US20140273404A1

US20140273404A1 - Advanced Targeted Microwave Degas System

Info

Publication number: US20140273404A1
Application number: US14/091,854
Authority: US
Inventors: Kent Riley Child; Minh Huu Le
Original assignee: Intermolecular Inc
Current assignee: Intermolecular Inc
Priority date: 2013-03-13
Filing date: 2013-11-27
Publication date: 2014-09-18
Also published as: WO2014160467A1; US9076641B2; US8987143B2; US20140264507A1; US20140273525A1; WO2014160460A1; US20140264281A1; US20140273493A1; US20150255332A1; US20140264825A1

Abstract

In some embodiments, methods are described that allow the processing of a substrate using microwave-based degas systems. The methods allow process variables such as power, dwell time, frequency, backside cooling gas usage, backside cooling gas flow rate, and the like to be investigated. In some embodiments, apparatus are described that allow the investigation of process variables used in microwave-based degas systems to remove adsorbed species from the surface of a substrate. The apparatus allow process variables such as power, dwell time, frequency, backside cooling gas usage, backside cooling gas flow rate, and the like to be investigated.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/779,740, filed on Mar. 13, 2013, which is herein incorporated by reference for all purposes.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to use of degas processes used in the manufacture of microelectronic devices.

BACKGROUND

Degassing is a standard production technology for electronics manufacturing. In particular, degas systems employing resistive heaters have been used to remove adsorbed moisture and contaminants from wafers during the manufacture of semiconductor devices, typically before subsequent deposition processes. High volume manufacturing degas systems have been designed to create uniform temperatures across the substrate surface.
Heretofore, degas systems have been used to provide uniform temperature for entire substrates using resistive heating. However, the substrates often include temperature sensitive materials or structures (e.g. dopant implants) that constrain the maximum temperature and/or the thermal budget for the device. Yet, adsorbed species such as water vapor and/or contaminants must be removed from the surface of the substrate before subsequent deposition processes to ensure a clean interface and good device performance. What is needed is a system that allows adsorbed water vapor and/or contaminants to be removed without degrading the performance of temperature sensitive materials or structures formed on the substrate.

SUMMARY

The following summary of the disclosure is included in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects and features of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention and as such it is not intended to particularly identify key or critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented below.
In some embodiments, apparatus are described that allow the investigation of process variables used in microwave-based degas systems to remove adsorbed species from the surface of a substrate. The apparatus allow process variables such as power, dwell time, frequency, backside cooling gas usage, backside cooling gas flow rate, and the like to be investigated.
In some embodiments, methods are described that allow the processing of a substrate using microwave-based degas systems. The methods allow process variables such as power, dwell time, frequency, backside cooling gas usage, backside cooling gas flow rate, and the like to be investigated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. The drawings are not to scale and the relative dimensions of various elements in the drawings are depicted schematically and not necessarily to scale.

The techniques of the present invention can readily be understood by considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram for implementing combinatorial processing and evaluation.

FIG. 2 presents a schematic diagram for illustrating various process sequences using combinatorial processing and evaluation.

FIG. 3 illustrates a processing system enabling combinatorial processing.

FIG. 4 presents a flow chart illustrating the steps of methods according to some embodiments.

