Method and apparatus for depositing atomic layers on a substrate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9567671-B2
Application number	US-201214237577-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2012
Priority date	Aug 10, 2011
Publication date	Feb 14, 2017
Grant date	Feb 14, 2017

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. The method further comprises switching between supplying the precursor gas from the precursor-gas supply towards the substrate over a first part of the rotation trajectory; and interrupting supplying the precursor gas from the precursor-gas supply over a second part of the rotation trajectory.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Apparatus for depositing a plurality of atomic layers on a substrate, the apparatus comprising
a deposition head configured for rotating through a rotation trajectory, the deposition head having an output face configured to at least partly face the substrate and supply a precursor gas to the substrate via a precursor gas supply, wherein the output face has a substantially rounded shape defining a movement path of the substrate, the apparatus configured to deposit the plurality of atomic layers during movement of the substrate through the apparatus, the apparatus further comprising
a transporter configured to transport the substrate towards and away from the deposition head, wherein the transporter is configured for moving the substrate towards the deposition head at a first position, and wherein the transporter is configured for moving the substrate away from the deposition head at a second position, to thereby define a first part of the rotation trajectory where the precursor gas supply faces the substrate and a second part of the rotation trajectory where the precursor gas supply does not face the substrate;
a gas switching structure configured for switching between
supplying the precursor gas through the precursor gas supply to the substrate in those parts of the output face that, during said rotating, are located in the first part of the rotation trajectory, and
interrupting supply of the precursor gas through the precursor gas supply in those parts of the output face that, during said rotating, are located in the second part of the rotation trajectory.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the deposition head is comprised by a drum, wherein the gas switching structure comprises a circumferential groove disposed in a surface of the drum or in an opposing surface of a sealing piece configured to
seal at least part of the drum's surface, wherein
the drum is rotatable with respect to the sealing piece, wherein
one of the drum or the sealing piece, which does not comprise the circumferential groove, comprises an inlet of the precursor gas, and wherein
the circumferential groove is configured for forming a gas flow path from the inlet of the precursor gas, through the output face, and to the substrate over the first part of the rotation trajectory and configured for interrupting the gas flow path over the second part of the rotation trajectory.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein an end of the circumferential groove between the first and second part of the rotation trajectory is configured to cause the interrupting of the gas flow path over the second part of the rotation trajectory, wherein a surface at the end of the circumferential groove acts as a valve system.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the gas switching structure comprises
valves configured for switching between an open and a closed state depending on an external magnetic field applied to valve magnets; and
control magnets arranged along the rotation trajectory and configured to provide a first magnetic polarity over the first part of the rotation trajectory for opening the valves to form a gas flow path of the precursor gas through the output face and to the substrate, the control magnets further configured to provide a second, opposite magnetic polarity over the second part of the rotation trajectory for closing the valves and interrupting the gas flow path.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the valves are configured for switching between the open and the closed state depending on the external magnetic field, when applied radially to the valve magnets.

6. Apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the gas switching structure comprises further circumferential grooves disposed in the surface of the drum or in the opposing surface of the sealing plate, wherein the further circumferential grooves are configured for forming gas flow paths from respective inlets of a purge gas and a reactant gas, through the output face, and to the substrate over the first part of the rotation path and configured for interrupting the gas flow paths over the second part of the rotation trajectory.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the deposition head is comprised by a drum, wherein the gas switching structure comprises a circumferential groove on a stationary axle disposed centrally with respect to the drum, the circumferential groove configured for forming a gas flow path of the precursor gas through the output face and to the substrate over the first part of the rotation trajectory, and the circumferential groove having an obstructing end over the second part of the rotation trajectory to interrupt the gas flow path.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the gas switching structure comprises valves and a controller, wherein a signal from the controller opens the valve over the first part of the rotation trajectory to form a gas flow path of the precursor gas through the output face and to the substrate, and wherein the signal from the controller closes the valve over the second part of the rotation trajectory to interrupt the gas flow path.

9. Apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the gas switching structure comprises valves configured for switching between an open and a closed state depending on a direction of gravity relative to the valves, and wherein the direction of gravity over the first part of the rotation trajectory opens the valves to form a gas flow path of the precursor gas through the output face and to the substrate, and wherein the direction of gravity closes the valves over the second part of the rotation trajectory to interrupt the gas flow path.

10. Apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the output face comprises a plurality of precursor gas supplies, and wherein for each respective precursor gas supply the gas switching structure is configured for switching between: supplying the precursor gas through the respective precursor gas supply to the substrate over a first part of the rotation trajectory where the respective precursor gas supply faces the substrate, and interrupting supply of the precursor gas through the respective precursor gas supply over a second part of the rotation trajectory where the respective precursor gas supply does not face the substrate.

11. Method of depositing a plurality of atomic layers on a substrate, the method comprising using the apparatus of claim 1 for
supplying the precursor gas through the output face via the precursor gas supply to the substrate, wherein the precursor gas is supplied from a gas source,
having the precursor gas react near, or on the substrate so as to form the plurality of atomic layers; by
rotating the deposition head along the rotation trajectory while supplying the precursor gas through the output face; and
switching between
supplying the precursor gas through the precursor gas supply to the substrate over the first part of the rotation trajectory where the precursor gas supply faces the substrate; and
interrupting supply of the precursor gas through the precursor gas supply over the second part of the rotation trajectory where the precursor gas supply does not face the substrate.

12. Method according to claim 11 , wherein
over the first part of the rotation trajectory the substrate is in proximity to the output face for the depositing the plurality of atomic layers;
over the second part of the rotation trajectory the substrate is removed or away from the output face; and
said interrupting is provided by redirecting or switching off a precursor gas flow through a precursor gas supply to prevent a leakage of the precursor gas over the second part of the rotation trajectory.

Assignees

• Knaapen Raymond Jacobus Wilhelmus
• Olieslagers Ruud
• Van Den Berg Dennis
• Van Den Boer Matijs C
• Maas Diederik Jan
• Van Der Donck Jacques Cor Johan
• Roozeboom Freddy
• Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno

Inventors

• Knaapen Raymond Jacobus Wilhelmus
• Olieslagers Ruud
• Van Den Berg Dennis
• Van Den Boer Matijs C
• Maas Diederik Jan
• Van Der Donck Jacques Cor Johan
• Roozeboom Freddy

Classifications

• C23C16/52

  Controlling or regulating the coating process {(C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence)} · CPC title

• C23C16/4401

  Means for minimising impurities, e.g. dust, moisture or residual gas, in the reaction chamber · CPC title

• C23C16/4588

  the substrate being rotated · CPC title

• C23C16/45525

  Atomic layer deposition [ALD] · CPC title

• C23C16/45578

  Elongated nozzles, tubes with holes · CPC title