ALD Advantages

ALD for highly controllable thin films

• Film thickness based on self-limiting, self assembled behavior, with nanometer level control
• Stoichiometric control of multicomponent films
• Films/Processes scalable over very large areas
• Excellent repeatability
• Wide process windows (with respect to temperature or precursor dose variations)
• Low defect density
• Amorphous or crystalline film types depending on substrate and temperature
• Fine control of multilayer coatings, heterostructures, nanolaminates, mixed oxides, graded index layers, and doping
• Standard recipes available for oxides, nitrides, metals, and semiconductors
  

 

Cu2S/SnS2/ZnS trilayer deposited in silicon trench. CZST film composition profile is analyzed by SIMS following different thermal anneals.
Ref: Thimsen et al, Chemistry of Materials, 24 (16), 3188-3196 (2013). doi:10.1021/cm3015463

ALD for highly controllable thin films

• Excellent conformality, 100% step coverage: uniform coatings on flat, inside porous, and around particle samples
• Atomically flat and smooth coating that conforms to the substrate geometry
  

 

Conformal deposition of Li5.1TaOz deposited by ALD in 300:1 AAO nanotemplate (470:1 final AR)
Ref: Liu, J. et al., J. Phys. Chem. C 117, 20260–20267 (2013).

 

ALD for challenging substrate

• Gentle deposition process for sensitive substrates
• Low temperature deposition possible (RT-800 °C)
• Low power plasma processing (as low as 20-50W) capability
• Coatings demonstrated on polymers, OLEDs, and noble metal surfaces
• Excellent adhesion due to chemical bonds at the first layer
• Low stress due to molecular self-assembly

 

Al2O3 – ZrO2 nanolaminate encapsulation with a water transmission rate (WVTR) of 5E-7g/m2/day at room temperature – deposited in Savannah® at 80˚C
Ref: Meyer, J., et al. (2009). Applied Physics Letters, 94(23), 233305