Apparatus and method for atomic layer deposition

Abstract

The embodiments provide apparatus and methods of depositing conformal thin film on interconnect structures by providing processes and systems using an atomic layer deposition (ALD). More specifically, each of the ALD systems includes a proximity head that has a small reaction volume right above an active process region of the substrate surface. The proximity head dispenses small amount of reactants and purging gas to be distributed and pumped away from the small reaction volume between the proximity head and the substrate in relatively short periods, which increases the through-put. In an exemplary embodiment, a proximity head for dispensing reactants and purging gas to deposit a thin film by atomic layer deposition (ALD) is provided. The proximity head is configured to sequentially dispensing a reactant gas and a purging gas to deposit a thin ALD film under the proximity head. The proximity head covers an active process region of a substrate surface. The proximity head also includes at least one vacuum channel to pull excess reactant gas, purging gas, or deposition byproducts from a reaction volume between a surface of the proximity head facing the substrate and the substrate. The proximity head includes a plurality of sides, each side being configured to dispense either a reactant gas or a purging gas on the substrate surface underneath the proximity head. Each side has at least one vacuum channel.