Method and apparatus for depositing atomic layers on a substrate

• US 9,297,077 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2011
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• 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): Moore, Karla
• Assistant Examiner(s): KENDALL, BENJAMIN R
• Application Number:
  US13/577,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20130064977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,873 Days
• Field of Search: 118/718, 118/726, 118/727, 156/345.2, 156/345.33
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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. An apparatus for depositing a plurality of atomic layers on a substrate, the apparatus comprising:

a mount configured for rotatably mounting a rotatable drum comprising a deposition head, the deposition head having an output face configured to at least partly face the substrate and supply a precursor gas to the substrate, wherein the output face has a substantially rounded shape defining a movement path of the substrate, the apparatus further comprising a driving controller configured to control a rotational frequency of the deposition head and a transportation controller configured to control a translational velocity of the substrate,

a bearing-gas supply for supplying a bearing gas and forming a gas-bearing layer that separates the substrate and the deposition head,

wherein the apparatus is configured for moving the substrate along an at least partly rounded circumference of the rotatable drum, and

wherein the driving controller and transportation controller are configured, in conjunction, to impart different rates and/or directions of movement between the deposition head and substrate, and to deposit the plurality of atomic layers during continuous movement of the substrate through the apparatus.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a precursor-gas supply that extends, along a the 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 apparatus being arranged for moving the precursor-gas supply in a direction that is transverse to the axial direction defined by a rotating head movement.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein a longitudinal direction of said elongated form extends along a helical path over the output surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the longitudinal direction of said elongated form extends at least once around the axis of rotation of the deposition head.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a mount that is provided with a mount gas bearing that forms part of an enclosure of a gas connection between a gas supply and/or drain structure and the deposition head, wherein a pressure in said mount gas bearing is arranged for preventing leakage of gas out of the gas connection.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, in assembly with the substrate, the apparatus comprising a transporter arranged to transport the substrate along a precursor-gas supply subsequently to and/or simultaneously with supplying the precursor gas towards the substrate, wherein the substrate is transported, at least once or less than once, around the output face of the deposition head.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a guide having a length axis inclined relative to a rotational axis of the deposition head;

in such a way as to guide the substrate along a helical path around the deposition head.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the deposition head is provided with a cavity that, in use, faces the substrate and wherein a precursor-gas supply is positioned in the cavity for supplying the precursor gas in the cavity towards the substrate, and wherein the deposition head is provided with a precursor-gas drain that is positioned in the cavity for draining the precursor gas from the cavity for substantially preventing precursor gas to escape from the cavity, wherein the deposition head is further provided with a bearing-gas supply spaced apart from the cavity for supplying the bearing gas at a distance from the cavity.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said deposition head is constructed for having the precursor gas react on the substrate so as to form an atomic layer.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a sealing element for confining the precursor gas, wherein the sealing element faces the deposition head at outside locations where the substrate faces the deposition head.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a gas-bearing that produces a gas-bearing layer that in use provides a bearing stiffness between 10³ and 10¹⁰ newtons per millimeter and that increases at a ratio >

1 when the substrate moves closer to the output face.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driving controller and transportation controller are configured, in conjunction, to impart a translational velocity of the deposition head that is greater than the translational velocity of the substrate.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the driving controller and transportation controller are configured, in conjunction, to impart a translational velocity of the deposition head that is at least 5 times greater than the translational velocity of the substrate.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the driving controller and transportation controller are configured, in conjunction, to impart a translational velocity of the deposition head that is at least 10 times greater than the translational velocity of the substrate.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the driving controller and transportation controller are configured, in conjunction, to impart a translational velocity of the deposition head that is at least 100 times greater than the translational velocity of the substrate.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driving controller is configured to control the rotational frequency of the deposition head at 0.1 revolutions per second or more.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the driving controller is configured to control the rotational frequency of the deposition head in a direction opposite the translational velocity of the substrate.