forming a plasma in a processing chamber by applying a DC voltage to an electrode associated with the processing chamber but electrically decoupled from the substrate, the DC voltage of sufficient amplitude to cause the plasma to form;
accelerating ions of the plasma to become energetic ions moving toward the substrate disposed in the processing chamber by maintaining the DC voltage on the electrode for a first duration;
neutralizing at least some of the energetic ions to generate energetic neutrals moving toward the substrate by removing the DC voltage from the electrode for a second duration sufficient to;
enable the at least some of the energetic ions to be neutralized by combining with electrons before reaching the substrate; and
retain a kinetic energy of the energetic neutrals toward the substrate; and
impacting the substrate with at least some of the energetic neutrals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatuses and methods for processing substrates are disclosed. A processing apparatus includes a chamber for generating a plasma therein, an electrode associated with the chamber, and a signal generator coupled to the electrode. The signal generator applies a DC pulse to the electrode with sufficient amplitude and sufficient duty cycle of an on-time and an off-time to cause events within the chamber. A plasma is generated from a gas in the chamber responsive to the amplitude of the DC pulse. Energetic ions are generated by accelerating ions of the plasma toward a substrate in the chamber in response to the amplitude of the DC pulse during the on-time. Some of the energetic ions are neutralized to energetic neutrals in response to the DC pulse during the off-time. Some of the energetic neutrals impact the substrate with sufficient energy to cause a chemical reaction on the substrate.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method of treating a substrate, comprising:
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forming a plasma in a processing chamber by applying a DC voltage to an electrode associated with the processing chamber but electrically decoupled from the substrate, the DC voltage of sufficient amplitude to cause the plasma to form; accelerating ions of the plasma to become energetic ions moving toward the substrate disposed in the processing chamber by maintaining the DC voltage on the electrode for a first duration; neutralizing at least some of the energetic ions to generate energetic neutrals moving toward the substrate by removing the DC voltage from the electrode for a second duration sufficient to; enable the at least some of the energetic ions to be neutralized by combining with electrons before reaching the substrate; and retain a kinetic energy of the energetic neutrals toward the substrate; and impacting the substrate with at least some of the energetic neutrals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of treating a substrate, comprising:
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forming a reactive film on a surface of a substrate disposed in a processing chamber from a reactive gas introduced into the processing chamber; forming a plasma from an inert gas introduced in the processing chamber with a DC voltage applied to an electrode associated with the processing chamber but electrically decoupled from the substrate, the DC voltage of sufficient amplitude to cause the plasma to form; accelerating ions of the plasma to become energetic inert ions moving toward the substrate by maintaining the DC voltage on the electrode for a first duration; neutralizing at least some of the energetic inert ions by removing the DC voltage from the electrode for a second duration sufficient to enable the at least some of the energetic inert ions to be neutralized by combining with electrons before reaching the substrate to generate energetic inert neutrals moving toward the substrate; and impacting the substrate with at least some of the energetic inert neutrals; wherein a combination of the first duration and the second duration is sufficient to retain a kinetic energy of the energetic inert neutrals toward the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of treating a substrate, comprising:
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forming a physisorbed inert species on a surface of a substrate disposed in a processing chamber; forming a plasma from an inert gas introduced in the processing chamber with a DC voltage applied to an electrode associated with the processing chamber but electrically decoupled from the substrate the DC voltage of sufficient amplitude to cause the plasma to form; accelerating ions of the plasma to become energetic inert ions moving toward the substrate by maintaining the DC voltage on the electrode for a first duration; neutralizing at least some of the energetic inert ions by removing the DC voltage from the electrode for a second duration sufficient to enable the at least some of the energetic inert ions to be neutralized by combining with electrons before reaching the substrate to generate energetic inert neutrals moving toward the substrate; and impacting the substrate with at least some of the energetic inert neutrals; wherein a combination of the first duration and the second duration is sufficient to retain a kinetic energy of the energetic inert neutrals toward the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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Specification