JP7498257B2 - Method and apparatus for post-exposure processing - Patents.com - Google Patents

Description

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods and apparatus for processing substrates, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for improving photolithography processes.

Integrated circuits have evolved into complex devices that can contain millions of components (e.g., transistors, capacitors, and resistors) on a single chip. Photolithography is a process that can be used to form components on a chip. Generally, the process of photolithography involves several steps. First, a photoresist layer is formed on a substrate. A chemically amplified photoresist may include a resist resin and a photoacid generator. The photoacid generator, when exposed to electromagnetic radiation in a subsequent exposure step, changes the solubility of the photoresist in a development process. The electromagnetic radiation may have any suitable wavelength, such as, for example, a 193 nm ArF laser, an electron beam, an ion beam, or other suitable source. Excess solvent may then be removed in a pre-exposure bake process.

In the exposure step, a photomask or reticle may be used to selectively expose certain areas of the substrate to electromagnetic radiation. Other exposure methods may be maskless exposure methods. The photoacid generator may be decomposed by exposure to light, thereby generating acid and resulting in a latent acid image in the resist resin. After exposure, the substrate may be heated in a post-exposure bake process. During the post-exposure bake process, the acid generated by the photoacid generator reacts with the resist resin of the photoresist layer, changing the solubility of the resist of the photoresist layer during the subsequent development process.

After the post-exposure bake, the substrate, and particularly the photoresist layer, is developed and rinsed. Depending on the type of photoresist used, the areas of the substrate exposed to electromagnetic radiation may be either resistant to removal or susceptible to removal. After developing and rinsing, the pattern of the mask is transferred to the substrate using a wet or dry etching process.

Evolution of chip design requires faster circuits and higher circuit density. The demand for higher circuit density in turn requires a reduction in the dimensions of integrated circuit components. As the dimensions of integrated circuit components are reduced, more elements are placed in a given area of a semiconductor integrated circuit. Thus, lithography processes are utilized to transfer ever smaller features onto a substrate to accommodate the shrinking dimensions of the integrated circuit components.

Precise and accurate lithography is highly dependent on the resolution of a photoresist layer disposed on a substrate to be patterned. Recent developments utilize electrode assemblies to provide an electric field to a photoresist layer disposed on a substrate before or after the exposure process to modify the chemical properties of desired portions of the photoresist layer to improve exposure/development resolution. However, challenges in implementing such systems have not been overcome.

Therefore, there is a need for an improved method and apparatus for an improved immersion field-guided post-exposure bake process.

The present disclosure generally relates to a method and apparatus for an immersion field-guided post-exposure bake process. In one embodiment, the method includes positioning a substrate on a plurality of lift pins in a first volume and moving the lift pins to a first position. The substrate support is moved to the first position to engage the substrate and then moved to a second position adjacent a second volume partially defined by the substrate and an electrode. A process fluid is introduced into the second volume and an electric field is generated between the electrode and the substrate.

In one embodiment, the method includes positioning a substrate on a plurality of lift pins in a first volume of a processing chamber. The substrate is moved to a pre-processing position adjacent a ceiling of the processing chamber, whereupon a substrate support is moved to the pre-processing position to contact the substrate. The substrate is vacuum chucked to the substrate support, and the substrate support is moved to a processing position to form a second volume within the processing chamber. A process fluid is introduced into the second volume, and an electric field is generated therein.

In one embodiment, the method includes positioning a substrate on a plurality of lift pins disposed at a first position within a first volume of a processing chamber and moving the plurality of lift pins to a second position. The substrate support is moved to the second position to contact and vacuum chuck the substrate. The substrate support on which the substrate is chucked is moved to a third position within the first volume, the placement of the substrate support at the third position forming a second volume within the processing chamber defined in part by the substrate. A process fluid is introduced into the second volume and an electric field is generated therein.

So that the above features of the present disclosure can be understood in detail, a more detailed description of the present disclosure briefly summarized above can be obtained by referring to the embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be noted, however, that the accompanying drawings only illustrate exemplary embodiments and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope thereof, other equally effective embodiments being permissible.

