Ultratech, Inc.

Mark Sowa

Arthur W Zafiropoulo

Michael J Sershen

Robert Kane

An improved Plasma Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition (PEALD) system and related operating methods are disclosed. A vacuum reaction chamber includes a vacuum system that separates a first outflow from the reaction chamber, comprising unreacted first precursor, from a second outflow from the reaction chamber, comprising second precursor and any reaction by products from the reaction of the second precursor with the coating surfaces. A trap, including trap material surfaces, is provided to remove first precursor from the first outflow when the first precursor reacts with the trap material surfaces. When the second precursor includes a plasma generated material, the second precursor is not passed through the trap. An alternate second precursor source injects a suitable second precursor into the trap to complete a material deposition layer onto the trap surfaces thereby preparing the trap material surfaces to react with the first precursor on the next material deposition cycle.

Plasma enhanced ALD system

A method of performing a radical-enhanced atomic-layer deposition process on a surface of a substrate that resides within an interior of a reactor chamber is disclosed. The method includes forming plasma from a gas mixture consisting of CFand O, wherein the CFis present in a concentration in the range from 0.1 vol % to 10 vol %. The plasma formed from the gas mixture generates oxygen radicals O* faster than if there were no CFpresent in the gas mixture. The method also includes feeding the oxygen radicals and a precursor gas sequentially into the interior of the reactor chamber to form an oxide film on the surface of the substrate. A system for performing the radical-enhanced atomic-layer deposition process using the rapidly formed oxygen radicals is also disclosed.

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Medford, MA, United States of America

Mark Sowa