Apparatus and methods for beam processing of substrates
A substrate processing system includes a processing chamber, a substrate holder configured to hold and rotate a substrate about an axis perpendicular to a working surface of the substrate; an electron emitter adapted to emit a first electron beam directed at a first surface of a peripheral region of the substrate, the first electron beam having a first beam energy and a first beam current sufficient to vaporize material from the first surface of the peripheral region of the substrate; an airflow system configured to direct a flow of gas across the working surface of the substrate; and an exhaust system configured to collect the gas comprising the material vaporized from the peripheral region.
1 . A substrate processing system comprising:
a processing chamber;
a substrate holder disposed in the processing chamber, the substrate holder configured to hold and rotate a substrate about an axis perpendicular to a working surface of the substrate;
an electron emitter configured to vaporize material from a region of the substrate; and
an airflow system configured to entrain the material vaporized from the region with a flow of gas.
2 . The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein the electron emitter is configured to produce an electron beam with a beam energy in a range of 2 KeV to 20 KeV.
3 . The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein the electron emitter is configured to produce an electron beam with a beam current in a range of 1 mA to 30 mA.
4 . The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein the electron emitter is configured to produce an electron beam with a beamwidth in a range of 0.5 mm to 2 mm.
5 . The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein the region of the substrate is a peripheral region.
6 . The substrate processing system of claim 1 , further comprising a metallic foil positioned between the electron emitter and the substrate holder.
7 . A substrate processing system comprising:
a processing chamber;
a substrate holder disposed in the processing chamber, the substrate holder configured to hold a substrate;
an electron beam emitter configured to emit an electron beam targeted at a peripheral region of the substrate;
an airflow system configured to supply a gas over the substrate; and
a vacuum system configured to remove a gas comprising material vaporized from the peripheral region by the electron beam.
8 . The substrate processing system of claim 7 , wherein the substrate holder is configured to rotate with a rotation rate in a range of 500 RPM to 3000 RPM.
9 . The substrate processing system of claim 7 , wherein the airflow system is configured to supply nitrogen (N 2 ) over the substrate.
10 . The substrate processing system of claim 7 , wherein the airflow system is configured to supply argon over the substrate.
11 . A substrate processing system comprising:
a processing chamber;
a substrate holder disposed in the processing chamber, the substrate holder configured to hold and rotate a substrate about an axis perpendicular to a working surface of the substrate;
an electron emitter adapted to emit a first electron beam directed at a first surface of a peripheral region of the substrate, the first electron beam having a first beam energy and a first beam current sufficient to vaporize material from the first surface of the peripheral region of the substrate;
an airflow system configured to direct a flow of gas across the working surface of the substrate; and
an exhaust system configured to collect the gas comprising the material vaporized from the peripheral region.
12 . The substrate processing system of claim 11 , further comprising a nozzle adapted to dispense the material in a fluid form onto the working surface of the substrate held and rotated by the substrate holder to form a spin-coated film on the working surface of the substrate.
13 . The substrate processing system of claim 11 , wherein the first beam energy is between 2 KeV and 20 KeV, and the first beam current is between 1 mA and 30 mA.
14 . The substrate processing system of claim 11 , wherein the electron emitter is further adapted to emit a second electron beam directed at a second surface of the peripheral region of the substrate, the second surface being opposite the first surface, the second electron beam having a second beam energy and a second beam current sufficient to vaporize the material from the second surface.
15 . The substrate processing system of claim 14 , wherein the second beam energy is between 50 KeV and 100 KeV, and the second beam current is between 1 mA and 30 mA.
16 . The substrate processing system of claim 11 , wherein the substrate holder is configured to rotate the substrate between 500 RPM and 3000 RPM.
17 . The substrate processing system of claim 11 , wherein the electron emitter emits the first electron beam for a duration corresponding to between 2 revolutions and 50 revolutions of the substrate.
18 . The substrate processing system of claim 11 , wherein the airflow system comprises a showerhead configured to direct the flow of gas substantially across an entirety of the working surface of the substrate toward the exhaust system.
19 . The substrate processing system of claim 11 , wherein the airflow system comprises a gas nozzle oriented toward the electron emitter, the gas nozzle configured to direct the flow of gas across a portion of the working surface of the substrate toward the electron emitter and the exhaust system.
20 . The substrate processing system of claim 11 , further comprising a controller configured to adjust a parameter of the first electron beam in accordance with metrology data associated with the substrate.