System and method for reducing metal oxides with hydrogen radicals

A system for removing impurities in impurity-containing film comprising:

• a processing chamber for processing at least one target, the target having an exposed impuriiy-containing film;
• a radical source, the radical source being external from the processing chamber, the radical source including an inlet, a plasma chamber and an outlet, the outlet being fluidly coupled to the processing chamber;
• at least one precursor source coupled to the inlet of the radical source;
• a controller coupled to the radical source and the processing chamber, the controller including:
• computer readable code for generating hydrogen radicals in the radical source including:
• computer readable code for inputting a hydrogen radical precursor material from the at least one precursor source to the plasma chamber;
• computer readable code for creating a plasma in the plasma chamber;
• and
• computer readable code for inputting the hydrogen radicals into the processing chamber from the outlet of the plasma chamber, wherein the processing chamber has a pressure of between about 1 millitorr and about 10 torr;
• and
• computer readable code for exposing the impurity-containing film on the target to the hydrogen radicals.

A method of reducing oxide in an exposed surface comprising:

• generating hydrogen radicals including:
• inputting a hydrogen radical precursor material to a radical source including a plasma chamber, that is external to a processing chamber, the radical source having an outlet in fluid communication with the processing chamber;
• and
• creating a plasma in the plasma chamber;
• inputting the hydrogen radicals into the processing chamber from the outlet of the radical source, wherein the outlet of the radical source is less than about 40 cm from the surface of the target, wherein the processing chamber has a pressure of between about 1 millitorr and about 10 torr;
• exposing a surface of a target to the hydrogen radicals, the surface of the target having an oxide-containing film, wherein the oxide-containing film includes at least one of a copper oxide or an oxide of a copper alloy, wherein the surface of the target has a temperature of between about 50 degrees C. and about 500 degrees C.;
• and
• reducing the oxygen from the oxide-containing film.