Radical-enhanced atomic layer deposition system and method
First Claim
1. A method for depositing a thin film on a substrate, comprising:
- establishing a continuous flow of a purge gas through a reaction chamber;
maintaining a gaseous reactive radical species in a radicals zone within the reaction chamber while introducing a precursor gas into a precursor zone within the reaction chamber, the precursor zone being spaced apart from the radicals zone to define a deactivation zone therebetween, the purge gas flowing through the radicals zone, the deactivation zone, and the precursor zone such that flow and pressure conditions within the reaction chamber substantially prevent the precursor gas from flowing into the radicals zone and cause the radical species to flow from the radical zone and into the deactivation zone;
deactivating the radical species in the deactivation zone to form a deactivated species therefrom and to substantially prevent the reactive radical species from mixing with the precursor gas, at least some of the deactivated species flowing into the precursor zone; and
alternately transporting a substrate between the radicals zone and the precursor zone repeatedly to thereby alternately expose the substrate to the radical species and the precursor gas multiple times, each exposure of the substrate to the precursor gas resulting in some of the precursor gas adsorbing on the substrate as an adsorbed precursor, and each subsequent exposure of the substrate to the radical species resulting in some of the radical species converting at least a portion of the adsorbed precursor to an element or compound, whereby a thin film is formed on the substrate.
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Abstract
A radical-enhanced atomic layer deposition (REALD) system and method involves moving a substrate along a circulating or reciprocating transport path between zones that provide alternating exposure to a precursor gas and a gaseous radical species. The radical species may be generated in-situ within a reaction chamber by an excitation source such as plasma generator or ultraviolet radiation (UV), for example. The gaseous radical species is maintained in a radicals zone within the reaction chamber while a precursor gas is introduced into a precursor zone. The precursor zone is spaced apart from the radicals zone to define a radical deactivation zone therebetween. Purge gas flowing through the various zones may provide flow and pressure conditions that substantially prevent the precursor gas from flowing into the radicals zone. In some embodiments, the system includes a partition having one or more flow-restricting passageways though which the substrate is transported.
432 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for depositing a thin film on a substrate, comprising:
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establishing a continuous flow of a purge gas through a reaction chamber; maintaining a gaseous reactive radical species in a radicals zone within the reaction chamber while introducing a precursor gas into a precursor zone within the reaction chamber, the precursor zone being spaced apart from the radicals zone to define a deactivation zone therebetween, the purge gas flowing through the radicals zone, the deactivation zone, and the precursor zone such that flow and pressure conditions within the reaction chamber substantially prevent the precursor gas from flowing into the radicals zone and cause the radical species to flow from the radical zone and into the deactivation zone; deactivating the radical species in the deactivation zone to form a deactivated species therefrom and to substantially prevent the reactive radical species from mixing with the precursor gas, at least some of the deactivated species flowing into the precursor zone; and alternately transporting a substrate between the radicals zone and the precursor zone repeatedly to thereby alternately expose the substrate to the radical species and the precursor gas multiple times, each exposure of the substrate to the precursor gas resulting in some of the precursor gas adsorbing on the substrate as an adsorbed precursor, and each subsequent exposure of the substrate to the radical species resulting in some of the radical species converting at least a portion of the adsorbed precursor to an element or compound, whereby a thin film is formed on the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification