VARIABLE FREQUENCY MICROWAVE (VFM) PROCESSES AND APPLICATIONS IN SEMICONDUCTOR THIN FILM FABRICATIONS

摘要

Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are described herein. A vacuum multi-chamber deposition tool can include a degas chamber with both a heating mechanism and a variable frequency microwave source. The methods described herein use variable frequency microwave radiation to increased quality and speed of the degas process without damaging the various components.

主权项

1. A method for processing a substrate, comprising:
positioning a substrate in a processing chamber, the substrate comprising a first surface; depositing an uncured layer comprising a polymer, an epoxy or combinations thereof over the first surface of the substrate; and performing a hard-cure of the uncured layer, the hard-cure comprising:
heating at least the uncured layer to a hard-cure temperature;setting the processing chamber to a hard-cure pressure, the hard-cure pressure being under 100 mTorr;directing a source of microwave radiation toward the uncured layer, the source of microwave radiation producing microwave radiation at a frequency selected from a frequency range of less than 7 GHz; anddelivering the microwave radiation at a variable frequency from the source of microwave radiation to the uncured layer to produce a cured layer, the variable frequency comprising two or more frequencies selected from the frequency range, the variable frequency changing over a period of time.