METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR ENERGETIC NEUTRAL FLUX GENERATION FOR PROCESSING A SUBSTRATE

摘要

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.

主权项

1. A method of treating a substrate, comprising:
applying a first DC signal to an interior portion of a processing chamber; applying a second DC signal to an electrode associated with the processing chamber with a first voltage difference between the second DC signal and the first DC signal sufficient to establish a plasma within the processing chamber; maintaining a second voltage difference between the second DC signal and the first DC signal for a first time period sufficient to accelerate ions of the plasma toward the substrate as energetic ions; and after the maintaining, reducing the second voltage difference between the first DC signal and the second DC signal for a second time period and to a magnitude sufficient to neutralize at least some of the energetic ions to energetic neutrals moving toward the substrate.