1 illustrates operations of a method for processing a substrate according to embodiments described herein. FIG. 2 illustrates a processing chamber during a first stage of the method of FIG. 1 according to embodiments described herein. FIG. 3 illustrates the processing chamber of FIG. 2 during a second stage of the method of FIG. 1 according to embodiments described herein. FIG. 2 illustrates the processing chamber of FIG. 1 during a third stage of the method of FIG. 1 according to embodiments described herein. FIG. 2 illustrates the processing chamber of FIG. 1 during a fourth stage of the method of FIG. 1 according to embodiments described herein.

For ease of understanding, wherever possible, identical reference numbers are used to designate identical elements common to the figures. It is contemplated that elements and features of one embodiment may be beneficially incorporated in other embodiments without further description.

Embodiments described herein relate to methods and apparatus for post-exposure processing. More specifically, embodiments described herein relate to field-guided post-exposure bake (iFGPEB) chambers and processes. In one embodiment, a substrate is transferred into a post-exposure processing chamber and then lifted by multiple lift pins to a pre-processing position. The substrate support is then raised to engage the substrate and vacuum chuck the substrate thereon prior to iFGPEB processing.

Figure 1 illustrates operations of an exemplary method 100 for processing a substrate according to embodiments described herein. Figures 2-5 illustrate schematic cross-sectional views of a substrate 201 in a processing chamber 200 at different stages of the method 100. Reference to Figures 2-5 is therefore included in the description of Figure 1 and, where appropriate, the method 100. The method 100 for processing a substrate 201 has multiple operations. The operations may be performed in any order or simultaneously (unless the context precludes this possibility), and the method 100 may include one or more other operations that occur before any of the defined operations, between two defined operations, or after all of the defined operations (unless the context precludes this possibility). Not all embodiments include all of the described operations.

Generally, operation 110 of method 100 includes positioning a substrate 201 on a plurality of lift pins 266 disposed at a transfer position 270 within a processing chamber 200, and heating a substrate support 208 to a desired temperature. In operation 120, the substrate support 208 remains stationary while the substrate 201 positioned on the lift pins 266 is raised to a pre-processing position 272. Then, in operation 130, the substrate support 208 is raised to engage the substrate 201 with the pre-processing position 272. In operation 140, the substrate support 208 is further raised to a processing position 274, after which the substrate 201 is processed in operation 150.

2 illustrates the process chamber 200 in operation 110. In one embodiment, the process chamber 200 is configured to perform an immersion field-guided post-exposure bake (iFGPEB) process. As shown in FIG. 2, the chamber 200 includes a chamber body 202 having a sidewall 204 and a bottom 206 that at least partially define a volume 203. A slit valve 205 sized to accommodate the passage of the substrate 201 is disposed in the sidewall 204. In one embodiment, the chamber body 202 has a substantially cylindrical shape. In another embodiment, the chamber body 202 has a polygonal shape, such as a cubic shape. The chamber body 202 is fabricated from a material suitable for maintaining a vacuum pressure therein, such as a metallic material. For example, the chamber body 202 is fabricated from aluminum, stainless steel, and alloys, and combinations thereof. Alternatively, the chamber body 202 is fabricated from a polymeric material, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), or a high-temperature plastic, such as polyetheretherketone (PEEK).

The ceiling 210 is coupled to the chamber body 202 and further defines the volume 203. In one embodiment, the ceiling 210 is fabricated from a metallic material, such as aluminum, stainless steel, and alloys, and combinations thereof. In another embodiment, the ceiling 210 is fabricated from a polymeric material, such as PTFE, PEEK, and the like. The ceiling 210 may be formed from the same material utilized to fabricate the chamber body 202. Alternatively, the ceiling 210 may be formed from a different material than the chamber body 202.

The ceiling 210 is coupled to and supports the electrode 212. In one embodiment, the electrode 212 is removably coupled to the ceiling 210. In another embodiment, the electrode 212 is fixedly coupled to the ceiling 210. The electrode 212 may be formed from a conductive metallic material. In addition, the material utilized for the electrode 212 may be a non-oxidizing material. The material selected for the electrode 212 provides desirable current uniformity and low resistance across the surface of the electrode 212. A first O-ring 214 is further coupled to the electrode 212 along an outer diameter of the electrode 212. The first O-ring 214 is also disposed in contact with a sidewall 216 of the ceiling 210. The first O-ring 214 is configured to prevent process fluid from flowing behind the electrode 212 during processing.

