Apparatus for atomic layer deposition
First Claim
1. A distribution manifold for thin-film material deposition onto a substrate comprising:
- a) a plurality of inlet ports comprising at least a first, a second, and a third inlet port capable of receiving a first, a second, and a third gaseous material, respectively;
b) an output face comprising a plurality of open elongated output channels, each channel extending in a length direction substantially in parallel, the output channels comprising at least a first, a second, and a third output channel wherein the output channels are adjacent to each other along the output face, each output channel comprising an output port,wherein each output port, which is used to provide a flow of gaseous material to the corresponding output channel, allows gaseous flow communication with one of the first, the second, or the third inlet ports and is capable of substantially directing a flow of the corresponding one of the first, the second, and the third gaseous material along the length direction of the output channel towards an end of the output channel whereby the gaseous material is exhausted from the output channel at a position displaced along the length of output channel from the output port.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a distribution manifold for thin-film material deposition onto a substrate comprising a plurality of inlet ports for a sequence of gaseous materials, an output face comprising a plurality of open elongated output channels, each channel extending in a length direction substantially in parallel. The distribution manifold can be employed in a deposition system for thin film deposition, further comprising a plurality of sources for a plurality of gaseous materials and a support for positioning a substrate in pre-designed close proximity to the output face of the distribution manifold. During operation of the system, relative movement between the output face and the substrate support is accomplished.
386 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A distribution manifold for thin-film material deposition onto a substrate comprising:
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a) a plurality of inlet ports comprising at least a first, a second, and a third inlet port capable of receiving a first, a second, and a third gaseous material, respectively; b) an output face comprising a plurality of open elongated output channels, each channel extending in a length direction substantially in parallel, the output channels comprising at least a first, a second, and a third output channel wherein the output channels are adjacent to each other along the output face, each output channel comprising an output port, wherein each output port, which is used to provide a flow of gaseous material to the corresponding output channel, allows gaseous flow communication with one of the first, the second, or the third inlet ports and is capable of substantially directing a flow of the corresponding one of the first, the second, and the third gaseous material along the length direction of the output channel towards an end of the output channel whereby the gaseous material is exhausted from the output channel at a position displaced along the length of output channel from the output port. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A deposition system for thin film deposition of a solid material onto a substrate comprising:
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a) a plurality of sources for, respectively, a plurality of gaseous materials comprising at least a first, a second, and a third source for a first, a second, and a third gaseous material, respectively; b) a distribution manifold comprising; (i) a plurality of inlet ports comprising at least a first, a second, and a third inlet port for receiving the first, the second, and the third gaseous material, respectively; (ii) an output face comprising a plurality of open elongated output channels, each channel extending in a length direction substantially in parallel, the output channels comprising at least a first, a second, and a third output channel, wherein the output channels are adjacent to each other along the output face, each output channel having an output port, wherein each output port, which is used to provide a flow of gaseous material to the corresponding output channel, allows gaseous flow communication with one of the first, the second, and the third input ports and is capable of substantially directing a flow of the corresponding one of the first, the second, or the third gaseous material along the length direction of the output channel towards an end of the output channel whereby the gaseous material is exhausted from the output channel at a position displaced along the length of the output channel from the output port; and c) a substrate support for supporting a substrate in substantially uniform pre-designed close proximity to the output face of the distribution manifold, wherein the system is capable, during operation, of providing relative movement between the output face and the substrate surface while maintaining the pre-designed close proximity. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A deposition apparatus for thin film deposition onto a substrate comprising:
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a) a plurality of sources for a plurality of gaseous materials, comprising at least a first, a second, and a third source for a first, a second, and a third gaseous material, respectively; b) a distribution manifold comprising; (i) a plurality of inlet ports comprising at least a first, a second, and a third inlet port for receiving the first, the second, and the third gaseous material, respectively; (ii) an output face comprising a plurality of open elongated output channels, each channel extending in a length direction substantially in parallel, the output channels comprising at least a first, a second and a third output channel wherein the output channels are adjacent to each other along the output face, each output channel having an output port, wherein each output port, which is used to provide a flow of gaseous material to the corresponding output channel, allows gaseous flow communication with one of the first, the second, and the third input port and is capable of substantially directing flow of the corresponding one of the first, the second, and the third gaseous materials along the length direction of the output channel towards an end of the output channel whereby the gaseous material is exhausted from the output channel at a position displaced along the length of the output channel from the output port; and c) a conveyer for moving a web substrate past the output face of the distribution manifold to effect thin film deposition over an area of the web substrate, wherein the web substrate is in substantially uniform pre-designed close proximity to the output face of the distribution manifold, and wherein, the system is capable, during operation of the system, of providing relative movement between the output face and substrate surface while maintaining the pre-designed close proximity. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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Specification