Abstract: An apparatus for atomic scale processing is provided. The apparatus may include a reactor and an inductively coupled plasma source. The reactor may have inner and outer surfaces such that a portion of the inner surfaces define an internal volume of the reactor. The internal volume of the reactor may contain a fixture assembly to support a substrate wherein the partial pressure of each background impurity within the internal volume may be below 10?6 Torr to reduce the role of said impurities in surface reactions during atomic scale processing.

Abstract: An apparatus for atomic scale processing is provided. The apparatus may include a reactor (100) and an inductively coupled plasma source (10). The reactor may have inner (154) and outer surfaces (152) such that a portion of the inner surfaces define an internal volume (156) of the reactor. The internal volume of the reactor may contain a fixture assembly (158) to support a substrate (118) wherein the partial pressure of each background impurity within the internal volume may be below 10?6 Torr to reduce the role of said impurities in surface reactions during atomic scale processing.

Abstract: An apparatus for atomic scale processing includes: a reactor having inner and outer surfaces; where at least a portion of the inner surfaces define an internal volume of the reactor; a fixture assembly positioned within the internal volume of the reactor having a surface configured to hold a substrate within the internal volume of the reactor; a vacuum pump in communication with the reactor; at least one reactor pressure control device; and a controller in communication with the at least one reactor pressure control device, where the controller is configured to activate and deactivate the at least one reactor pressure control device to increase and decrease the pressure within the internal volume of the reactor, where the increase in the pressure within the internal volume of the reactor increases the temperature of the substrate from an initial temperature.

Abstract: An apparatus for atomic scale processing is provided. The apparatus may include a reactor (100) and an inductively coupled plasma source (10). The reactor may have inner (154) and outer surfaces (152) such that a portion of the inner surfaces define an internal volume (156) of the reactor. The internal volume of the reactor may contain a fixture assembly (158) to support a substrate (118) wherein the partial pressure of each background impurity within the internal volume may be below 10?6 Torr to reduce the role of said impurities in surface reactions during atomic scale processing.