Methods for reducing contamination of semiconductor substrates
US6759336B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 18, 2002 |
| Grant date | Jul 6, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 18, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S438/913
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Methods for reducing contamination of semiconductor substrates after processing are provided. The methods include heating the processed substrate to remove absorbed chemical species from the substrate surface by thermal desorption. Thermal desorption can be performed either in-situ or ex-situ. The substrate can be heated by convection, conduction, and/or radiant heating. The substrate can also be heated by treating the surface of the processed substrate with an inert plasma during which treatment ions in the plasma bombard the substrate surface raising the temperature thereof. Thermal desorption can also be performed ex-situ by applying thermal energy to the substrate during transport of the substrate from the processing chamber and/or by transporting the substrate to a transport module (e.g., a load lock) or to a second processing chamber for heating. Thermal desorption during transport can be enhanced by purging an inert gas over the substrate surface.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.