Processing system for electromagnetic wave treatment of a substrate at microwave frequencies

A method for treating a substrate with electromagnetic (EM) energy, comprising:

• disposing a substrate on a substrate holder in a process chamber;
• launching a travelling EM wave into the process chamber to propagate in a direction substantially parallel to a surface of the substrate;
• exposing the surface of the substrate to the travelling EM wave as the travelling EM wave propagates through the process chamber in the direction substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate;
• and
• absorbing the travelling EM wave after the travelling EM wave propagates through the process chamber.

A processing system for electromagnetic (EM) wave treatment of a substrate, comprising:

• a process chamber configured to house the substrate for exposure a surface of the substrate to a surface EM wave;
• a substrate holder enclosed by the process chamber that is configured to cool the substrate as the surface of the substrate is exposed to the surface EM wave;
• an EM wave transmission antenna configured to launch the surface EM wave into the process chamber for the surface EM wave to propagate in a direction substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate, wherein the EM wave transmission antenna includes an output end coupled to an input port of the process chamber;
• a power coupling system configured to supply EM energy into the EM wave transmission antenna to generate the surface EM wave at a prescribed output power and in a prescribed EM wave mode during the cooling of the substrate, wherein the power coupling system is coupled to an input end of the EM wave transmission antenna;
• and
• an EM wave receiving antenna configured to absorb the surface EM wave after propagation through the process chamber, wherein the EM wave receiving antenna includes an input end coupled to an output port of the process chamber.