FIG. 5 illustrates an apparatus according to some embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A detailed description of one or more embodiments is provided below along with accompanying figures. The detailed description is provided in connection with such embodiments, but is not limited to any particular example. The scope is limited only by the claims and numerous alternatives, modifications, and equivalents are encompassed. Numerous specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a thorough understanding. These details are provided for the purpose of example and the described techniques may be practiced according to the claims without some or all of these specific details. For the purpose of clarity, technical material that is known in the technical fields related to the embodiments has not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description.
Before various embodiments are described in detail, it is to be understood that unless otherwise indicated, this invention is not limited to specific layer compositions or surface treatments. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
It must be noted that as used herein and in the claims, the singular forms “a,” “and” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a layer” includes two or more layers, and so forth.
Where a range of values is provided, it is understood that each intervening value, to the tenth of the unit of the lower limit unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, between the upper and lower limit of that range, and any other stated or intervening value in that stated range, is encompassed within the invention. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may independently be included in the smaller ranges, and are also encompassed within the invention, subject to any specifically excluded limit in the stated range. Where the stated range includes one or both of the limits, ranges excluding either or both of those included limits are also included in the invention. The term “about” generally refers to ±10% of a stated value.
The term “site-isolated” as used herein refers to providing distinct processing conditions, such as controlled temperature, flow rates, chamber pressure, processing time, plasma composition, and plasma energies. Site isolation may provide complete isolation between regions or relative isolation between regions. Preferably, the relative isolation is sufficient to provide a control over processing conditions within ±10%, within ±5%, within ±2%, within ±1%, or within ±0.1% of the target conditions. Where one region is processed at a time, adjacent regions are generally protected from any exposure that would alter the substrate surface in a measurable way.
The term “site-isolated region” is used herein to refer to a localized area on a substrate which is, was, or is intended to be used for processing or formation of a selected material. The region can include one region and/or a series of regular or periodic regions predefined on the substrate. The region may have any convenient shape, e.g., circular, rectangular, elliptical, wedge-shaped, etc. In the semiconductor field, a region may be, for example, a test structure, single die, multiple dies, portion of a die, other defined portion of substrate, or an undefined area of a substrate, e.g., blanket substrate which is defined through the processing.
The term “substrate” as used herein may refer to any workpiece on which formation or treatment of material layers is desired. Substrates may include, without limitation, silicon, germanium, silicon-germanium alloy, silica, sapphire, zinc oxide, silicon carbide, aluminum nitride, gallium nitride, Spinel, coated silicon, silicon on oxide, silicon carbide on oxide, glass, gallium arsenide, indium phosphide, and combinations (or alloys) thereof. The term “substrate” or “wafer” may be used interchangeably herein. Semiconductor wafer shapes and sizes can vary and include commonly used round wafers of 2″, 4″, 200 mm, or 300 mm in diameter.
The term “microwave radiation” as used herein refers to electromagnetic waves with frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz. These frequencies correspond to wavelengths between 1 cm and 1 m.
The term “remote microwave source” as used herein refers to a microwave source located at a distance from a deposition or treatment location sufficient to allow some filtering of the microwave components.
The term “degas” as used herein refers to a process whereby adsorbed gases (e.g. water vapor, organic vapors, volatile contaminants, etc.) are substantially removed from a surface of a substrate prior to subsequent processing.
Systems and methods for High Productivity Combinatorial (HPC) processing are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,544,574 filed on Feb. 10, 2006, U.S. Pat. No. 7,824,935 filed on Jul. 2, 2008, U.S. Pat. No. 7,871,928 filed on May 4, 2009, U.S. Pat. No. 7,902,063 filed on Feb. 10, 2006, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,947,531 filed on Aug. 28, 2009 which are all herein incorporated by reference. Systems and methods for HPC processing are further described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/352,077 filed on Feb. 10, 2006, claiming priority from Oct. 15, 2005, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/419,174 filed on May 18, 2006, claiming priority from Oct. 15, 2005, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/674,132 filed on Feb. 12, 2007, claiming priority from Oct. 15, 2005, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/674,137 filed on Feb. 12, 2007, claiming priority from Oct. 15, 2005 which are all herein incorporated by reference.
HPC processing techniques have been successfully adapted to wet chemical processing such as etching and cleaning. HPC processing techniques have also been successfully adapted to deposition processes such as physical vapor deposition (PVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), and chemical vapor deposition (CVD).
The present invention is described in one or more embodiments in the following description with reference to the Figures, in which like numerals represent the same or similar elements. While the invention is described in exemplary terms which include a best mode for achieving the invention's objectives, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that it is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents as supported by the following disclosure and drawings.
Embodiments of the present invention provide a system for systematic exploration of plasma treatment process variables in a combinatorial manner with the possibility of performing many variations on a single substrate. The combinatorial processing permits a single substrate to be systematically explored using different plasma processing conditions, and reduces or eliminates variables that interfere with research quality. The apparatuses and methods disclosed herein permit the systematic exploration of plasma treatments on a single substrate using combinatorial methods, and removes the run to run variability and inconsistencies between substrates that hamper research and optimization of process variables.
FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram, 100, for implementing combinatorial processing and evaluation using primary, secondary, and tertiary screening. The schematic diagram, 100, illustrates that the relative number of combinatorial processes run with a group of substrates decreases as certain materials and/or processes are selected. Generally, combinatorial processing includes performing a large number of processes during a primary screen, selecting promising candidates from those processes, performing the selected processing during a secondary screen, selecting promising candidates from the secondary screen for a tertiary screen, and so on. In addition, feedback from later stages to earlier stages can be used to refine the success criteria and provide better screening results.
For example, thousands of materials are evaluated during a materials discovery stage, 102. Materials discovery stage, 102, is also known as a primary screening stage performed using primary screening techniques. Primary screening techniques may include dividing substrates into coupons and depositing materials using varied processes. The materials are then evaluated, and promising candidates are advanced to the secondary screen, or materials and process development stage, 104. Evaluation of the materials is performed using metrology tools such as electronic testers and imaging tools (i.e., microscopes).
The materials and process development stage, 104, may evaluate hundreds of materials (i.e., a magnitude smaller than the primary stage) and may focus on the processes used to deposit or develop those materials. Promising materials and processes are again selected, and advanced to the tertiary screen or process integration stage, 106, where tens of materials and/or processes and combinations are evaluated. The tertiary screen or process integration stage, 106, may focus on integrating the selected processes and materials with other processes and materials.
The most promising materials and processes from the tertiary screen are advanced to device qualification, 108. In device qualification, the materials and processes selected are evaluated for high volume manufacturing, which normally is conducted on full substrates within production tools, but need not be conducted in such a manner. The results are evaluated to determine the efficacy of the selected materials and processes. If successful, the use of the screened materials and processes can proceed to pilot manufacturing, 110.
The schematic diagram, 100, is an example of various techniques that may be used to evaluate and select materials and processes for the development of new materials and processes. The descriptions of primary, secondary, etc. screening and the various stages, 102-110, are arbitrary and the stages may overlap, occur out of sequence, be described and be performed in many other ways.
This application benefits from High Productivity Combinatorial (HPC) techniques described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/674,137 filed on Feb. 12, 2007 which is hereby incorporated for reference in its entirety. Portions of the '137 application have been reproduced below to enhance the understanding of the present invention.
While the combinatorial processing varies certain materials, hardware details, or process sequences, the composition or thickness of the layers or structures or the actions, such as cleaning, surface preparation, deposition, surface treatment, etc. is substantially uniform through each discrete region. Furthermore, while different materials or processes may be used for corresponding layers or steps in the formation of a structure in different regions of the substrate during the combinatorial processing, the application of each layer or use of a given process is substantially consistent or uniform throughout the different regions in which it is intentionally applied. Thus, the processing is uniform within a region (inter-region uniformity) and between regions (intra-region uniformity), as desired. It should be noted that the process can be varied between regions, for example, where a thickness of a layer is varied or a material may be varied between the regions, etc., as desired by the design of the experiment.
The result is a series of regions on the substrate that contain structures or unit process sequences that have been uniformly applied within that region and, as applicable, across different regions. This process uniformity allows comparison of the properties within and across the different regions such that the variations in test results are due to the varied parameter (e.g., materials, unit processes, unit process parameters, hardware details, or process sequences) and not the lack of process uniformity. In the embodiments described herein, the positions of the discrete regions on the substrate can be defined as needed, but are preferably systematized for ease of tooling and design of experimentation. In addition, the number, variants and location of structures within each region are designed to enable valid statistical analysis of the test results within each region and across regions to be performed.
FIG. 2 is a simplified schematic diagram illustrating a general methodology for combinatorial process sequence integration that includes site-isolated processing and/or conventional processing in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. In one embodiment, the substrate is initially processed using conventional process N. In one exemplary embodiment, the substrate is then processed using site-isolated process N+1. During site-isolated processing, an HPC module may be used, such as the HPC module described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/352,077 filed on Feb. 10, 2006. The substrate can then be processed using site-isolated process N+2, and thereafter processed using conventional process N+3. Testing is performed and the results are evaluated. The testing can include physical, chemical, acoustic, magnetic, electrical, optical, etc. tests. From this evaluation, a particular process from the various site-isolated processes (e.g. from steps N+1 and N+2) may be selected and fixed so that additional combinatorial process sequence integration may be performed using site-isolated processing for either process N or N+3. For example, a next process sequence can include processing the substrate using site-isolated process N, conventional processing for processes N+1, N+2, and N+3, with testing performed thereafter.
