Harvard College

Ultratech, Inc.

Cambridge Nanotech, Inc.

Jill Svenja Becker

Roy Gerald Gordon

Dennis Michael Hausmann

Seigi Suh

Roger R Coutu

Douwe Johannes Monsma

Ganesh Sundaram

Michael J Sershen

Mark J Dalberth

Eric W Deguns

Metal silicates or phosphates are deposited on a heated substrate by the reaction of vapors of alkoxysilanols or alkylphosphates along with reactive metal amides, alkyls or alkoxides. For example, vapors of tris(tert-butoxy)silanol react with vapors of tetrakis(ethylmethylamido) hafnium to deposit hafnium silicate on surfaces heated to 300&#xb0; C. The product film has a very uniform stoichiometry throughout the reactor. Similarly, vapors of diisopropylphosphate react with vapors of lithium bis(ethyldimethylsilyl)amide to deposit lithium phosphate films on substrates heated to 250&#xb0; C. Supplying the vapors in alternating pulses produces these same compositions with a very uniform distribution of thickness and excellent step coverage.

Vapor deposition of metal oxides, silicates and phosphates, and silicon dioxide

An ALD coating method to provide a coating surface on a substrate is provided. The ALD coating method comprises: providing a deposition heading including a unit cell having a first precursor nozzle assembly and a second precursor nozzle assembly; emitting a first precursor from the first precursor nozzle assembly into chamber under atmospheric conditions in a direction substantially normal to the coating surface; emitting a second precursor from the first precursor nozzle assembly into chamber under atmospheric conditions in a direction substantially normal to the coating surface; removing moving the substrate under the deposition head such that the first precursor is directed onto a first area of the coating surface prior to the second precursor being directed onto the first area of the coating surface.

Atomic layer deposition head

A gas deposition system () configured as a dual-chamber 'tower' includes a frame () for supporting two reaction chamber assemblies (), one vertically above the other. Each chamber assembly () includes an outer wall assembly surrounding a hollow chamber () sized to receive a single generation 4.5 (GEN 4.5) glass plate substrate through a load port. The substrate is disposed horizontally inside the hollow chamber () and the chamber assembly () includes removable and cleanable triangular shaped input () and output () plenums disposed external to the hollow chamber () and configured to produce substantially horizontally directed laminar gas flow over a top surface of the substrate. Each chamber includes a cleanable and removable chamber liner assembly () disposed inside the hollow chamber () to contain precursor gases therein thereby preventing contamination of chamber outer walls ().

ALD systems and methods

Method for high-velocity and atmospheric-pressure atomic layer deposition with substrate and coating head separation distance in the millimeter range

Vapor deposition systems and methods associated with the same are provided. The systems may be designed to include features that can promote high quality deposition; simplify manufacture, modification and use; as well as, reduce the footprint of the system, amongst other advantages.

Vapor deposition systems and methods

A reaction chamber assembly suitable for forming thin film deposition layers onto solid substrates includes a reaction chamber and an input plenum for receiving source material from gas source containers and delivering a flow of source material into the reaction chamber uniformly distributed across a substrate support width. An output plenum connected between the reaction chamber and a vacuum pump uniformly removes an outflow of material from the reaction chamber across the substrate support width. The input plenum is configured to expand a volume of the source material and deliver the source material to the substrate support area with uniform source material flow distribution across the substrate support width. The output plenum is configured to remove the outflow material across the entire substrate support width and to compress the volume of outflow material prior to the outflow material exiting the output plenum. The resulting source material flow over substrates supported in the substrate support area is uniformly distributed across the substrate support width and unidirectional with a uniform flow velocity. The configuration of the reaction chamber assembly reduces pump down times.

System and method for thin film deposition

A reaction chamber assembly for thin film deposition processes or the like includes an outer wall assembly for enclosing an outer volume and a removable liner installed into the outer volume through an outer aperture for preventing precursors or reactants from coming into contact with internal surfaces of the outer wall assembly and forming thin film layers thereon. The removable liner encloses a reaction chamber and includes substrate support trays or the like for supporting substrates being coated. Thin film layers are formed onto internal surfaces of the removable liner instead of onto surfaces of the outer wall assembly. The removable liner may be disposable or may comprise stainless steel, which can be removed when contaminated, cleaned by abrasive blasting such as bead blasting, and replaced. Two removable liners can be used to periodically swap removable liners and clean one of the liners while the other is in service with minimal disruption to production coating schedules. Other removable cleanable elements such as input and output plenums, door liners and conduits comprising stainless steel can be periodically removed and cleaned by abrasive blasting.

Reaction chamber with removable liner

This invention relates to materials and processes for thin film deposition on solid substrates. Silica/alumina nanolaminates were deposited on heated substrates by the reaction of an aluminum-containing compound with a silanol. The nanolaminates have very uniform thickness and excellent step coverage in holes with aspect ratios over 40:1. The films are transparent and good electrical insulators. This invention also relates to materials and processes for producing improved porous dielectric materials used in the insulation of electrical conductors in microelectronic devices, particularly through materials and processes for producing semi-porous dielectric materials wherein surface porosity is significantly reduced or removed while internal porosity is preserved to maintain a desired low-k value for the overall dielectric material. The invention can also be used to selectively fill narrow trenches with low-k dielectric material while at the same time avoiding deposition of any dielectric on the surface area outside of the trenches.

Vapor deposition of silicon dioxide nanolaminates

Metal silicates or phosphates are deposited on a heated substrate by the reaction of vapors of alkoxysilanols or alkylphosphates along with reactive metal amides, alkyls or alkoxides. For example, vapors of tris(tert-butoxy)silanol react with vapors of tetrakis(ethylmethylamido)hafnium to deposit hafnium silicate on surfaces heated to 300&#xb0; C. The product film has a very uniform stoichiometry throughout the reactor. Similarly, vapors of diisopropylphosphate react with vapors of lithium bis(ethyldimethylsilyl)amide to deposit lithium phosphate films on substrates heated to 250&#xb0; C. Supplying the vapors in alternating pulses produces these same compositions with a very uniform distribution of thickness and excellent step coverage.

Tungsten nitride films were deposited on heated substrates by the reaction of vapors of tungsten bis(alkylimide)bis(dialkylamide) and a Lewis base or a hydrogen plasma. For example, vapors of tungsten bis(tert-butylimide)bis(dimethylamide) and ammonia gas supplied in alternate doses to surfaces heated to 300&#xb0; C. produced coatings of tungsten nitride having very uniform thickness and excellent step coverage in holes with aspect ratios up to at least 40:1. The films are metallic and good electrical conductors. Suitable applications in microelectronics include barriers to the diffusion of copper and electrodes for capacitors. Similar processes deposit molybdenum nitride, which is suitable for layers alternating with silicon in X-ray mirrors.

Vapor deposition of tungsten nitride

Metal silicates or phosphates are deposited on a heated substrate by the reaction of vapors of alkoxysilanols or alkylphosphates along with reactive metal amides, alkyls or alkoxides. For example, vapors of tris-(ter-butoxy)silanol react with vapors of tetrakis(ethylmethylamido)hafnium to deposit hafnium silicate on surfaces heated to 300&#xb0; C. The product film has a very uniform stoichiometry throughout the reactor. Similarly, vapors of diisopropylphosphate react with vapors of lithium bis(ethyldimethylsilyl)amide to deposit lithium phosphate films on substrates heated to 250&#xb0; C. supplying the vapors in alternating pulse produces these same compositions with a very uniform distribution of thickness and excellent step coverage.

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Cambridge, MA, United States of America

Jill Svenja Becker