Microwave remote plasma enhanced-atomic layer deposition system with multicusp confinement chamber

Abstract

A microwave remote Plasma Enhanced-Atomic Layer Deposition system with multicusp confinement chamber is established at the Plasma and Beam Physics research facilities, Chiang Mai, Thailand. The system produces highly-reactive plasma species in order to enhance the deposition process of thin films. The addition of the multicusp magnetic fields further improves the plasma density and uniformity in the reaction chamber. Thus, the system is more favorable to temperature-sensitive substrates when heating becomes unwanted. Furthermore, the remote-plasma feature, which is generated via microwave power source, offers tunability of the plasma properties separately from the process. As a result, the system provides high flexibility in choice of materials and design experiments, particularly for low-temperature applications. Performance evaluations of the system were carried on coating experiments of Al2O3 layers onto a silicon wafer. The plasma characteristics in the chamber will be described. The resulted Al2O3 films-analyzed by Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry in channeling mode and by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy techniques-will be discussed.

Reaction Mechanism of Area-Selective Atomic Layer Deposition for Al2O3 Nanopatterns

“…A previous study showed that 3 nm thick Al 2 O 3 film has a low atomic concentration of Al of about 5%. Thus, after 370 cycles, the thickness of the Al 2 O 3 film on ODPA was probably less than 3 nm . Compared to the approximately 60 nm thickness of Al 2 O 3 on Ti substrate, the newly developed AS-ALD process effectively blocked the deposition of the ALD Al 2 O 3 film on the ODPA surface over 370 cycles of ALD.…”