Patent ID: 7718032

Claim:
A treatment system for removing oxide material on a substrate, comprising: a temperature controlled process chamber configured to contain said substrate having said oxide material thereon and configured to facilitate a non-plasma environment; a temperature controlled substrate holder mounted within said temperature controlled process chamber, and configured to support said substrate and configured to control a temperature of said substrate when said substrate is resting on an upper surface of said temperature controlled substrate holder; a vacuum pumping system coupled to said temperature controlled process chamber; a chemical treatment system coupled to said temperature controlled process chamber and configured to introduce a process gas comprising as incipient ingredients HF and optionally ammonia (NH 3 ) to said temperature controlled process chamber, wherein said process gas chemically alters exposed surface layers on said substrate; a thermal treatment system, separate from said temperature-controlled substrate holder, coupled to said temperature controlled process chamber and configured to elevate the temperature of said substrate in said temperature controlled process chamber, wherein said elevated temperature causes evaporation of said chemically altered surface layers; and a controller coupled to said temperature controlled substrate holder, said chemical treatment system, and said thermal treatment system and configured to control the amount of said process gas introduced to said substrate, and the temperature to which said substrate is set.