It should be appreciated that various other combinations of conventional and combinatorial processes can be included in the processing sequence with regard to FIG. 2. That is, the combinatorial process sequence integration can be applied to any desired segments and/or portions of an overall process flow. Characterization, including physical, chemical, acoustic, magnetic, electrical, optical, etc. testing, can be performed after each process operation, and/or series of process operations within the process flow as desired. The feedback provided by the testing is used to select certain materials, processes, process conditions, and process sequences and eliminate others. Furthermore, the above process flows can be applied to entire monolithic substrates, or portions of the monolithic substrates.
Under combinatorial processing operations the processing conditions at different regions can be controlled independently. Consequently, process material amounts, reactant species, processing temperatures, processing times, processing pressures, processing flow rates, processing powers, processing reagent compositions, the rates at which the reactions are quenched, deposition order of process materials, process sequence steps, hardware details, etc., can be varied from region to region on the substrate. Thus, for example, when exploring materials, a processing material delivered to a first and second region can be the same or different. If the processing material delivered to the first region is the same as the processing material delivered to the second region, this processing material can be offered to the first and second regions on the substrate at different concentrations. In addition, the material can be deposited under different processing parameters. Parameters which can be varied include, but are not limited to, process material amounts, reactant species, processing temperatures, processing times, processing pressures, processing flow rates, processing powers, processing reagent compositions, the rates at which the reactions are quenched, atmospheres in which the processes are conducted, the order in which materials are deposited, hardware details of the gas distribution assembly, etc. It should be appreciated that these process parameters are exemplary and not meant to be an exhaustive list as other process parameters commonly used with plasma exposure systems may be varied.
As mentioned above, within a region, the process conditions are substantially uniform, in contrast to gradient processing techniques which rely on the inherent non-uniformity of the material deposition. That is, the embodiments, described herein locally perform the processing in a conventional manner, e.g., substantially consistent and substantially uniform, while globally over the substrate, the materials, processes, and process sequences may vary. Thus, the testing will find optimums without interference from process variation differences between processes that are meant to be the same. It should be appreciated that a region may be adjacent to another region in one embodiment or the regions may be isolated and, therefore, non-overlapping. When the regions are adjacent, there may be a slight overlap wherein the materials or precise process interactions are not known, however, a portion of the regions, normally at least 50% or more of the area, is uniform and all testing occurs within that region. Further, the potential overlap is only allowed with material of processes that will not adversely affect the result of the tests. Both types of regions are referred to herein as regions or discrete regions.
Substrates may be a conventional round 200 mm, 300 mm, or any other larger or smaller substrate/wafer size. In other embodiments, substrates may be square, rectangular, or other shape. One skilled in the art will appreciate that substrate may be a blanket substrate, a coupon (e.g., partial wafer), or even a patterned substrate having predefined regions. In some embodiments, a substrate may have regions defined through the processing described herein.
Software is provided to control the process parameters for each wafer for the combinatorial processing. The process parameters comprise selection of one or more source gases for the plasma generator, plasma filtering parameters, exposure time, substrate temperature, power, frequency, plasma generation method, substrate bias, pressure, gas flow, or combinations thereof.
FIG. 3 is a simplified schematic diagram illustrating an integrated high productivity combinatorial (HPC) system in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. The HPC system includes a frame 300 supporting a plurality of processing modules. It will be appreciated that frame 300 may be a unitary frame in accordance with some embodiments. In some embodiments, the environment within frame 300 is controlled. A load lock 302 provides access into the plurality of modules of the HPC system. A robot 314 provides for the movement of substrates (and masks) between the modules and for the movement into and out of the load lock 302. Modules 304-312 may be any set of modules and preferably include one or more combinatorial modules. For example, module 304 may be an orientation/degassing module, module 306 may be a clean module, either plasma or non-plasma based, modules 308 and/or 310 may be combinatorial/conventional dual purpose modules. Module 312 may provide conventional clean or degas as necessary for the experiment design.
Any type of chamber or combination of chambers may be implemented and the description herein is merely illustrative of one possible combination and not meant to limit the potential chamber or processes that can be supported to combine combinatorial processing or combinatorial plus conventional processing of a substrate or wafer. In some embodiments, a centralized controller, i.e., computing device 316, may control the processes of the HPC system. Further details of one possible HPC system are described in U.S. application Ser. Nos. 11/672,478 and 11/672,473, the entire disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference. In a HPC system, a plurality of methods may be employed to deposit material upon a substrate employing combinatorial processes.
Degas processes are used in several stages or steps during the manufacture of semiconductor, optoelectronic, and thin film photovoltaic devices. The degas process may be used as a thermal treatment, wherein the substrate is heated in an inert atmosphere. As discussed previously, current degas systems are designed to produce a uniform temperature across the entire surface of the substrate using resistive heating. However, the substrates often include temperature sensitive materials or structures (e.g. dopant implants) that constrain the maximum temperature and/or the thermal budget for the device. Yet, adsorbed species such as water vapor and/or contaminants must be removed from the surface of the substrate before subsequent deposition processes to ensure a clean interface and good device performance. Degas processes are needed for both conventional and high productivity combinatorial processing flows.
