Method for atomic layer deposition

{
  "publication_number": "US9506144B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Method for atomic layer deposition",
  "abstract": "A method for atomic layer deposition includes providing a substrate in a reaction chamber; and performing at least one atomic layer deposition cycle to form a film on a surface of the substrate. The atomic layer deposition cycle includes passing first precursors into the reaction chamber to let first atoms included in the first precursors combine with reaction sites of the substrate; and passing second precursors into the reaction chamber to let second atoms included in the second precursors combine with the reaction sites uncombined with the first atoms or substitute at least part of the first atoms to combine with the reaction sites of the substrate. The above-mentioned method for atomic layer deposition is capable of preparing large area and uniformity of doping film without annealing process or with low temperature annealing process.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method for atomic layer deposition comprising: providing a substrate in a reaction chamber; and performing an atomic layer deposition cycle to form an epitaxial film on a surface of the substrate, wherein the atomic layer deposition cycle comprises: passing a first precursor into the reaction chamber to let a first atom included in the first precursor combine with first reaction sites of the substrate; and passing a second precursor into the reaction chamber to let a second atom included in the second precursor substitute part of the first atoms to combine with part of the first reaction sites of the substrate whereby part of the first reaction sites are combined with the first atom and the other of the first reaction sites are combined with the second atom, wherein a chemical affinity of the second atom to the first reaction sites is higher than a chemical affinity of the first atom to the first reaction sites, and the reaction chamber is sealed for a certain period of time after passing the first precursor or the second precursor therein.",
    "2. The method for atomic layer deposition according to claim 1, wherein the atomic layer deposition cycle further comprises: passing a third precursor into the reaction chamber to let third atoms included in the third precursor combine with the first atom and the second atom.",
    "3. The method for atomic layer deposition according to claim 2, wherein the third atoms provides second reaction sites for the first atom and the second atom to combine with during a next atomic deposition cycle.",
    "4. The method for atomic layer deposition according to claim 1, wherein the step of passing the first precursor or the second precursor into the reaction chamber during the each atomic deposition cycle is repeated.",
    "5. The method for atomic layer deposition according claim 1 further comprising: passing a fourth precursor into the reaction chamber to let fourth atoms included in the fourth precursor combine with the surface of the substrate to provide the first reaction sites.",
    "6. The method for atomic layer deposition according to claim 1, wherein the atomic deposition cycle further comprises: passing a purge gas into the reaction chamber to remove excess of at least one of the first precursor, the second precursor and a reaction byproduct.",
    "7. The method for atomic layer deposition according to claim 6, wherein the reaction chamber is evacuated while passing the purge gas therein and stop evacuating the reaction chamber before passing the first precursor or the second precursor therein.",
    "8. The method for atomic layer deposition according to claim 1, wherein the pulse time of passing the second precursor into the reaction chamber is less than that of passing the first precursor into the reaction chamber.",
    "9. The method for atomic layer deposition according to claim 1, wherein the second precursor is passed with a purge gas into the reaction chamber.",
    "10. The method for atomic layer deposition according to claim 1, wherein the second precursor is passed into the reaction chamber during the certain period of time.",
    "11. The method for atomic layer deposition according to claim 1, wherein delay time between an initial time of passing the first precursor into the reaction chamber and an initial time of passing the second precursor therein ranges from 0 to 1000000 seconds.",
    "12. The method for atomic layer deposition according to claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises an organic substrate or an inorganic substrate.",
    "13. The method for atomic layer deposition according to claim 1, wherein the reaction temperature of the first precursor and the second precursor range from −25 degrees Celsius to 1500 degrees Celsius.",
    "14. The method for atomic layer deposition according to claim 1 further comprising: performing an annealing process, wherein the annealing temperature is lower than a heat resistance temperature of the substrate.",
    "15. The method for atomic layer deposition according to claim 1, wherein an oxide layer comprises the first reaction sites."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "1. Field of the Invention\n\nThe present invention relates to a deposition method, and more particularly to a method for atomic layer deposition.\n\n2. Description of the Prior Art\n\nAtomic layer deposition (ALD) is a method using self-liming reaction to deposit monolayer layer by layer on the surface of the substrate. Therefore, atomic layer deposition is able to fabricate large area thin films which are ultrathin and conformal. Doping different atoms with different features to thin films can change electronic characteristics of the films and thus broaden range of applications thereof.\n\nReferring to transparent electrodes of ZnO-doped Gallium (ZnO:Ga) in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, for example, the symbol Pump shown in FIG. 1 represents the time sequence for evacuating the reaction chamber. A conventional doping method of atomic layer deposition is that passing the precursor PreA with Oxygen included and the precursor PreB with Zinc included into the reaction chamber to form the ZnO layer 101 and subsequently passing the precursor PreA with Oxygen included and the precursor PreC with Gallium included into the reaction chamber to form the Gallium Oxide layer 102. Purge gas (PG) can be chosen to be passed into the reaction chamber to remove the excess precursor PreA, PreB, PreC and/or reaction byproducts. After repeating the above-mentioned process to grow sandwich structure with specific proportion of the ZnO layer 101 and the Gallium Oxide layer 102 on the surface of the substrate 10, annealing process is used for diffusing the atoms over the whole film.",
  "cpc": [
    "C23C 16/407",
    "C23C 16/448",
    "C23C 16/45525",
    "C23C 16/45527",
    "C23C 16/45529",
    "C23C 16/45531",
    "C23C 16/45534",
    "H10P 14/24"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "C23C 16/04",
    "H10P 14/24",
    "C23C 16/00",
    "C23C 16/40"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Ching-Shun KU",
    "Hsin-Yi Lee"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2012-06-04",
  "publication_date": "2016-11-29",
  "grant_date": "2016-11-29",
  "priority_date": "2012-02-10",
  "application_number": "US-201213487702-A",
  "family_id": "48945767",
  "cited_by_count": 1,
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}