US2006037700A1PendingUtilityA1

Method and apparatus for removing material from a substrate surface

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Assignee: NANOFILM TECHNOLOGIES INTPriority: Aug 18, 2004Filed: Aug 15, 2005Published: Feb 23, 2006
Est. expiryAug 18, 2024(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Xu ShiLi Cheah
H10P 70/27H10W 72/07511H10W 72/01571H10W 72/015H10P 50/287B29C 33/72H01J 37/32027H01J 2237/335H05K 3/26H01J 2237/0206
34
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Claims

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for removing material from a substrate, such as an IC component, are disclosed. The methods include creating a plasma in an evacuatable chamber, by providing a power source to an electrode in the chamber, and contacting the substrate surface with at least one of ions, atoms and free radicals of the plasma. The power source, preferably DC, is supplied to the electrode as a variable, and preferably a pulsed voltage to prevent arcing.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method of removing material from a substrate surface comprising the steps of: 
 providing a plasma using a power source; and    contacting the substrate surface with one or more of ions, atoms or free radicals of the plasma,    wherein the power source is supplied as a variable voltage.    
     
     
         2 . A method of removing material from a substrate surface comprising the steps of: 
 placing the substrate in an evacuatable chamber having an electrode therein;    providing a variable voltage to the electrode to provide a plasma in the chamber between the electrode and the substrate; and    contacting the substrate surface with one or more of ions, atoms or free radicals of the plasma to remove at least a portion of the material on the surface.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the variable voltage is a pulsed voltage.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the voltage is pulsed once per consecutive 3-30 kHz periods.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the variable voltage is pulsed from 0V to a voltage between −300V and −1000V.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the variable voltage is pulsed from 0V to a voltage between −380V and −600V.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the voltage is applied in a 3 to 20 μs pulse.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  comprising two opposed electrodes, wherein the power source is supplied to one of the electrodes and the other electrode is floating, and wherein the substrate is on the floating electrode.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  comprising two opposed electrodes, wherein the power source is supplied to one of the electrodes and the other electrode is grounded, and wherein the substrate is on the grounded electrode.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  comprising two opposed electrodes, wherein the power source is supplied to one of the electrodes, and the other electrode is floating, wherein the substrate is on said one of the electrodes.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  comprising two opposed electrodes, wherein the power source is supplied to one of the electrodes, and the other electrode is grounded, wherein the substrate is on said one of the electrodes.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  comprising two opposed electrodes, wherein the power source is supplied to both of the electrodes, and the other electrode is floating, wherein the substrate is on the one of the electrodes.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the plasma is provided in an O 2  environment.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the plasma is provided in an O 2 /CF 4  environment.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the plasma is provided in a chamber evacuated to about 80 to 1500 mTorr.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 8  comprising two said substrates located on respective electrodes.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 8  comprising a plurality of spaced electrodes, at least some of which respectively support a respective one of a plurality of said substrates.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 8  wherein at least one of the electrodes supports at least two said substrates on one or both of its opposing sides.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the substrate is one of an IC, IC component, IC mould, die, wafer, ball grid array, IC package, leadframe, PCB, microvia, disk holder, reader arm, or hard disk.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the material is one of an organic substance, organic contaminant, solvent residue or epoxy resin.  
     
     
         21 . Apparatus for removing material from a substrate surface comprising: 
 a vacuum chamber;    an electrode in the vacuum chamber; and    a power source for providing a variable voltage to the electrode, such that a plasma is formable within the chamber and one or more of ions, atoms or free radicals of the plasma contact the substrate surface,    wherein the power source is supplied as a variable voltage.    
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21  wherein the variable voltage is configured to be provided as a pulsed voltage.  
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 21  comprising two opposed electrodes, wherein the power source is supplied to one of the electrodes and the other electrode is floating, and wherein the substrate is on the floating electrode.  
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 21  comprising two opposed electrodes, wherein the power source is supplied to one of the electrodes and the other electrode is grounded, and wherein the substrate is on the grounded electrode.  
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 21  comprising two opposed electrodes, wherein the power source is supplied to one of the electrodes, and the other electrode is floating, wherein the substrate is on said one of the electrodes.  
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 21  comprising two opposed electrodes, wherein the power source is supplied to one of the electrodes, and the other electrode is grounded, wherein the substrate is on said one of the electrodes.  
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 21  comprising two opposed electrodes, wherein the power source is supplied to both of the electrodes, and the other electrode is floating, wherein the substrate is on the one of the electrodes.  
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 21  comprising a plurality of spaced electrodes, at least some of which respectively support a respective one of a plurality of said substrates.  
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 21  wherein the chamber comprises an opening adapted for hermetic abutment with a surface of a conveyor, the substrate being positioned on the conveyor.  
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 21  wherein the substrate is one of an IC, IC component, IC mould, die, wafer, ball grid array, IC package, leadframe, PCB, microvia, disk holder, reader arm, or hard disk.  
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 21  wherein the material is one of an organic substance, organic contaminant, solvent residue or epoxy resin.

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