Water vapor plasma for enhanced surface hydrophilicity

Methods and apparatus for processing a region of a substrate are provided herein. For example, a method for enhancing surface hydrophilicity on a substrate includes: a) supplying a water vapor plasma to a processing volume of a plasma processing chamber using a remote plasma source to treat a bonding surface of the substrate, b) supplying at least one of microwave power or RF power to the plasma processing chamber at a frequency of from about 1 kHz to 10 GHz and a power of from about 1 kW to 10 kW to maintain a water vapor plasma within the processing volume during operation, and c) continuing a) and b) until the bonding surface of the substrate has a hydrophilic contact angle of less than 10 DEG. 本文提供用于处理基板区的方法和装置。例如，一种用于在基板上增强表面亲水性的方法包括：a)使用远程等离子体源，将水蒸气等离子体供应至等离子体处理腔室的处理容积，以处置基板的接合表面，b)以从约1kHz至10GHz的频率和从约1kW至10kW的功率将微波功率或RF功率中的至少一者供应至等离子体处理腔室，以在操作期间在处理容积内维持水蒸气等离子体，以及c)持续a)和b)直到基板的接合表面具有小于10°的亲水接触角度为止。