The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 17, 2004
Filed:
Dec. 15, 2000
Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A processing method and apparatus for removing a native oxide film from the surface of a subject to be treated, wherein plasma is generated from N and H gases and then activated to form an activated gas species, NF gas is added to the activated gas species to generate an activated gas of these three gases, the subject is cooled to not higher than a predetermined temperature by a cooling means, gas generated from the N , H and NF gases is reacted with the surface of the subject to degenerate the native oxide film into a reactive film, the reactive film is sublimated and thus the native oxide film is removed if the subject is heated to a given temperature; a cluster system which includes the above apparatus and other apparatuses and which is capable of carrying a subject to be treated in an unreactive atmosphere.