Patent ID: 8454850
Filing Date: 2013-06-04
Classification: B23K,C21D,C23G,H01L,H05K

Abstract:
1. A method of removing a metal oxide from a treating surface of a substrate, the method comprising: providing a substrate comprising a treating surface comprising the metal oxide, wherein the substrate is electrically conductive or semiconductive and is used as a base electrode having a grounded electrical potential; providing an energizing electrode that is positioned facing the treating surface, wherein at least a portion of the treating surface is exposed to the energizing electrode and wherein the base electrode, the energizing electrode, and the substrate reside within a target area, wherein the energizing electrode is defined by an insulated plate comprising an array of protruding conductive tips, wherein the conductive tips are electrically connected to a DC voltage source that is negatively biased; providing a counter deflection electrode that is negatively biased to counteract an attractive force between the energizing electrode and the substrate, wherein the substrate is located between the counter deflection electrode and the energizing electrode; passing a gas mixture comprising a reducing gas through the target area; energizing the conductive tips by activating the DC voltage source to generate electrons within the target area, wherein at least a portion of the electrons attach to at least a portion of the reducing gas thereby forming a negatively charged reducing gas; and contacting the treating surface with the negatively charged reducing gas to reduce the metal oxides on the treating surface of the substrate; wherein the energizing electrode further comprises an internal volume and a gas inlet in fluid communication with the internal volume, wherein at least a portion of the conductive tips have an internal passageway in fluid communication with the internal volume and wherein at least a portion of the reducing gas passes through the gas inlet into the internal volume and through the internal passageway into the target area.