Gas cluster reactor for anisotropic film growth

Abstract

A method of performing in-situ cleaning of a substrate includes inserting a gas cluster ion beam into a processing chamber containing a substrate, the gas cluster ion beam includes a broad gas cluster ion bean that reaches an entire surface of the substrate. The entire surface of the substrate becomes substantially uniform after an exposure to the gas cluster ion beam.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of performing in-situ cleaning of a substrate, the method comprising:
 inserting a gas cluster ion beam into a processing chamber containing a substrate, the gas cluster ion beam comprises a broad gas cluster ion bean that reaches an entire surface of the substrate,   wherein the entire surface of the substrate becomes substantially uniform after an exposure to the gas cluster ion beam.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing chamber comprises an opening. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the opening comprises an aperture to control a size of the gas cluster ion beam. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the aperture comprises a width capable of increasing the size of the gas cluster ion beam. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 widening the aperture in the opening to increase the size of the gas cluster ion beam.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 removing the aperture in the opening to increase the size of the gas cluster ion beam.   
     
     
         7 . A method of performing in-situ cleaning of a substrate, the method comprising:
 supplying an etchant gas to a cluster formation chamber to form a gas cluster;   moving the gas cluster to an ionization-acceleration chamber to form a gas cluster ion beam;   injecting the gas cluster ion beam into a processing chamber, the processing chamber containing the substrate; and   bombarding an entire surface of the substrate with the gas cluster ion beam.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein bombarding the entire surface of the substrate with the gas cluster ion beam comprises substantially removing contaminants from the entire surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the entire surface of the substrate becomes substantially uniform after an exposure to the gas cluster ion beam. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the processing chamber comprises an opening. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the opening comprises an aperture to control a size of the gas cluster ion beam. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the aperture in the opening comprises a width capable of increasing the size of the gas cluster ion beam. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 widening the aperture in the opening to increase the size of the gas cluster ion beam.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 removing the aperture in the opening to increase the size of the gas cluster ion beam.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the etchant gas comprises NF 3 . 
     
     
         16 . A method of performing in-situ cleaning of a substrate, the method comprising:
 supplying an etchant gas to a cluster formation chamber to form a gas cluster;   moving the gas cluster to an ionization-acceleration chamber to form a gas cluster ion beam;   injecting the gas cluster ion beam into a processing chamber via an opening, the processing chamber containing the substrate; and   bombarding an entire surface of the substrate with the gas cluster ion beam,   wherein a width of the opening allows a size of the gas cluster ion beam to be increased such that the entire surface of the substrate is reached by the gas cluster ion beam.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein bombarding the entire surface of the substrate with the gas cluster ion beam comprises substantially removing contaminants from the entire surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the entire surface of the substrate becomes substantially uniform after an exposure to the gas cluster ion beam. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the opening comprises an aperture to control the size of the gas cluster ion beam. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 removing the aperture in the opening to increase the size of the gas cluster ion beam.