ATOMIC LAYER DEPOSITION REACTOR
First Claim
1. A method for depositing a layer on a substrate positioned within a reaction chamber comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a first non-radical reactant to a reaction space through a showerhead plate;
(b) removing excess first non-radical reactant from the reaction space;
(c) providing a second radical reactant to the reaction space from a remote radical generator such that the second radical reactant does not go through the showerhead plate; and
(d) removing excess second radical reactant from the reaction space through an exhaust outlet.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Various reactors for growing thin films on a substrate by subjecting the substrate to alternately repeated surface reactions of vapor-phase reactants are disclosed. The reactor according to the present invention includes a reaction chamber, a substrate holder, a showerhead plate, a first reactant source, a remote radical generator, a second reactant source, and an exhaust outlet. The showerhead plate is configured to define a reaction space between the showerhead plate and the substrate holder. The showerhead plate includes a plurality of passages leading into the reaction space. The substrate is disposed within the reaction space. A first non-radical reactant is supplied through the showerhead plate to the reaction space. The remote radical generator produces the radicals of a second reactant supplied from the second reactant source. The radicals are supplied directly to the reaction space without passing through the showerhead plate.
442 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for depositing a layer on a substrate positioned within a reaction chamber comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a first non-radical reactant to a reaction space through a showerhead plate; (b) removing excess first non-radical reactant from the reaction space; (c) providing a second radical reactant to the reaction space from a remote radical generator such that the second radical reactant does not go through the showerhead plate; and (d) removing excess second radical reactant from the reaction space through an exhaust outlet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A reactor configured to subject a substrate to alternately repeated surface reactions of vapor-phase reactants, comprising:
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a reaction chamber; a substrate holder that is positioned within the reaction chamber; a showerhead plate positioned above the substrate holder, the showerhead plate including a plurality of holes and defining a reaction space between the showerhead plate and the substrate holder; a first reactant source that supplies a first non-radical reactant through a first supply conduit and the holes of the showerhead plate to the reaction space; a radical generator connected to the reaction space, the radical generator configured to directly supply radicals through a second supply conduit to the reaction space; a second reactant source connected to the radical generator, the second reactant source supplying a second reactant to the radical generator; and an exhaust outlet communicating with the reaction space.
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24. A reactor configured for plasma assisted atomic layer deposition, comprising:
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a reaction chamber; a substrate holder that is positioned within the reaction chamber; an inlet leading into the reaction chamber, the inlet being connected to a remote radical generator; and a showerhead plate including a plurality of holes and defining a lower chamber between the showerhead plate and the substrate holder, wherein the reactor is configured to supply a non-radical reactant from a non-radical reactant source through the showerhead plate to the lower chamber and to supply a radical reactant directly from the remote radical generator through the inlet to the lower chamber.
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Specification