Microwave radiation is generally understood to refer to electromagnetic waves with frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz. Government regulations limit industrial and medical application frequencies to 27.12 MHz, 915 MHz, and 2.45 GHz. Typical heating applications use microwave radiation with frequencies of 2.45 GHz so that they do not interfere with telecommunications and cellular phone frequencies. Microwave radiation with frequencies of 2.45 GHz has energies of about 0.0016 eV. Clearly these energy levels are not high enough to directly break chemical bonds. As an example, Van der Waals bonds have typical energies of about 0.044 eV, hydrogen bonds have typical energies of about 0.2 eV, ionic bonds have typical energies of about 0.17 to 0.3 eV, and single covalent bonds have typical energies of about 2 to 5 eV. Therefore, the microwave radiation cannot directly induce chemical reactions.
The microwave radiation will interact with dipoles formed by chemical bonding and interactions of adsorbed species with surfaces. As the dipoles are exposed to the microwave radiation, they will attempt to align with the oscillating electric field. In condensed phases (e.g. liquids and solids), steric hindrance prevents the dipoles from efficiently following the oscillating electric field, causing a phase delay between the electric field and the dipole alignment. This phase delay causes energy, in the form of heat, to be lost from the dipole by molecular friction and collisions. The increase in temperature is sufficient to overcome the bonding between the adsorbed species (e.g. water vapor, organic vapors, volatile contaminants, etc.) and the surface. In this manner, the adsorbed species can be removed from the surface without degrading the performance of temperature sensitive materials or structures that may be formed on the substrate. Those skilled in the art will understand that the substrate and bulk materials formed on the substrate interact only very weakly with the microwave radiation due to the absence of strong dipoles (e.g. the bonding is largely symmetric within the substrate and bulk materials). The efficacy of the microwave degas process may be influenced by process parameters such as power, dwell time, frequency, backside cooling gas usage, backside cooling gas flow rate.
FIG. 4 presents a flow chart illustrating the steps of methods according to some embodiments. In step 400, a substrate is provided to a degas module of a cluster system as described previously, or to some other suitably equipped chamber. The substrate may be one of silicon, germanium, silicon-germanium alloy, silica, sapphire, zinc oxide, silicon carbide, aluminum nitride, gallium nitride, Spinel, coated silicon, silicon on oxide, silicon carbide on oxide, glass, gallium arsenide, indium phosphide, and combinations (or alloys) thereof. Typically, the substrate will have gases and/or contaminant species adsorbed on the surface. Typical gases and/or contaminant species include water vapor, organic vapors, volatile contaminants, etc.
In step 402, the substrate is exposed to microwave radiation. Typically, the microwave radiation is generated in a remote source and is delivered to the degas module using a wave guide. In some embodiments, the frequency of the microwave radiation is varied in a continuous manner during the exposing so that localized hot spots do not form on isolated portions of the substrate. The frequency of the microwave electromagnetic radiation can be varied in a range around 2.45 GHz. In some embodiments, the backside of the substrate may be heated to further enhance the degas process. In some embodiments, the backside of the substrate may be cooled to further protect temperature sensitive materials and/or structures on the substrate during the degas process. The methods allow process variables such as power, dwell time, frequency, backside cooling gas usage, backside cooling gas flow rate, and the like to be varied to improve the degas process performance.
In step 404, the substrate is transported to another process module if necessary for subsequent processing. The transport typically occurs under vacuum within a cluster system (e.g. as discussed previously) or similar controlled environment so that additional water vapor and other contaminants do not adsorb on the degassed surface. Typical subsequent processes include surface treatment processes and deposition processes. The surface treatment processes may be one or more of plasma surface treatment or thermal surface treatment. The deposition processes may be one or more of atomic layer deposition (ALD), plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD), physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), pulsed laser deposition (PLD), or molecular beam epitaxy (MBE).
FIG. 5 illustrates a first process chamber enabling degas processing using microwave radiation. The first process chamber includes a substrate support, 502, used to support a substrate, 500. The substrate support may include the capability of active heating and/or cooling. The substrate support is contained within a processing chamber, 504. Typically, the processing chamber is held at a pressure between 1 mTorr and 760 Torr during the degas process. An ancillary structure, 506, houses a remote microwave source, 508. The remote microwave source, 508, is operable to generate microwave radiation at a frequency of about 2.45 GHz. In some embodiments, the frequency of the microwave radiation is varied in a continuous manner (e.g. in a frequency range centered around 2.45 GHz) during the exposing so that localized hot spots do not form on isolated portions of the substrate. The microwave radiation is delivered to the process chamber using a waveguide, 510. In some embodiments, the waveguide includes a section of bellows, thus allowing the distance from the process chamber to the ancillary structure to be adjusted. The microwave radiation is delivered to the surface of the substrate through delivery nozzle, 512. The microwave radiation may irradiate the entire substrate or may irradiate a portion of the substrate. In embodiments where the microwave radiation irradiates only portions of the surface of the substrate, the substrate may be moved (e.g. rotated and/or translated) so that the entire surface may be exposed to the microwave radiation at some time during the degas process. The first process chamber allows process variables such as power, dwell time, frequency, backside cooling gas usage, backside cooling gas flow rate, and the like to be varied to improve the degas process performance.
In some embodiments, a second process chamber (not shown) is used to apply a subsequent process to the surface of the substrate after the degas process. As discussed previously with reference to FIG. 3, the substrate may be transported to the second process chamber by a robot (not shown in FIG. 5).
Although the foregoing examples have been described in some detail for purposes of clarity of understanding, the invention is not limited to the details provided. There are many alternative ways of implementing the invention. The disclosed examples are illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims

