Systems and methods for wetting substrates

A method of wetting a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising:

• forming a controlled atmosphere in a processing chamber housing the semiconductor substrate, wherein the semiconductor substrate defines a plurality of vias including at least one via characterized by a diameter greater than about 50 μm, and wherein the controlled atmosphere comprises one or more fluids selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, oxygen, nitrogen, argon, ammonia, bromine, diazene, acetylene, krypton, xenon, radon, nitrous oxide, hydrogen selenide, and hydrocarbons;
• reducing a pressure within the processing chamber to below about 10 kPa;
• flowing a wetting agent into the processing chamber while maintaining the controlled atmosphere;
• pressurizing the processing chamber above about 50 kPa;
• and
• wetting the plurality of vias defined on the semiconductor substrate, wherein less than 1% of the vias contain a defect in the wetting.

A method of wetting a substrate, the method comprising:

• providing a substrate to a processing chamber, wherein the substrate defines a plurality of features;
• displacing air from the plurality of features defined in the substrate, wherein the air is displaced with carbon dioxide;
• spraying deionized water into the processing chamber, wherein the deionized water is degassed below about 5 ppm, and wherein the spraying occurs while maintaining a pressure within the processing chamber below about 100 kPa with the carbon dioxide;
• pressurizing the processing chamber above about 50 kPa for a period of time;
• and
• wetting the plurality of features defined on the substrate, wherein greater than 99% of the carbon dioxide is removed from the features.