Abstract: An apparatus for treatment a substrate with an activated reactive gas which includes a processing chamber, an exhaust manifold, a conveyor adapted to sequentially introduce into the processing chamber untreated portions of the substrate for said treatment and to sequentially remove from the processing chamber treated portions of the substrate, wherein the length of the substrate exceeds a dimension of the inner volume of the processing chamber, a distribution conduit disposed in the processing chamber, wherein the length of the distribution conduit is approximately equal to the width of the substrate, and wherein the distribution conduit has a number (N) of openings, each opening has a cross sectional area (Ao), a cross sectional area of the distribution conduit (Ac), and wherein a maximum cross-sectional area (N*Ao) of the openings can be determined by the following expression: 1.0*Ac>N*Ao?0.1*Ac.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for treating at least a portion of the surface of a substrate is described herein. In one aspect, the apparatus a processing chamber comprising an inner volume, the substrate, and an exhaust manifold; an activated reactive gas supply source wherein a process gas comprising one or more reactive gases and optionally an additive gas is activated by one or more energy sources to provide the activated reactive gas; and a distribution conduit, which is in fluid communication with the inner volume and the supply source, comprising: a plurality of openings that direct the activated reactive gas into the inner volume, wherein the activated reactive gas contacts the surface and provides a spent activated reactive gas and/or volatile products that are withdrawn from the inner volume through the exhaust manifold.