Method and apparatus for ozone generation and surface treatment
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsDaniel L. Franca, George F. Ouimet, Jr., Uldis A. Ziemins
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for treating the surface of a substrate includes generating ozone in a generation chamber by using an optical source and transporting the ozone to a treatment chamber containing the substrate. The surface treatment utilizes an optical energy source and the generated ozone. The generation chamber and the treatment chamber are initially isolated from one another, which allows for the selective regulation of delivering ozone from the generation chamber to the treatment chamber. Preferably, a single optical source both generates ozone in the generation chamber and serves to clean and/or planarize the surface in the treatment chamber.
Claims40
A method for treating a substrate, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) providing at least one optical source having an optical path;
- b) providing a generation chamber containing oxygen and disposed along said optical path;
- c) generating ozone in said generation chamber by focusing said at least one optical source within said generation chamber;
- d) providing a treatment chamber, which is isolated from said generation chamber and which contains said substrate having a surface with matter thereon;
- e) withdrawing said ozone in a first stream from said generation chamber;
- f) delivering said first stream containing sad ozone to said treatment chamber containing said substrate to oxidize said matter on said surface;
- and
- g) directing said at least one optical source onto said surface to physically perform at least one of a cleaning or planarizing operation upon said surface of said substrate.
A method for treating a substrate, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) providing an optical source having an optical path;
- b) providing a generation chamber containing oxygen and disposed along said optical path;
- c) generating ozone in said generation chamber by focusing said optical source within said generation chamber;
- d) providing a treatment chamber, which is isolated from said generation chamber by a gas impermeable light permeable member disposed along said optical path and which contains said substrate having a surface with matter thereon, wherein said substrate is disposed along said optical path;
- e) withdrawing said ozone in a first stream from said generation chamber;
- f) mixing a second stream containing deionized water vapor with said first stream to form a gaseous mixture;
- g) delivering said gaseous mixture to said treatment chamber containing said substrate to oxidize said matter on said surface;
- and
- h) directing said optical source onto said surface to physically perform at least one of a cleaning or planarizing operation upon said substrate, including removing said oxidized matter.
An apparatus for treating a substrate, comprising:
- a generation chamber containing an atmosphere including oxygen;
- an optical source having an optical path extending though said generation chamber;
- means for focusing said optical source along said optical path, including within said generation chamber to generate ozone from said oxygen;
- a treatment chamber which contains said substrate and is isolated from said generation chamber by a gas impermeable light permeable member disposed along said optical path, said substrate being further disposed along said optical path, whereby said optical source can be focused within said cleaning chamber adjacent said substrate to clean or planarize a surface of said substrate;
- and
- means for withdrawing a first stream containing said ozone from said generation chamber and for delivering at least said first stream into said treatment chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.