Local plasma processing

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for performing the method. The method includes: (a) providing an apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises (i) a chamber, (ii) a plasma device being in and coupled to the chamber, (iii) a shower head being in and coupled to the chamber, and (iv) a chuck being in and coupled to the chamber; (b) placing the substrate on the chuck; (c) using the plasma device to receive a plasma device gas and generate a plasma; (d) directing the plasma at a pre-specified area on the substrate; and (e) using the shower head to receive and distribute a shower head gas in the chamber, wherein the plasma device gas and the shower head gas are selected such that the plasma and the shower head gas when mixed with each other result in a chemical reaction that forms a film at the pre-specified area on the substrate.

1 . A structure processing method, comprising:
 providing an apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises:
 (i) a chamber, 
 (ii) a plasma device being in and coupled to the chamber, 
 (iii) a shower head being in and coupled to the chamber, and 
 (iv) a chuck being in and coupled to the chamber; 
   placing a substrate on the chuck;   using the plasma device to receive a plasma device gas and generate a plasma;   directing the plasma at a pre-specified area on the substrate; and   using the shower head to receive and distribute a shower head gas in the chamber,   
     wherein the plasma device gas and the shower head gas are selected such that the plasma and the shower head gas when mixed with each other result in a chemical reaction that forms a film at the pre-specified area on the substrate. 
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the film has a pre-specified thickness so as to compensate for the non-uniformity of a subsequent planarization process to be performed on the substrate. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the film has a pre-specified thickness so as to compensate for the non-uniformity of an earlier deposition process performed on the substrate. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the plasma device gas comprises silane,   wherein the shower head gas comprises oxygen atoms, and   wherein the film comprises silicon dioxide.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plasma is generated at an atmospheric pressure. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pre-specified area is at an edge of the substrate. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the substrate comprises a semiconductor chip including (i) a metallic wire bond pad and (ii) a wire bond coupled to the pad, and   wherein the film passivates a connection between the copper pad and the wire bond.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the film passivates a top surface of a crack stop in the substrate. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the film passivates a top surface of a through via in the substrate. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the apparatus further comprises another plasma device being in and coupled to the chamber,   wherein the method further comprises:
 using the another plasma device to receive the plasma device gas and generate another plasma, and 
 directing the another plasma at another pre-specified area on the substrate so as to form another film at the another pre-specified area on the substrate. 
   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising re-directing the plasma at another pre-specified area on the substrate to form another film at the another pre-specified area on the substrate. 
   
   
       12 . A structure processing method, comprising:
 providing an apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises:
 (i) a chamber, 
 (ii) a plasma device being in and coupled to the chamber, and 
 (iii) a chuck being in and coupled to the chamber; 
   placing a substrate on the chuck;   using the plasma device to receive a plasma device gas and generate a plasma; and   directing the plasma at a pre-specified area on the substrate, wherein the plasma device gas is selected such that particles of the plasma bombard the pre-specified area on the substrate essentially without chemically reacting with materials of the pre-specified area on the substrate.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the plasma device gas comprises a gas selected from the group consisting of Ar and N 2 . 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the plasma is generated at an atmospheric pressure. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising re-directing the plasma at another pre-specified area on the substrate. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said re-directing the plasma comprises:
 keeping the plasma device stationary with respect to the chamber; and   moving the substrate with respect to the chamber.