Abstract:
Methods for removing contamination from a surface disposed in a substrate processing system are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for removing contaminants from a surface includes: providing a first process gas comprising a chlorine containing gas, a hydrogen containing gas, and an inert gas to a process chamber having the surface disposed within the process chamber; igniting the first process gas to form a plasma from the first process gas; and exposing the surface to the plasma to remove contaminants from the surface. In some embodiments, the surface is an exposed surface of a process chamber component. In some embodiments, the surface is a surface of a first layer disposed atop a substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer.
Abstract:
Implementations of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and apparatuses for epitaxial deposition on substrate surfaces. More particularly, implementations of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and apparatuses for surface preparation prior to epitaxial deposition. In one implementation, a method of processing a substrate is provided. The method comprises etching a surface of a silicon-containing substrate by use of a plasma etch process to form an etched surface of the silicon-containing substrate and forming an epitaxial layer on the etched surface of the silicon-containing substrate. The plasma etch process comprises flowing an etchant gas mixture comprising a fluorine-containing precursor and a hydrogen-containing precursor into a substrate-processing region of a first processing chamber and forming a plasma from the etchant gas mixture flowed into the substrate-processing region.
Abstract:
Embodiments described herein provide methods and apparatus used to reduce or substantially eliminate undesirable scratches to the non-active surface of a substrate by monitoring and controlling the deflection of a substrate, and thus the contact force between the substrate and a substrate support, during substrate processing. In one embodiment a method for processing a substrate includes positioning the substrate on a patterned surface of a substrate support, where the substrate support is disposed in a processing volume of a processing chamber, applying a chucking voltage to a chucking electrode disposed in the substrate support; flowing a gas into a backside volume disposed between the substrate and the substrate support, monitoring a deflection of the substrate, and changing a chucking parameter based on the deflection of the substrate.