Apparatus, systems, and methods of using atomic hydrogen radicals with selective epitaxial deposition

A system for processing substrates, comprising:

• a processing chamber comprising:
• an interior volume formed between a first side and a second side opposite the first side,
• a heat source operable to heat the interior volume,
• a gas injection plenum operable to deliver one or more process gases into the interior volume from the first side,
• an outlet disposed at the second side, and
• a substrate support within the interior volume;
• and
• a plasma source disposed outside of the interior volume, the plasma source operable to supply ions or radicals to the interior volume.

A system for processing substrates, comprising:

• a processing chamber comprising:
• an interior volume;
• a heat source operable to heat the interior volume;
• a gas injection plenum operable to deliver one or more process gases into the interior volume from a first side of the processing chamber;
• an outlet disposed at a second side of the processing chamber;
• and
• a substrate support within the interior volume;
• a plasma source;
• and
• a controller comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the system to:
• flow the one or more process gases through the gas injection plenum, across a substrate disposed on the substrate support, and through the outlet to grow an epitaxial layer on the substrate;
• generate a plasma using the plasma source;
• and
• expose the substrate to the plasma within the interior volume.

A method of processing substrates, comprising:

• flowing one or more deposition gases through a gas injection plenum of a processing chamber, the processing chamber comprising:
• an interior volume disposed within a plurality of chamber walls;
• a substrate support positioned within the interior volume;
• a heat source positioned to heat the substrate support;
• a plasma source coupled to the processing chamber;
• and
• a gas source assembly coupled to the plasma source,
• wherein the one or more deposition gases flow across a substrate disposed on the substrate support to grow an epitaxial layer on one or more crystalline surfaces of the substrate, the one or more crystalline surfaces at least partially defining an epitaxial window, the epitaxial layer comprising silicon, wherein the growth of the epitaxial layer also forms a plurality of defects on one or more non-crystalline surfaces outside of the epitaxial window;
• treating the substrate to remove defects from the one or more non-crystalline surfaces, the treating comprising:
• generating atomic hydrogen radicals using the plasma source;
• flowing the atomic hydrogen radicals through an opening disposed between the plasma source and the substrate support;
• and
• exposing the substrate to the atomic hydrogen radicals within the interior volume;
• and
• heating, by use of the heat source, the epitaxial layer while the substrate remains within the interior volume.