Method and apparatus for depositing atomic layers on a substrate

• US 10,676,822 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2017
• Issued: 06/09/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno
• Original Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno
• Inventors: Vermeer, Adrianus Johannes Petrus Maria, Roozeboom, Freddy, Van Deelen, Joop
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Jr., Joseph A
• Application Number:
  US15/782,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20180037994A1
• Time in Patent Office: 971 Days
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45544 characterized by the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45551 for relative movement of the substrate and the gas injectors or half-reaction reactor compartments
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45563 Gas nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45589 Movable means, e.g. fans
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/458 characterised by the method used for supporting substrates in the reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/52 Controlling or regulating the coating process C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/545 for coating elongated substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67784 using air tracks

Abstract

Method of depositing an atomic layer on a substrate. The method comprises supplying a precursor gas from a precursor-gas supply of a deposition head that may be part of a rotatable drum. The precursor gas is provided from the precursor-gas supply towards the substrate. The method further comprises moving the precursor-gas supply by rotating the deposition head along the substrate which in its turn is moved along the rotating drum.

Claims

1. Method of depositing an atomic layer on a substrate, which method comprises supplying a precursor gas from a precursor-gas supply comprised by a deposition head towards the substrate;

having the precursor gas react near, or on the substrate so as to form an atomic layer, the deposition head having an output face that at least partly faces the substrate during depositing the atomic layer, the output face being provided with the precursor-gas supply and having a substantially rounded shape defining a movement path of the substrate, wherein the method further comprises rotating the deposition head while supplying the precursor gas from the precursor gas supply;

thus depositing a stack of atomic layers on the substrate while rotating the deposition head in one direction, wherein a gap distance between the output face and the substrate, in combination with a gas bearing pressure provides a stiffness of a gas bearing on the substrate between 10³ and 10¹⁰ N/m³,

the method further comprising using a prestressing arrangement to apply a prestressing force on a surface of the substrate and directed toward the deposition head, wherein the prestressing arrangement comprises at least one element configured to pretension the substrate, said at least one element including one or both of a capstan and a spring guide.

2. Method according to claim 1, comprising moving the substrate along an, at least partly rounded, circumference of a rotatable drum that comprises the deposition head.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein the precursor-gas supply extends, along the curved output face, in a direction along or inclined with the axis of rotation of the deposition head;

or wherein the precursor-gas supply is shaped in elongated form along, or inclined to, an axial direction of the deposition head, the method comprising moving the precursor-gas supply in a direction that is transverse to the axial direction defined by the rotating head movement, a longitudinal direction of said elongated form optionally extending along a helical path over the output surface and preferably at least once around the axis of rotation of the deposition head.

4. Method according to claim 1, comprising moving the substrate along the precursor-gas supply subsequently to and/or simultaneously with supplying the precursor gas towards the substrate, wherein moving the substrate along the precursor-gas supply comprises moving the substrate, at least once or less than once, around the output face of the deposition head.

5. Method according to claim 1, comprising supplying a bearing gas from a bearing-gas supply of the deposition head towards the substrate for providing the gas-bearing layer, further comprising supplying the precursor gas by means of the precursor-gas supply in a cavity that is defined in the deposition head and is facing the substrate, and draining the precursor gas by means of a precursor-gas drain of the deposition head from the cavity for substantially preventing precursor gas to escape from the cavity, the method further comprising supplying the bearing gas by means of the bearing-gas supply at a distance from the cavity.