Patent ID: 7144747

Claim:
A method of thermally treating a substrate that has multiple layers, wherein a substrate layer that is covered on opposite sides is oxidized from side edges thereof toward a center thereof such that, via the following steps, a defined central portion is not oxidized: heating the substrate, in a process chamber, to a prescribed treatment temperature; introducing a hydrogen-rich water vapor into the process chamber for a specified period of time, wherein such introduction is effected prior to, during and/or after said step of heating the substrate to the prescribed treatment temperature; and introducing into the process chamber, after conclusion of the specified period of time, one of the group consisting of: dry oxygen, namely pure oxygen in the form of at least one of atomic O, molecular O 2 and O 3 ; a mixture of oxygen and an inert gas that does not chemically react with the layers of the substrate; an oxygen-containing compound that contains no water; and an oxygen-rich water vapor.