초록 ▼

Apparatus and process for conditioning a generally planar substrate, contained in a chamber isolatable from the ambient environment and fed with a conditioning gas which includes reactive gas. The apparatus includes a support for supporting the substrate in the chamber, the substrate being in a lowe

Apparatus and process for conditioning a generally planar substrate, contained in a chamber isolatable from the ambient environment and fed with a conditioning gas which includes reactive gas. The apparatus includes a support for supporting the substrate in the chamber, the substrate being in a lower pressure reaction region of the chamber. A gas inlet is provided for feeding conditioning gas into a gas inlet region of the chamber which is at a higher pressure than the lower pressure reaction region so that the pressure differential causes the conditioning gas to flow toward the surface of the substrate wherein the conditioning gas component will chemically react with and condition the substrate surface, both said higher and lower pressure regions operating in a viscous flow regime. The substrate is supported such that a pressure bias is created across the surface of this substrate so that the gas, after it has chemically reacted with the substrate surface, flows outward from where it has reacted, off the substrate toward the periphery of the chamber and out a peripheral or central underside exhaust outlet. Gas feed may be provided to one or both sides the substrate and light activation of the substrate or conditioning gas may be provided on one or both sides.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. An apparatus for conditioning a substrate with a conditioning gas comprising a reactive gas component, the apparatus comprising: a chamber, isolatable from the ambient environment, into which a substrate having generally planar top and bottom surfaces may be placed at a

The invention claimed is: 1. An apparatus for conditioning a substrate with a conditioning gas comprising a reactive gas component, the apparatus comprising: a chamber, isolatable from the ambient environment, into which a substrate having generally planar top and bottom surfaces may be placed at a predetermined substrate orientation, and into which said conditioning gas may be fed to condition the substrate, the chamber being provided with a first window transparent to at least one of UV and IR light, the first window positioned so that light may be transmitted through the first window and onto the top surface of the substrate when the substrate is positioned in the chamber at said predetermined substrate orientation, the chamber being provided with a second window transparent to at least one of UV and IR light, the second window positioned so that light may be transmitted through the second window and onto the bottom surface of the substrate when the substrate is positioned in the chamber at said predetermined substrate orientation, a vacuum source operably communicating with the chamber whereby the chamber may be evacuated to a pressure below ambient pressure during conditioning of said substrate within the chamber, and a source of said conditioning gas operable to feed said conditioning gas to the chamber. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and second windows are transparent to both UV and IR light. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising first and second light generators, each located outside of the chamber and generating UV or IR light, or both, the first light generator positioned to direct light generated thereby through the first window to the substrate top surface and the second light generator positioned to direct light generated thereby through the second window to the substrate bottom surface. 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein at least one of said light generators includes both a UV lamp and an IR lamp. 5. An apparatus for processing a microelectronic device having a first surface and a second surface, said apparatus comprising: (a) a chamber in which the microelectronic device is positioned during a treatment; (b) a first energy source operationally coupled to the chamber such that a first fluence of energy can be irradiated onto the first surface of the microelectronic device; (c) a second energy source operationally coupled to the chamber such that a second fluence of energy can be irradiated onto the second surface of the microelectronic device, and (d) a vacuum source operably communicating with the chamber whereby the chamber may be evacuated to a pressure below ambient pressure during processing of said microelectronic device, wherein the apparatus further comprises a source of a processing gas in fluid communication with the chamber, a gas inlet through which the processing gas is introduced into the chamber, and a gas outlet through which the processing gas is exhausted from the chamber. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the chamber is closed to the environment and said apparatus further comprises: (e) a first window through which the first fluence of energy passes as it travels from the first energy source to the first surface of the microelectronic device; and (f) a second window through which the second fluence of energy passes as it travels from the second energy source to the second surface of the microelectronic device. 7. Apparatus as in claim 5 wherein the processing gas comprises a reactive gas for etching, cleaning or bulk stripping of the microelectronic device. 8. Apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said reactive gas comprises HF, or a photolyzable fluorine-containing gas. 9. An apparatus for conditioning a substrate with a conditioning gas comprising a reactive gas component for etching, cleaning or bulk stripping of the substrate, the apparatus comprising: a chamber, isolatable from the ambient environment, into which a substrate having generally planar top and bottom surfaces may be placed at a predetermined substrate orientation, and into which said conditioning gas may be fed to condition the substrate, the chamber being provided with a first window transparent to at least one of UV and IR light, the first window positioned so that light may be transmitted through the first window and onto the top surface of the substrate when the substrate is positioned in the chamber at said predetermined substrate orientation, the chamber being provided with a second window transparent to at least one of UV and IR light, the second window positioned so that light may be transmitted through the second window and onto the bottom surface of the substrate when the substrate is positioned in the chamber at said predetermined substrate orientation, a vacuum source operably communicating with the chamber whereby the chamber may be evacuated to a pressure below ambient pressure during conditioning of said substrate within the chamber, and a source of said conditioning gas operable to feed said conditioning gas to the chamber. 10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said first and second windows are transparent to both UV and IR light. 11. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising first and second light generators, each located outside of the chamber and generating UV or IR light, or both, the first light generator positioned to direct light generated thereby through the first window to the substrate top surface and the second light generator positioned to direct light generated thereby through the second window to the substrate bottom surface. 12. Apparatus as in claim 11 wherein the light generators are selected from medium pressure mercury lamps, arc lamps, flash lamps, dielectric discharge lamps, IR lamps or a mixture thereof. 13. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the reactive gas is an etching, cleaning or bulk stripping gas. 14. Apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said reactive gas comprises HF, or a photolyzable fluorine-containing gas.