A heat source 218, a temperature sensing device 220, a power source 222, and a sensing device 224 are coupled to the electrode 212. The heat source 218 provides power to one or more heating elements (not shown), e.g., resistive heaters, disposed within the electrode 212. The heat source 218 is configured to facilitate preheating of the process fluid during the iFGPEB process. The heat source 218 can also be utilized to maintain a desired temperature of the process fluid during substrate processing in addition to, or in addition to, preheating the process fluid. In one implementation, the heat source 218 is configured to heat the electrode 212 to a temperature of between about 70° C. and about 150° C., e.g., between about 90° C. and about 130° C. For example, the heat source 218 is configured to heat the electrode 212 to a temperature of between about 100° C. and about 120° C., e.g., about 110° C.

A temperature sensing device 220, such as a thermocouple, is communicatively coupled to the heat source 218 to provide temperature monitoring and facilitate heating of the electrode 212. The power source 222 is configured to supply, for example, between about 0 W and about 100 W, such as between about 25 W and about 75 W, to the electrode 212. Depending on the type of process fluid utilized, the current generated by the power source 222 can be from about tens of nanoamps to hundreds of milliamps. In one embodiment, the power source 222 is configured to generate an electric field in the range of about 0 V/mm to about 2000 V/mm. For example, the power source 222 is configured to generate an electric field in the range of about 100 V/mm to about 1800 V/mm, such as between about 500 V/mm to about 1200 V/mm, such as between about 800 V/mm to about 1000 V/mm. In some embodiments, the power source 222 is configured to operate in either a voltage control mode or a current control mode. In both modes, the power source 222 may output AC, DC, and/or pulsed DC waveforms. Square waves or sine waves may be utilized as desired. The power source 222 may be configured to provide power at a frequency between about 0.1 Hz and about 1 kHz, such as between about 100 Hz and about 750 Hz, such as between about 250 Hz and about 500 Hz. The duty cycle of the pulsed DC or AC power may be between about 5% and about 95%, such as between about 25% and about 75%.

The rise and fall times of the pulsed DC or AC power can be between about 1 nanosecond and about 1 millisecond, for example, between about 100 nanoseconds and about 1 microsecond. A sensing device 224, such as a voltmeter, is communicatively coupled to the power source 222 to provide electrical feedback and facilitate control of the power applied to the electrode 212. The sensing device 224 can also be configured to sense the current applied to the electrode 212 via the power source 222.

A first plurality of fluid ports 226 are formed in the ceiling 210 through the sidewall 216. A second plurality of fluid ports 228 are also formed in the sidewall 216 opposite the first plurality of fluid ports 226. The first plurality of fluid ports 226 are fluidly connected to a process fluid source 232 via a first conduit 234. The second plurality of fluid ports 228 are fluidly connected to a fluid outlet 236 via a second conduit 238. The process fluid source 232, alone or in combination with other devices, is configured to preheat a process fluid to a temperature of between about 70° C. and about 150° C., for example, between about 80° C. and about 140° C., prior to processing of the substrate 201, and to supply the fluid during the iFGPEB process. For example, the process fluid is heated to a temperature of between about 100° C. and about 120° C., for example, about 110° C.

In one embodiment, a purge gas source 250 is also in fluid communication with the first plurality of fluid ports 226 via a first conduit 234. The gas provided by the purge gas source 250 may include one or more of nitrogen, hydrogen, an inert gas, or the like, to purge the processing volume 290 (shown in FIG. 5) before, during, or after the iFGPEB process. If desired, the purge gas may be exhausted from the processing volume 290 via a fluid outlet 236.

The substrate support 208 is disposed within the volume 203. In one embodiment, the substrate support 208 is coupled to a shaft 244 disposed through an opening 240 in the bottom 206 of the chamber body 202. The substrate support 208 is raised and lowered within the volume 203 by an actuator assembly 246 coupled to the shaft 244. In some embodiments, the substrate support 208 can further rotate about its central axis.

