Hydrogen Assisted Atmospheric Radical Oxidation

A thermal processing apparatus, comprising:

• a thermal processing chamber configured to be maintained at approximately atmospheric pressure;
• a workpiece support configured to support a workpiece in the thermal processing chamber during a thermal process;
• one or more heat sources configured to heat the workpiece during the thermal process;
• and
• a gas supply comprising:
• a first gas line configured to admit a forming gas into the thermal processing chamber at a first flow rate, the forming gas comprising a mixture of an inert gas and a hydrogen gas, a concentration of the hydrogen gas in the mixture being less than about 4% by volume;
• wherein the first flow rate is such that a partial pressure of the hydrogen gas in the thermal processing chamber is less than about 10 Torr, and the workpiece is exposed to the forming gas at approximately atmospheric pressure.