METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DEPOSITING ATOMIC LAYERS ON A SUBSTRATE

• US 20130064977A1
• Filed: 02/11/2011
• Published: 03/14/2013
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 9,297,077 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/255.5
• 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, e.g. 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 moving the precursor-gas supply along the substrate by rotating the deposition head while supplying the precursor gas;

thus depositing a stack of atomic layers while continuously moving the precursor-gas supply in one direction.

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, wherein moving the substrate along the precursor-gas supply comprises moving the substrate along a helical path around the deposition head.

6. Method according to claim 1, comprising supplying a bearing gas between the deposition head and the substrate for forming a gas-bearing layer that separates the substrate and the deposition head.

7. Method according to claim 6, comprising supplying the 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.

8. Apparatus for depositing an atomic layer on a substrate, the apparatus comprising a deposition head having an output face that in use at least partly faces the substrate and is provided with a precursor-gas supply for supplying a precursor gas towards the substrate, wherein the output face has a substantially rounded shape defining a movement path of the substrate, the apparatus further comprising a mount for rotatably mounting the deposition head and comprising a driver arranged for rotating the deposition head so as to move the precursor gas supply along the substrate;

said deposition head being constructed for having the supplied precursor gas react near, e.g. on, the substrate so as to form an atomic layer;

the apparatus thus being arranged for depositing a stack of atomic layers while continuously moving the precursor-gas supply in one direction.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, which comprises a drum that comprises the deposition head, wherein the mount is arranged for rotatably mounting the drum that comprises the deposition head, the apparatus being arranged for moving the substrate along an, at least partly rounded, circumference of the rotatable drum.

10. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the precursor-gas supply extends, along a 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 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, 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.

11. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the mount 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.

12. Apparatus according to claim 8, in assembly with the substrate, the apparatus comprising a transporter arranged to transport the substrate along the precursor-gas supply subsequently to and/or simultaneously with supplying the precursor gas towards the substrate, wherein the substrate is provided, at least once or less than once, around the output face of the deposition head.

13. Apparatus according to claim 8, 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.

14. Apparatus according to claim 8, provided with a bearing-gas supply for supplying a bearing gas between the deposition head and the substrate for forming a gas-bearing layer that separates the substrate and the deposition head.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the deposition head is provided with a cavity that, in use, faces the substrate and wherein the 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.