Method and apparatus for surface processing of a substrate

Abstract

Method and apparatus for processing a substrate with a beam of energetic particles. The beam is directed from a source through a rectangular aperture in a shield positioned between the source and substrate to a treatment zone in a plane of substrate movement. Features on the substrate are aligned parallel to a major dimension of the rectangular aperture and the substrate is moved orthogonally to the aperture's major dimension. The beam impinges the substrate through the aperture during movement. The substrate may be periodically rotated by approximately 180° to reorient the features relative to the major dimension of the rectangular aperture. The resulting treatment profile is symmetrical about the sides of the features oriented toward the major dimension of the rectangular aperture.

1 . A method of processing a substrate having a surface with a plurality of features aligned with a parallel relationship and an azimuthal axis normal to the surface, the method comprising:
 loading a substrate onto a movable fixture;   positioning the movable fixture with the substrate in a first flux blocked area;   orienting the substrate about the azimuthal axis with a first angular orientation such that the features on the substrate are angularly aligned relative to the major dimension of the beam of energetic particles;   generating a beam of energetic particles having a substantially uniform flux distribution over a major dimension;   directing the beam toward a treatment area in a plane of the substrate;   without changing the first angular orientation, translating the substrate in a first movement substantially orthogonal to the major dimension of the beam of energetic particles toward a second flux-blocked area separated from the first flux-blocked area by the treatment area;   as the substrate is translated toward the second flux-blocked area and over a portion of the first movement, exposing the substrate to the beam of particles in the treatment area;   while the substrate is at the second flux-blocked area and without changing the first angular orientation, reversing the translation in a second movement of the substrate toward the first flux-blocked area;   as the substrate is translated towards the first blocked area, exposing the substrate to the beam of energetic particles in the treatment area over a portion of the second movement; and   after the substrate reaches the first flux-blocked area, rotating the substrate around the azimuthal axis to a second angular orientation that reorients the features carried by the substrate relative to the major dimension of the beam of energetic particles.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the substrate is translated between the first and the second flux-blocked areas for a plurality of times by repeating the first and the second movements, while each time the substrate reaches the first blocked area rotating the substrate around the azimuthal axis to a second angular orientation that reorients the features carried by the substrate relative to the major dimension of the beam of energetic particles. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein motion of the substrate comprises:
 translating the substrate through the treatment area between an edge of the first flux-blocked area and an edge of the second flux-blocked area so that the substrate is exposed to the beam of energetic particles multiple times for receiving treatment. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 adjusting a separation of the substrate from the source, and 
 adjusting a minor dimension of the treatment area between an edge of the first flux-blocked area and an edge of the second flux-blocked area to collimate the beam of energetic particles directed toward the treatment area, and control uniformity of the treatment process along major direction. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 adjusting a separation of the substrate from the source for defining an average incidence angle of the beam relative to the plane of the substrate. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 adjusting the position of the treatment area between an edge of the first flux-blocked area and an edge of the second flux-blocked area relative to the source for defining an average incidence angle of the beam relative to the plane of the substrate. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 adjusting the plane of the substrate motion relative to the source for defining an average incidence angle of the beam relative to the plane of the substrate. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein exposing the substrate comprises:
 depositing a layer of material on the substrate that contains the energetic particles from the beam. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the beam of energetic particles is generated by ion beam sputtering. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the beam of energetic particles is generated by magnetron sputtering. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein material is etched from the substrate when exposed to the energetic particles in the beam. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the energetic particles are inert gas ions generated by an ion source.