Plasma-based process for production of F and HF from benign precursors and use of the same in room-temperature plasma processing

A method for removing oxides from a surface of a sample, comprising:

• placing a sample having an oxidized surface in a chamber;
• applying RF power to a gas flow comprising an inert gas, a hydrogen (H)-containing gas, and a fluorine (F)-containing gas, the RF power being configured to dissociate a first plurality of F atoms from a first plurality of F-containing gas molecules in the F-containing gas;
• directing the gas flow and the first plurality of dissociated F atoms into a chamber, the gas flow producing a gas mixture in the chamber,
• directing an electron beam into the gas mixture in the chamber, the electron beam generating a plasma from the gas mixture, the plasma extending radially from an axis of the electron beam;
• wherein the electron beam is configured to have sufficient energy to cause a second plurality of F atoms to dissociate from a second plurality of F-containing molecules in the F-containing gas, the first and second plurality of dissociated F atoms then reacting with H-containing molecules in the H-containing gas to form HF molecules in the plasma;
• wherein at least one of a concentration of the H-containing gas and the F-containing gas in the gas flow, an energy of the electron beam, a current of the electron beam, and a duration of the electron beam is configured to produce a predetermined concentration of HF molecules and positive ions in the plasma;
• wherein a presence of the first plurality of dissociated F atoms increases the concentration of HF in the plasma;
• and
• wherein the HF molecules and the positive ions remove the oxides from the oxidized surface of the sample.