Substrate Surface Reduction with Degassing and Hydrogen Plasma
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate processing technologies face inefficiencies in reducing oxide residues on metal layers due to adsorbates, leading to insufficient surface reduction and yield losses.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing device and system that includes a chamber with a hot plate and plasma supply unit, performing a degassing process with a heat conductive gas to remove adsorbates, followed by a reducing process using hydrogen plasma, minimizing oxide residue and enhancing surface reduction efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a substrate is transferred from a metal layer forming apparatus to an oxide reducing apparatus, then the substrate can undergo oxide reduction, but adsorbates are adsorbed on the metal layer surface during transfer, hindering complete oxide reduction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the oxide reduction apparatus and metal layer forming apparatus into a single integrated substrate processing apparatus. This allows the substrate to undergo both metal layer formation and oxide reduction without being transferred to a separate apparatus, thereby preventing adsorbate contamination during transfer while ensuring complete oxide reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs oxide reduction immediately after metal layer formation within the same chamber, before the substrate is exposed to the external environment during transfer. This preliminary action ensures that oxide reduction is completed while the substrate surface is still clean, preventing adsorbate contamination from interfering with the reduction process.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple chamber transfers are performed for substrate processing, then different processing steps can be performed, but processing time increases and adsorbate adsorption occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple processing functions (metal layer formation, oxide reduction, and heat treatment) into a single substrate processing apparatus with one chamber. This eliminates the need for multiple chamber transfers, reducing processing time and preventing adsorbate adsorption while maintaining the ability to perform different processing steps sequentially.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs a universal substrate processing apparatus that can perform multiple functions (sputtering for metal layer formation, plasma treatment for oxide reduction, and heat treatment) within a single chamber. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate specialized apparatuses and transfers between them, thereby reducing processing time and preventing contamination.
3Device complexity
If oxide reduction is performed without removing adsorbates first, then the process is simpler, but oxide reduction is insufficient due to adsorbate hindrance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs heat treatment to remove adsorbates as a preliminary step before oxide reduction within the same chamber. This preliminary action prepares the substrate surface by eliminating adsorbates that would otherwise hinder oxide reduction, ensuring high manufacturing precision without adding significant process complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a continuous processing sequence within a single chamber: heat treatment to remove adsorbates, followed immediately by oxide reduction, and then metal layer formation. This continuous action eliminates interruptions and transfers, maintaining processing efficiency while ensuring high surface reduction quality through proper sequential treatment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The integrated degassing and reducing processes effectively reduce oxide residues, improving the performance and yield of metal layer-based devices by minimizing oxide residue and optimizing surface treatment without the need for multiple chamber transfers.
Implementation Method 1
a hot plate accommodated in the chamber body and configured to heat the substrate
Implementation Method 2
a plasma supply unit configured to supply plasma of a hydrogen gas
Implementation Method 3
Hydrogen ions and hydrogen radicals included in the plasma of a hydrogen gas reduce an oxide formed on a surface of a metal layer
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing device reduces a surface of a substrate. The surface includes a metal layer. The substrate processing device includes a chamber body, a hot plate, a plasma supply unit, and a controller. The hot plate is accommodated in the chamber body and configured to set the substrate. The plasma supply unit is configured to supply plasma of a hydrogen gas to the chamber body. The controller is configured to execute a degassing process and a reducing process. In the degassing process, the controller drives the hot plate to remove an adsorbate from the surface before driving the plasma supply unit. In the reducing process, the controller drives the plasma supply unit after driving the hot plate to supply the plasma to the surface that has undergone the degassing process.