Importance

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Abstract

A method of depositing a metal film on a substrate includes a supercritical preclean step, a supercritical desorb step, and a metal deposition step. Preferably, the preclean step comprises maintaining supercritical carbon dioxide and a chelating agent in contact with the substrate in order to remove an oxide layer from a metal surface of the substrate. More preferably, the preclean step comprises maintaining the supercritical carbon dioxide, the chelating agent, and an acid in contact with the substrate. Alternatively, the preclean step comprises maintaining the supercritical carbon dioxide and an amine in contact with the oxide layer. The desorb step comprises maintaining supercritical carbon dioxide in contact with the substrate in order to remove adsorbed material from the substrate. The metal deposition step then deposits the metal film on the substrate without exposing the substrate to an oxidizing material which oxidizes the metal surface of the precleaned substrate and without exposing the substrate to a nonvolatile adsorbing material which adsorbs to the substrate. An apparatus for depositing the metal film on a substrate includes a transfer module, a supercritical processing module, a vacuum module, and a metal deposition module. The supercritical processing module is coupled to the transfer module. The vacuum module couples the metal deposition module to the transfer module. In operation, the apparatus for depositing the metal film performs the supercritical preclean step, the supercritical desorb step, and the metal deposition step.

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First Claim