Atmospheric pressure plasma processing reactor
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of Califonia
InventorsGary Selwyn, Ivars Henins, Hans Snyder, Hans Herrmann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A non-arcing atmospheric pressure plasma processing reactor that includes a wafer platform that is electrically conductive and operatively placed near at least one radio frequency electrode to allow the creation of an electric field. An rf power supply is electrically attached to both the radio frequency electrode and the wafer platform to create said electric field for generation of said non-arcing atmospheric pressure plasma. A process gas supply comprising a mixture of 90% to 99% support gas to 1 % to 10% reactive gas is supplied to the electric field to generate the atmospheric pressure plasma.
Claims21
A non-arcing atmospheric pressure plasma processing reactor comprising:
- a. a wafer platform that is electrically conductive,
- b. at least one radio frequency electrode operatively placed near said wafer platform to allow creation of an electric field between said wafer platform and said at least one radio frequency electrode,
- c. an rf power supply electrically attached to said at least one radio frequency electrode and said wafer platform to create said electric field for generation of said non-arcing atmospheric pressure plasma,
- d. a process gas supply comprising a mixture of 90% to 99% support gas to 1% to 10% reactive gas to create said non-arcing atmospheric pressure plasma in the presence of said electric field;
- and
- e. a means for introduction of said process gas into said electric field.
A method for surface treatment of a wafer with a non-arcing atmospheric pressure plasma, comprising:
- a. placing said wafer onto an electrically conductive wafer platform,
- b. creating an electric field between said wafer platform and at least one radio-frequency electrode using an rf power supply,
- c. directing a process gas supply into said electric field comprising a mixture of 90% to 99% support gas and 1% to 10% reactive gas, thereby creating said non-arcing atmospheric pressure plasma;
- and
- d. moving said wafer through said non-arcing atmospheric pressure plasma to effect change in the surface state of said wafer through exposure to chemical species formed in said non-arcing atmospheric pressure plasma.
A method for surface treatment of a wafer with a non-arcing atmospheric pressure plasma, comprising the steps in the following order:
- a. placing said wafer onto an electrically conductive platform,
- b. creating an electric field between said platform and at least one radio-frequency electrode using an rf power supply,
- c. directing a process gas supply into said electric field to generate said non-arcing atmospheric pressure plasma,
- d. moving said wafer through said non-arcing atmospheric pressure plasma to convert inorganic chemical compounds on said wafer surface to a form that dissolves in an aqueous solution;
- and
- e. moving said wafer through a wet cleaning step to dissolve said inorganic chemical species.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.