A vacuum chuck 242 is coupled to the substrate support 208. The vacuum chuck 242 may be formed from a non-metallic material or other insulating material, such as a ceramic material. Additionally, the vacuum chuck 242 may be formed from a non-oxidizing material to substantially reduce or prevent the possibility of substrate oxidation via reaction between the process fluid and the vacuum chuck 242. Similar to the electrode 212, the material utilized for the vacuum chuck 242 provides desirable current uniformity during processing of the substrate 201. In particular, the material utilized for the vacuum chuck 242 is selected to have a negligible effect on the electric field generated within the processing chamber 200 during processing.

The vacuum chuck 242 is configured to support the substrate 201 thereon during processing and has a planar support surface 242A. The support surface 242A is sized to accommodate attachment of the substrate 201 thereon and to be positioned adjacent the ceiling 210. A vacuum source 258 is in fluid communication with the substrate support surface 242A. Generally, the vacuum source 258 is coupled to the vacuum chuck 242 through the substrate support 208. The vacuum source 258 is configured to vacuum chuck the substrate 201 to the support surface 242A of the vacuum chuck 242 during processing.

Similar to the electrode 212, the vacuum chuck 242 is coupled to a heat source 248, a temperature sensing device 252, and a power source 254. The heat source 248, the temperature sensing device 252, the power source 254, and the sensing device 256 may function similarly to the heat source 218, the temperature sensing device 220, the power source 222, and the sensing device 224. For example, the heat source 248 provides power to one or more heating elements, such as resistive heaters or ceramic heaters, disposed within the vacuum chuck 242. Generally, the heat source 248 is configured to heat the vacuum chuck 242 to facilitate heating of the substrate 201 and/or process fluids during the iFGPEB process. In one embodiment, the heat source 248 is configured to heat the vacuum chuck 242 to a temperature between about 75° C. and about 150° C., such as between about 100° C. and about 125° C., such as between about 110° C. and about 120° C. A temperature sensing device 252, such as a thermocouple, is communicatively coupled to the heat source 248 to provide temperature monitoring and facilitate heating of the vacuum chuck 242.

In one embodiment, the second O-ring 280 is disposed on the vacuum chuck 242 on the substrate support surface 242A. The second O-ring 280 may be positioned on the vacuum chuck 242 at a distance of between about 1 mm and about 12 mm radially inward from the outer diameter of the substrate 201 when disposed thereon. For example, the second O-ring 280 may be positioned on the vacuum chuck 242 at a distance of between about 2 mm and about 10 mm, such as between about 4 mm and about 8 mm radially inward from the outer diameter of the substrate 201. It is believed that the second O-ring 280 can prevent leakage of process fluid from the processing volume 290 to the area behind the substrate 201 during processing.

The vacuum chuck 242 further includes a ledge 282 disposed radially outward of the second O-ring 280 and coupling the substrate support surface 242A to the upper surface 242B of the vacuum chuck 242. The upper surface 242B is disposed below and radially outward of the ledge 282 and the substrate support surface 242A. In one embodiment, a third O-ring 284 is disposed on the vacuum chuck 242 on the upper surface 242B. The first lower surface 215 of the ceiling 210 is shaped and sized to contact an edge region of the substrate 201 when the substrate support 208 is in the processing position 274. The second lower surface 217 of the ceiling 210 is shaped and sized to contact the vacuum chuck 242 adjacent to and extending radially inward from the outer diameter of the substrate support surface 242A. The third lower surface 219 of the ceiling 210 is shaped and sized to contact the upper surface 242B. In one embodiment, the third O-ring 284 contacts the third lower surface 219 when the substrate support 208 is disposed in the processing position 274. It is believed that the third O-ring 284 can prevent process fluid from leaking out of the processing volume 290 beyond the outer diameter of the vacuum chuck 242 during processing.

