# US 12,014,920 B2 · Apparatus for hydrogen assisted atmospheric radical oxidation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,014,920 B2 - Document ID: US12014920B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/074,734 - Filed: 2022-12-05 - Published: 2023-03-30 - Granted: 2024-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2019-04-30 - Assignees: Mattson Technology, Inc.; Beijing E-Town Semiconductor Technology Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Mattson Technology, Inc.; Beijing E-Town Semiconductor Technology Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Michael X. Yang; Christian Pfahler; Alexandr Cosceev - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12014920B2 ## CPC - H10P 14/6309: {of silicon in uncombined form, i.e. pure silicon} - H10P 14/6322: {Formation by thermal treatments (formation by plasma treatment H10P14/6319)} - H10P 72/0402: {Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence)} - H10P 72/0434: {mainly by convection} - H10P 72/0436: {mainly by radiation} - H10P 72/0462: {characterised by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers} - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract Apparatus, systems, and methods for processing workpieces are provided. In one example implementation, a hydrogen gas mixed with an inert gas can be reacted with an oxygen gas to oxidize a workpiece at atmospheric pressure. A chemical reaction of a hydrogen gas with an oxygen gas facilitated by a hot workpiece surface can positively affect an oxidation process. A reaction speed of the chemical reaction can be slowed down by mixing the hydrogen gas with an inert gas. Such mixture can effectively reduce a partial pressure of the hydrogen gas. As such, the oxidation process can be carried out at atmospheric pressure, thereby, in an atmospheric thermal processing chamber. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A thermal processing apparatus, comprising: a thermal processing chamber configured to be maintained at approximately atmospheric pressure; a workpiece support configured to support a workpiece in the thermal processing chamber during a thermal process; one or more heat sources configured to heat the workpiece during the thermal process; and a gas supply comprising: a first gas line configured to admit a forming gas into the thermal processing chamber at a first flow rate, the forming gas comprising a mixture of an inert gas and a hydrogen gas, a concentration of the hydrogen gas in the mixture being less than about 4% by volume; wherein the first flow rate is such that a partial pressure of the hydrogen gas in the thermal processing chamber is less than about 10 Torr, and the workpiece is exposed to the forming gas at approximately atmospheric pressure; wherein the gas supply further comprises a second gas line configured to admit an oxygen gas into the thermal processing chamber at a second flow rate, wherein the workpiece is exposed to the oxygen gas in the thermal processing chamber at approximately atmospheric pressure while the one or more heat sources heat the workpiece such that the forming gas and the oxygen gas at least partially oxidize a portion of the workpiece; and wherein the second flow rate is such that a partial pressure of the oxygen gas in the thermal process chamber is in a range of about 30 Torr to about 50 Torr. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The thermal processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas supply comprises a third gas line configured to admit a dilution gas into the thermal process, the dilution gas configured to dilute the forming gas and the oxygen gas, wherein the dilution gas is different from the inert gas in the forming gas. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The thermal processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inert gas comprises an argon gas, the concentration of the hydrogen gas in the argon gas being less than about 3% by volume. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The thermal processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inert gas comprises a nitrogen gas, the concentration of the hydrogen gas in the nitrogen gas being less than about 4% by volume. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The thermal processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas supply further comprises a gas flow plate located above the workpiece in the thermal processing chamber such that the forming gas is admitted in a gas flow direction perpendicular to the workpiece. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The thermal processing apparatus of claim 5, wherein the gas flow plate is configured such that an oxygen-containing gas and/or a dilution gas is admitted in a gas flow direction perpendicular to the workpiece. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The thermal processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more heat sources comprise a first heat source configured to heat a top surface of the workpiece and a second heat source configured to heat a bottom surface of the workpiece. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The thermal processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the workpiece support is made of quartz. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The thermal processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the workpiece support comprises a rotatable base configured to rotate the workpiece. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The thermal processing apparatus of claim 1, comprising a controller configured to control the one or more heat sources and/or the gas supply. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The thermal processing apparatus of claim 1, comprising a temperature measurement system comprising one or more pyrometers. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The thermal processing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the one or more pyrometers is configured to measure a temperature of a bottom side of the workpiece. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The thermal processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the workpiece support comprises one or more pins configured to support the workpiece. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The thermal processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermal processing chamber comprises an end plate to seal the thermal processing chamber and a door configured to allow entry and exit of the workpiece from the thermal processing chamber. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The thermal processing apparatus of claim 1, comprising one or more air bearings disposed in the thermal processing chamber.