Monitoring process for oxide removal

A method for monitoring a process of removing native oxides from an at least partially exposed conductive layer disposed on a substrate, the method comprising:

• disposing the substrate in a process chamber;
• exposing the at least partially exposed conductive layer to a reactive pre-clean process that comprises an oxide reduction step;
• removing the substrate from the process chamber;
• contacting the conductive layer with two or more contact members;
• measuring a sheet resistance of the exposed conductive layer between the contact members;
• and
• comparing the measured resistance to a known value.

A method for monitoring a process of removing native copper oxide from an at least partially exposed copper layer disposed on a substrate, the method comprising:

• disposing the substrate in a process chamber;
• exposing the at least partially exposed copper layer to a reactive pre-clean process that comprises exposing the copper oxide to a plasma formed from a hydrogen comprising gas;
• removing the substrate from the process chamber;
• contacting the exposed copper layer with two or more contact members;
• measuring a sheet resistance of the exposed copper layer between the contact members;
• and
• comparing the measured resistance to a known value.

A method for monitoring a process of removing native oxides from an at least partially exposed conductive layer disposed on a substrate, the method comprising:

• exposing the exposed conductive layers to a plasma at least partially formed from hydrogen in a first chamber coupled to a processing platform to remove native oxides from the exposed conductive layer;
• transferring at least one of a series of substrates exposed to the plasma from the first chamber to a metrology device;
• measuring the sheet resistance of the conductive layer;
• and
• comparing the measured sheet resistance to a known value.

A method for processing a substrate, comprising:

• removing oxides from an at least partially exposed layer disposed on the substrate in a first chamber;
• measuring a sheet resistance of the exposed layer;
• and
• depositing a conductive layer on the substrate in a second chamber,
• wherein the substrate is transferred between the chambers without breaking vacuum.

A method for processing a substrate, comprising:

• removing oxides from an at least partially exposed layer disposed on the substrate in a first chamber;
• measuring a sheet resistance of the exposed layer in a second chamber;
• and
• depositing a conductive layer on the substrate in a third chamber,
• wherein the substrate is transferred between the chambers without breaking vacuum.

A method for processing a substrate, comprising:

• providing a substrate having a copper layer at least partially disposed on a surface thereof in a first chamber;
• removing native oxides from the copper layer in the first chamber;
• measuring a sheet resistance of the copper layer;
• depositing a barrier layer at least partially on the substrate surface in a second chamber;
• and
• depositing a bulk metal layer at least partially on the substrate surface in a third chamber,
• wherein the substrate is transferred between at least the first and second chambers without breaking vacuum.