Each of the substrate support 208 and the vacuum chuck 242 includes a plurality of lift pin holes 262, 264, respectively. The plurality of lift pin holes 262 are aligned with the plurality of lift pin holes 264. The plurality of lift pins 266 are movably disposed through the plurality of lift pin holes 262, 264 and through the plurality of holes 241 in the chamber bottom 206. The plurality of lift pins 266 are coupled to a lift pin actuator 268 that displaces the lift pins 266 through the chamber bottom 206, the substrate support 208, and the vacuum chuck 242 between a transfer position 270, a pre-processing position 272 (shown in FIG. 3), and a processing position 274 (shown in FIG. 5).

In operation 110, the substrate 201 is transferred by a robot blade or other suitable transfer device (not shown) through the slit valve 205 into the volume 203 and positioned on the upper ends 267 of a number of lift pins 266. The upper ends 267 of the lift pins 266 are positioned in a transfer position 270 that is elevated above the substrate support 208 but slightly lower than the slit valve 205. The substrate support 208, to which the vacuum chuck 242 is coupled, is positioned in a lowered position (e.g., relative to the chamber bottom 206) such that no contact is made between the substrate 201 and the substrate support surface 242A during operation 110. In one example, the upper ends 267 of the lift pins 266 are positioned at a distance between about 10 mm and about 110 mm, e.g., between about 30 mm and about 90 mm, from the substrate support surface 242A. In another example, the upper ends 267 of the lift pins 266 are positioned at a distance of between about 50 mm and about 90 mm, e.g., between about 60 mm and about 80 mm, from the substrate support surface 242A. Once the substrate 201 is positioned in the processing chamber 200, the vacuum chuck 242 is heated by the heat source 248 to a temperature of between about 75° C. and about 150° C., e.g., between about 100° C. and about 125° C., e.g., about 115° C.

In operation 120, as shown in FIG. 3, the substrate 201 disposed on the lift pins 266 is elevated to a pretreatment position 272. The lift pin actuator 268 raises the plurality of lift pins 266 from a transfer position 270 to a pretreatment position 272. In one embodiment, the substrate 201 is moved from the transfer position 270 to the pretreatment position 272 in about 2 to about 6 seconds, e.g., about 2 to about 4 seconds, e.g., about 3 seconds. In one embodiment, the substrate 201 is elevated to the pretreatment position 272 having a distance of between about 1 mm and about 25 mm, e.g., between about 5 mm and about 20 mm, from the lower surface 213 of the electrode 212. For example, the pretreatment position 272 has a distance of between about 10 mm and about 15 mm, e.g., about 12 mm.

In operation 130, as shown in FIG. 4, the substrate support 208 is raised to the pre-treatment position 272 such that the substrate support surface 242A of the vacuum chuck 242 is slightly higher than or substantially flush with the upper ends 267 of the lift pins 266. Thus, the substrate support 208 engages the substrate 201 and supports the substrate 201 thereon. The vacuum source 258 is then activated to vacuum chuck the substrate 201 to the support surface 242A of the vacuum chuck 242. In one embodiment, the substrate support 208 is raised to the pre-treatment position 272 and engages the substrate 201 for about 2 to about 5 seconds, for example, about 2 to about 4 seconds, for example, about 3 seconds. By avoiding contact between the substrate support 208 and the substrate 201 prior to operation 130, the vacuum chuck 242 can be heated to a desired temperature without direct heat transfer to the substrate 201, and the heating of the substrate 201 can be delayed to begin substantially simultaneously with the application of the electric field during the iFGPEB process.

In operation 140, as shown in FIG. 5, after chucking the substrate 201 to the vacuum chuck 242, the substrate support 208 is raised to a processing position 274 where the vacuum chuck 242 and the substrate 201 contact the ceiling 210. For example, the edge region of the substrate 201 contacts the first lower surface 215, the edge region of the substrate support surface 242A contacts the second lower surface 217, and the upper surface 242B and the third O-ring 284 contact the third lower surface 219. The placement of the substrate support 208 in the processing position 274 results in the formation of a processing volume between the substrate 201 and the electrode 212 that is fluid-tightly sealed by the first O-ring 214, the second O-ring 280, and the third O-ring 284.

