Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A gas deposition system (1000) configured as a dual-chamber “tower” includes a frame (1140) for supporting two reaction chamber assemblies (3000), one vertically above the other. Each chamber assembly (3000) includes an outer wall assembly surrounding a hollow chamber (3070) 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 (3070) and the chamber assembly (3000) includes removable and cleanable triangular shaped input (3150) and output (3250) plenums disposed external to the hollow chamber (3070) 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 (6000) disposed inside the hollow chamber (3070) to contain precursor gases therein thereby preventing contamination of chamber outer walls (3010, 3020, 3030, 3040).

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A gas deposition chamber includes a volume expanding top portion and a substantially constant volume cylindrical middle portion and optionally a volume reducing lower portion. An aerodynamically shaped substrate support chuck is disposed inside the gas deposition chamber with a substrate support surface positioned in the cylindrical middle portion. The top portion reduces gas flow velocity, the aerodynamic shape of the substrate support chuck reduces drag and promotes laminar flow over the substrate support surface, and the lower portion increases gas flow velocity after the substrate support surface. The gas deposition chamber is configurable to 200 mm diameter semiconductor wafers using ALD and or PALD coating cycles. A coating method includes expanding process gases inside the deposition chamber prior to the process gas reaching a substrate surface. The method further includes compressing the process gases inside the deposition chamber after the process gas has flowed passed the substrate being coated.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: An ALD coating system (100) includes a fixed gas manifold (710, 1300) disposed over a moving substrate with a coating surface of the substrate facing precursor orifice plate (930). A gas control system (1400) delivers gas or vapor precursors and inert gas into the fixed gas manifold which directs input gases onto a coating surface of the moving substrate. The gas control system includes a blower (1485) interfaced with the gas manifold which draws gas through the gas manifold to remove unused precursors, inert gas and reaction byproduct from the coating surface. The gas manifold is configured segregate precursor gases at the coating surface to prevent the mixing of dissimilar precursors. The gas manifold may also segregate unused precursor gases in the exhaust system so that the unused precursors can be recovered and reused.

Abstract: A gas deposition system (1000) configured as a dual-chamber “tower” includes a frame (1140) for supporting two reaction chamber assemblies (3000), one vertically above the other. Each chamber assembly (3000) includes an outer wall assembly surrounding a hollow chamber (3070) 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 (3070) and the chamber assembly (3000) includes removable and cleanable triangular shaped input (3150) and output (3250) plenums disposed external to the hollow chamber (3070) 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 (6000) disposed inside the hollow chamber (3070) to contain precursor gases therein thereby preventing contamination of chamber outer walls (3010, 3020, 3030, 3040).

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: An improved gas deposition chamber includes a hollow gas deposition volume formed with a volume expanding top portion and a substantially constant volume cylindrical middle portion. The hollow gas deposition volume may include a volume reducing lower portion. An aerodynamically shaped substrate support chuck is disposed inside gas deposition chamber with a substrate support surface positioned in the constant volume cylindrical middle portion. The volume expanding top portion reduces gas flow velocity between gas input ports and the substrate support surface. The aerodynamic shape of the substrate support chuck reduces drag and helps to promote laminar flow over the substrate support surface. The volume reducing lower portion helps to increase gas flow velocity after the gas has past the substrate support surface. The improved gas deposition chamber is configurable to 200 mm diameter semiconductor wafers using ALD and or PALD coating cycles.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A device for isolating and containing gas reactive materials includes a novel valve arrangement that is actuatable in conjunction with the movement of a pre-loaded metal diaphragm. The pre-loaded diaphragm force is sufficient to form a fluid tight seal when the device is disconnected from a gas supply line thereby sealing the interior of the device from the surrounding environment.

Abstract: A device for isolating and containing gas reactive materials includes a novel valve arrangement that is actuatable in conjunction with the movement of a pre-loaded metal diaphragm. The valve is situated in a housing having an inlet and an outlet fitting, a seat for the diaphragm and a metal tube in contact with the diaphragm to provide fluid communication between the housing and the gas supply to that the pre-loaded diaphragm is opened upon the connection of the gas supply to allow gas flow to the gas reactive material disposed within the housing. The pre-loaded diaphragm force is sufficient to form a fluid tight seal when the device is disconnected from a gas supply line therby sealing the interior of the device from the surrounding enviroment.