Methods for Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition

Technology Description

Oregon State university researchers have created a method and device for in-situ microwave annealing to assist Atomic Layer deposition (ALD). This technology will allow for improved ALD film properties at lower temperatures. The technology allows for improvements such as eliminating the need to remove the substrate and film between cycles for annealing, and a much faster processing time as compared to current ALD systems which may enhance throughput.

Features & Benefits

  • Faster processing times
  • Improved properties at lower temperatures
  • Simplified annealing process

Applications

  • Thin film production
  • Semiconductor processing
  • IC manufacturing

Background of Invention

Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is a layer by layer chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique based on alternating purge-separated self-limiting surface reactions. ALD offers inherent atomic scale controlled growth of relatively high quality conformal thin films at low temperatures. Low deposition temperature is desirable. Because of this, ALD film stoichiometry often suffers due to the incorporation of residual impurities from unreacted ligands, which in turn may lead to sub-optimal physical, optical and electrical properties. High temperature post deposition annealing (PDA) is often required to eliminate impurities, densify the film, and improve various properties. The PDA temperatures required however may exceed the maximum temperature limitations of the substrate or previously formed electronics. Methods have been developed in attempts to fix this problem, however there remains a need for processes that can rapidly anneal in-situ, between ALD cycles, while staying within thermal constraints of the materials.

Status

Patent pending

   

Patent Information:
Tech ID:
OSU-19-37
Contact:
David Dickson
IP & Licensing Manager
Oregon State University
541-737-3450
david.dickson@oregonstate.edu
Inventors:
John Conley
Keywords:
Atomic layer deposition (ALD)
energy enhanced ALD
in-situ annealing
microwave annealing
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