In one embodiment, the substrate support 208 is lifted from the pre-treatment position 272 to the treatment position 274 in about 0.1 seconds to about 2 seconds, e.g., about 0.5 seconds to about 1.5 seconds. For example, the substrate support 208 is lifted from the pre-treatment position 272 to the treatment position 274 in about 0.75 seconds to about 1.25 seconds, e.g., about 1 second. Thus, the total time required to move the substrate from the transfer position 270 to the treatment position 274 can be between about 0.1 seconds to about 3 seconds, e.g., between about 0.5 seconds to about 2.5 seconds. For example, the total time required to move the substrate 201 from the transfer position 270 to the treatment position 274 is between about 1 second to about 2 seconds, e.g., about 1.5 seconds.

In one embodiment, the processing volume 290 has a height 292 defined between the substrate 201 and the lower surface 213 of the electrode 212. In one example, the height 292 of the processing volume 290 is between about 1 mm and about 10 mm, such as between about 2 mm and about 8 mm. For example, the height 292 of the processing volume 290 is between about 4 mm and about 6 mm, such as about 5 mm. The relatively short distance between the substrate 201 and the electrode 212 reduces the volume of the processing volume 290, making a reduced amount of process fluid available during the iFGPEB process. Furthermore, the reduced height 292 can result in a substantially more uniform electric field across the surface of the substrate 201, which can result in improved patterning characteristics during the iFGPEB process. In addition, the power required to generate the desired electric field and heat the process fluid during the iFGPEB can be reduced.

After positioning the substrate support 208 at the processing position 274 and forming the processing volume 290, the substrate 201 is exposed to an iFGPEB process in operation 150. During an iFGPEB process, the processing volume 290 is filled with a process fluid, e.g., a gas or liquid, having a flow path that originates from the process fluid source 232 and travels through a first conduit 234. The process fluid exits the first conduit 234 and enters the processing volume 290 through a first plurality of fluid ports 226. The flow rate of the process fluid into the processing volume 290 can be adjusted to reduce turbulence of the fluid in the processing volume 290 and reduce or eliminate the formation of bubbles therein. For example, the flow rate of the process fluid into the processing volume 290 can be adjusted between 1 L/min and about 12 L/min, e.g., between about 5 L/min and about 10 L/min. The process fluid can also be preheated to a processing temperature before being introduced into the processing volume 290. For example, the process fluid may be preheated by the process fluid source 232 to a temperature of between about 70° C. and about 170° C., such as between about 90° C. and about 150° C. For example, the process fluid may be heated to a temperature of between about 110° C. and about 130° C., such as about 120° C.

Once the processing volume 290 is filled with process fluid, an electric field is applied to the substrate 201 by the electrode 212. In one embodiment, the electric field may be applied to the substrate 201 for an amount of time between about 10 seconds and about 90 seconds, for example, between about 25 seconds and about 75 seconds, for example, between about 40 seconds and about 60 seconds, for example, about 50 seconds. In some embodiments, the fluid disposed in the processing volume 290 is stagnant during processing of the substrate 201. In some embodiments, the fluid volume of the processing volume 290 is circulated or exchanged. In such an embodiment, once the processing volume 290 is filled with process fluid via the first conduit 234 and the first fluid port 226, the process fluid also exits the processing volume 290 via the second fluid port 228 and the second conduit 238, and is eventually removed from the processing chamber 200 at the fluid outlet 236. After application of the electric field, the process fluid may be evacuated from the processing volume 290, and the substrate support 208 on which the processed substrate 201 is chucked may be lowered.

The above-described methods and apparatus improve iFGPEB processing performance by reducing the amount of time the substrate is exposed to heat prior to application of the electric field. By engaging the substrate with the heated substrate support immediately prior to application of the electric field, undesirable heat transfer between the heated substrate support and the substrate is minimized. Thus, random thermal diffusion of acid generated by the photoacid generator in the photoresist can be substantially reduced, thus reducing thermally induced deprotection of the photoresist. The reduction in deprotection due to photoresist pretreatment improves photoresist development/exposure resolution and improves control over the diffusion of charged species generated by the photoacid generator, thereby allowing for more accurate transfer of circuit features during lithography.

