# US 12,181,801 B2 · Chamber and methods of treating a substrate after exposure to radiation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,181,801 B2 - Document ID: US12181801B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/531,108 - Filed: 2021-11-19 - Published: 2022-11-03 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2021-05-03 - Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc. - Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc. - Inventors: Dmitry Lubomirsky; Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr.; Qiwei Liang; Hyunjun Kim; Ellie Y. Yieh - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181801B2 ## CPC - G03F 7/38: Treatment before imagewise removal, e.g. prebaking {(G03F7/265 takes precedence)} - H01J 37/32082: {Radio frequency generated discharge (H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394 and H01J37/32403 take precedence)} - H01J 37/3244: {Gas supply means} - H01J 37/32522: {Temperature} - G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G) - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract A method and apparatus for performing post-exposure bake operations is described herein. The apparatus includes a plate stack and enables formation of a first high ion density plasma before the ion concentration within the first high ion density plasma is reduced using a diffuser to form a second low ion density plasma. The second low ion density plasma is an electron cloud or a dark plasma. An electric field is formed between a substrate support and the diffuser and through the second low ion density plasma during post-exposure bake of a substrate disposed on the substrate support. The second low ion density plasma electrically couples the substrate support and the diffuser during application of the electric field. The plate stack is equipped with power supplies and insulators to enable the formation or modification of a plasma within three regions of a process chamber. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for substrate processing suitable for use in semiconductor manufacturing, comprising: a face plate; a source match device electrically coupled to the face plate; a diffuser disposed opposite the face plate, a plasma formation volume disposed between the face plate and a first side of the diffuser; an insulator disposed between the face plate and the diffuser; a process volume partially formed by a second side of the diffuser; a substrate support disposed within the process volume opposite the diffuser and comprising one or more heating devices therein; a voltage source in electrical communication with the diffuser and the substrate support and configured to generate an electric field oriented vertically between the diffuser and the substrate support; and a controller configured to cause the apparatus to perform operations of: flow a process gas into the plasma formation volume; form a first plasma with a first ion concentration; flow the first plasma through the diffuser to form a second plasma with a second ion concentration of 104 ions/cm3 to 106 ions/cm3; apply a voltage differential between the diffuser and the substrate support to form the electric field across the second plasma; and heat a substrate with a resist layer disposed on the substrate support to a temperature of 75° C. to 300° C. while applying the electric field. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the process gas is an inert gas. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first plasma comprises a first ion concentration of 105 ions/cm3 to 1010 ions/cm3. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a showerhead spacer configured to mechanically support the diffuser and an upper chamber liner disposed radially inward of the showerhead spacer and forming a portion of the process volume, the upper chamber liner formed from a ceramic material. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a central portion of the diffuser has a thickness of 5 mm to 40 mm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the diffuser is electrically grounded. ### Claim 7 A method for processing a substrate, comprising: flowing a process gas into a plasma formation region; forming a first plasma with a first ion density from the process gas in the plasma formation region; flowing the first plasma through a diffuser and into a process region and forming a second plasma with a second ion density less than the first ion density; applying an electric field across the second plasma within the process region between a substrate and the diffuser, the electric field driving charged particles of a resist layer disposed on the substrate in a first direction without exposing the resist layer; and baking the resist layer formed on the substrate by heating the substrate using one or more heating devices within a substrate support while applying the electric field across the substrate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the process gas is an inert gas. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the inert gas is one or a combination of helium and argon. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the substrate is heated to a temperature of 75° C. to 300° C. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the second plasma comprises a second ion concentration of 104 ions/cm3 to 106 ions/cm3. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the first plasma comprises a first ion concentration of 105 ions/cm3 to 1010 ions/cm3. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein a distance between the substrate support and the diffuser during the baking of the resist layer is 2 mm to 60 mm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein a source match device is electrically coupled to a face plate and applies an RF power to the face plate during formation of the first plasma and a voltage source is in electrical communication with the diffuser and the substrate support and configured to generate the electric field between the diffuser and the substrate support. ### Claim 15 A method for processing a substrate, comprising: flowing an inert gas into a plasma formation region; forming a first plasma with a first ion density from the inert gas in the plasma formation region; flowing the first plasma through an ion blocker plate and into a process region to form a second plasma with a second ion density of 104 ions/cm3 to 106 ions/cm3; applying an electric field across the second plasma within the process region between a substrate support and the ion blocker plate; and baking a resist layer formed on a substrate disposed on the substrate support by heating the substrate using one or more heating devices while applying the electric field across the substrate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the inert gas is one or a combination of helium and argon. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein a distance between the substrate support and the ion blocker plate during the baking of the resist layer is 2 mm to 60 mm. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the resist layer is an exposed resist layer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the second plasma conducts a current of 0.005 mA to 0.1 mA between the ion blocker plate and the substrate. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the ions within the second plasma have an ion temperature of less than 1 eV.