Plasma enhanced wafer soak for thin film deposition

An apparatus comprising:

• a processing chamber;
• a first process station that includes a first substrate support, wherein the first substrate support is configured to position a first substrate in the processing chamber;
• a process gas unit configured to flow an inert gas onto the first substrate supported by the first substrate support;
• a plasma source configured to generate an inert plasma in the first process station;
• and
• a controller, wherein the controller includes instructions that are configured to:
• provide the first substrate onto the first substrate support,
• flow the inert gas onto the first substrate that is supported by the first substrate support,
• generate, while the inert gas is flowed onto the first substrate that is supported by the first substrate support, the inert plasma in the first process station, and
• maintain the inert plasma to thereby heat the first substrate to a steady state temperature, suitable for conducting plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, in less than 30 seconds from providing the first substrate onto the first substrate support,
• wherein the plasma source is configured to generate the inert plasma at a power between 200 Watts and 2500 Watts.

A method comprising:

• providing a substrate onto a substrate support in a processing chamber;
• generating an inert plasma in the processing chamber;
• maintaining the inert plasma to heat the substrate to a steady state temperature, suitable for conducting plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), in less than 30 seconds from providing the substrate onto the substrate support;
• depositing, while the substrate is at the steady state temperature and while a reactant plasma is generated in the processing chamber, a layer of material on the substrate by PECVD;
• and
• extinguishing the inert plasma after the substrate reaches the steady state temperature and before the depositing, wherein the depositing further comprises:
• flowing, a reactant process gas onto the substrate, and
• generating the reactant plasma in the processing chamber.