In summary, an apparatus and method for improving iFGPEB processing is provided. The processing chamber described herein allows for efficient utilization of process fluids and improved application of electric fields during iFGPEB operations. Photoresist resolution is also improved by reducing the amount of time the substrate is exposed to high temperatures before applying an electric field, thus reducing reaction of photoresist species prior to iFGPEB processing. Thus, iFGPEB processing operations can be improved by utilizing the apparatus and methods described herein.

While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present disclosure, other and further embodiments of the disclosure may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, the scope of which is determined by the claims that follow.

Claims (18)

A method for processing a substrate, comprising:
Positioning a substrate over a plurality of lift pins in a first volume, the lift pins being disposed at a first location;
moving the plurality of lift pins with the substrate positioned thereon to a second position within the first volume;
moving a substrate support disposed within the first volume to the second position and engaging the substrate by vacuum chucking the substrate to an upper surface of the substrate support;
moving the substrate support, with the substrate engaged therewith, to a third position adjacent a second volume defined in part by the substrate and an electrode ; and processing the substrate in the second volume , the processing further comprising introducing a process fluid into the second volume and generating an electric field between the substrate and the electrode in the second volume.
A method comprising: The method of claim 1, wherein the upper ends of the lift pins are positioned at a distance between 10 mm and 100 mm from the substrate support when in the first position. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate support is heated to a temperature between 75°C and 150°C before moving to the second position. The method of claim 3, wherein the substrate support is moved to the second position between 2 and 5 seconds after heating. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate support is moved from the second position to the third position in between 0.1 seconds and 2 seconds. The method of claim 1, wherein the total time for the substrate to move from the first position to the third position is between 0.1 seconds and 3 seconds. The method of claim 1 , wherein when the substrate is disposed in the third position, a height of the second volume is defined between the substrate and an electrode disposed in a ceiling of a processing chamber. The method of claim 7 , wherein the height of the second volume is between 1 mm and 10 mm. A method for processing a substrate, comprising:
Positioning a substrate on a plurality of lift pins within a first volume of a processing chamber;
moving the substrate to a pre-treatment position adjacent a ceiling of the treatment chamber;
moving a substrate support to the pre-treatment position and into contact with the substrate;
vacuum chucking the substrate to the substrate support;
moving the substrate support onto which the substrate is vacuum chucked to a processing position, where moving the substrate support to the processing position results in a second volume being formed in the processing chamber;
introducing a process fluid into the second volume; and generating an electric field within the second volume. 10. The method of claim 9 , wherein an upper end of the lift pin is positioned at a transfer position between 30 mm and 90 mm from the substrate support before moving to the pre-processing position. The method of claim 10 , wherein the substrate support is moved from the pre-treatment position to the treatment position in between 0.5 seconds and 1.5 seconds. The method of claim 11 , wherein the total time for the substrate to move from the transfer position to the processing position is between 0.5 seconds and 2.5 seconds. The method of claim 9 , wherein the substrate support is heated to a temperature between 100° C. and 125° C. prior to moving to the pre-treatment position. The method of claim 13 , wherein the substrate support is moved to the pre-treatment position between 2 and 4 seconds after heating. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second volume is defined in part by the substrate when the substrate is disposed in the processing position and an electrode disposed in a ceiling of the processing chamber. The method of claim 15 , wherein the second volume is fluid-tight by one or more O-rings disposed on the substrate support or the electrode. 17. The method of claim 16 , wherein process fluid is introduced into the second volume at a flow rate between 1 L/min and 12 L/min. A method for processing a substrate, comprising:
Positioning the substrate on a plurality of lift pins disposed at a first position within a first volume of a processing chamber;
moving the plurality of lift pins to a second position within the first volume of the processing chamber;
moving a substrate support to the second position to contact the substrate and vacuum chuck the substrate;
moving the substrate support, with the substrate chucked thereon, to a third position within the first volume of the processing chamber, wherein disposition of the substrate support at the third position forms a second volume within the processing chamber, the second volume being defined in part by the substrate;
introducing a process fluid into the second volume; and generating an electric field within the second volume.

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