What is claimed:

1. A method for processing a substrate, the method comprising

transferring a substrate into a first process chamber;

exposing a surface of the substrate to microwave radiation, wherein the microwave radiation has a frequency of about 2.45 GHz;

after the exposing, transferring the substrate to a second process chamber; and

after the transferring, processing the substrate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the frequency of the microwave radiation is varied in a continuous manner around 2.45 GHz during the exposing.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises one of silicon, germanium, silicon-germanium alloy, silica, sapphire, zinc oxide, silicon carbide, aluminum nitride, gallium nitride, Spinel, coated silicon, silicon on oxide, silicon carbide on oxide, glass, gallium arsenide, indium phosphide, and combinations (or alloys) thereof.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising heating a backside of the substrate during the exposing.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising cooling a backside of the substrate during the exposing.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a pressure within the first process chamber during the exposing is between 1 mTorr and 760 Torr.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the substrate comprises a surface treatment process.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein processing the substrate comprises a plasma treatment process.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein processing the substrate comprises a thermal treatment process.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the substrate comprises a deposition process.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the processing the substrate comprises one of atomic layer deposition (ALD), plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD), physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), pulsed laser deposition (PLD), or molecular beam epitaxy (MBE).

12. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the substrate comprises one of a conventional process or a high productivity combinatorial process.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a first process chamber;

a remote microwave source;

a waveguide, wherein the waveguide is operable to deliver microwave radiation from the remote microwave source to the first process chamber;

a substrate support; and

a delivery nozzle, wherein the delivery nozzle is operable to deliver microwave radiation from the waveguide to a surface of a substrate disposed upon the substrate support.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the remote microwave source generates microwave radiation having a frequency of about 2.45 GHz.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a second process chamber.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a robot, wherein the robot is operable to transport the substrate from the first process chamber to the second process chamber.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the second process chamber is operable to apply a plasma surface treatment to the substrate.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the second process chamber is operable to apply a thermal surface treatment to the substrate.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the second process chamber is operable to apply a deposition process to the substrate.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the deposition process comprises one of atomic layer deposition (ALD), plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD), physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), pulsed laser deposition (PLD), or molecular beam epitaxy (MBE).