US 12,469,683 B2
Water vapor plasma to enhance surface hydrophilicity
Prayudi Lianto, Singapore (SG); Yin Wei Lim, Singapore (SG); James S. Papanu, San Rafael, CA (US); Guan Huei See, Singapore (SG); Eric J. Bergman, Kalispell, MT (US); Nur Yasmeen Addina Mohamed Helmi Isik, Singapore (SG); Wei Ying Doreen Yong, Singapore (SG); Vicknesh Sahmuganathan, Singapore (SG); Yi Kun Kelvin Goh, Singapore (SG); John Leonard Sudijono, Singapore (SG); and Arvind Sundarrajan, Singapore (SG)
Assigned to Applied Materials Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 27, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/486,334.
Prior Publication US 2023/0100863 A1, Mar. 30, 2023
Int. Cl. H01J 37/32 (2006.01); H01L 21/306 (2006.01)
CPC H01J 37/32357 (2013.01) [H01J 37/32422 (2013.01); H01J 37/32449 (2013.01); H01J 37/32816 (2013.01); H01L 21/306 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
 
1. A method for enhancing surface hydrophilicity on a substrate, comprising:
a) supplying, using a remote plasma source, water vapor plasma to a processing volume of a plasma processing chamber to treat a bonding surface of the substrate;
b) supplying at least one of microwave power or RF power at a frequency from about 1 kHz to 10 GHz and a power from about 1 kW to 10 kW, supplying ozone (O3) for about 0.1 seconds to about 30 minutes and at least one of argon (Ar), hydrogen (H2), nitrogen (N2), or oxygen (O2) to the plasma processing chamber to maintain the water vapor plasma within the processing volume during operation; and
c) continuing a) and b) until the bonding surface of the substrate has a hydrophilic contact angle of less than 10°, wherein the at least one of argon (Ar), hydrogen (H2), nitrogen (N2), oxygen (O2) is supplied at a flow rate up to 5000 sccm and the ozone (O3) is supplied at a flow rate up to 10 slpm.