Atomic layer deposition apparatus and method
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- BENEQ OY
- Filing Date
- 2024-06-07
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-24
Smart Images
Figure 2026520718000001_ABST
Abstract
Claims
1. An atomic layer deposition apparatus (1) for continuously processing the inner surface of a substrate tube (4) with at least a first precursor and a second precursor according to the principle of atomic layer deposition, wherein the atomic layer deposition apparatus (1) comprises a first gas connection fitting (5), a second gas connection fitting (6), an inlet tube (2), and an outlet tube (3), The first gas connection fitting (5) is positioned to receive the first end (4a) of the substrate tube (4), and the first gas connection fitting (5) is positioned to connect the substrate tube (4) to the atomic layer deposition apparatus (1) at the first end (4a) of the substrate tube (4). The second gas connection fitting (6) is positioned to receive the second end (4b) of the substrate tube (4), and the second gas connection fitting (6) is positioned to connect the substrate tube (4) to the atomic layer deposition apparatus (1) at the second end (4b) of the substrate tube (4). The inlet tube (2) is configured to supply the first precursor and the second precursor from the corresponding gas source (13) to the base tube (4), and the first gas connection fitting (5) is fluidly connected to both the inlet tube (2) and the base tube (4), and the first gas connection fitting (5) provides a fluid connection between the inlet tube (2) and the base tube (4). The outlet tube (3) is positioned to discharge the first precursor and the second precursor, which are supplied through the base tube (4), and the second gas connection fitting (6) is fluidly connected to both the outlet tube (3) and the base tube (4), and the second gas connection fitting (6) also provides a fluid connection between the base tube (4) and the outlet tube (3). Atomic layer deposition device (1).
2. The atomic layer deposition apparatus (1) is characterized by further comprising a first gas manifold (7) and a second gas manifold (8), The first gas manifold (7) comprises at least two first gas connection fittings (5), the at least two first gas connection fittings (5) for connecting a corresponding number of substrate tubes (2) to the atomic layer deposition apparatus (1), the first gas manifold (7) is fluidly connected to the inlet tube (2), and the first gas manifold (7) supplies the first precursor and the second precursor from the gas supply source (13) to the substrate tube (2) through the inlet tube (2). The second gas manifold (8) comprises at least two second gas connection fittings (6), the at least two second gas connection fittings (6) for connecting a corresponding number of substrate tubes (2) to the atomic layer deposition apparatus (1), the second gas manifold (8) is fluidly connected to the outlet tube (3), and the second gas manifold (8) is for discharging the first and second precursors supplied through the substrate tubes (4). The atomic layer deposition apparatus (1) according to claim 1.
3. The atomic layer deposition apparatus (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the substrate tube (4) is arranged to form a reaction chamber of the atomic layer deposition apparatus (1), the substrate tube (4) is connected to the atomic layer deposition apparatus (1) by a first gas connection fitting (5) and a second gas connection fitting (6), and the substrate tube (4) extends between the first gas connection fitting (5) and the second gas connection fitting (6).
4. The atomic layer deposition apparatus (1) further comprises an adapter module (10), which is positioned in the atomic layer deposition apparatus (1) between a first gas connection fitting (5) and a second gas connection fitting (6), and which allows the substrate tube (4) to be continuously connected between the first gas connection fitting (5) and the second gas connection fitting (6). The adapter module (10) comprises a corresponding number of gas connection fittings (5) and a corresponding number of gas connection fittings (6) connected to the base tube (4). The atomic layer deposition apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that when the substrate tube (4) is connected to the gas connection fitting (5) and the gas connection fitting (6), the atomic layer deposition apparatus (1) provides a flow path for supplying the precursor from the inlet tube (2) to the outlet tube (3) through the adapter module (10).
5. The atomic layer deposition apparatus (1) further comprises a vacuum chamber (9), wherein the vacuum chamber (9) comprises an interface connection for an inlet tube (4) and an interface connection for an outlet tube (5), as described in any one of claims 1 to 4.
6. The atomic layer deposition apparatus (1) further comprises a frame structure (11), the frame structure (11) having an inlet tube (2) and an outlet tube (3) arranged therein, the inlet tube (2) being fluidly connected to a first gas connection fitting (5), and the outlet tube (3) being fluidly connected to a second gas connection fitting (6), as described in any one of claims 1 to 5.
7. The atomic layer deposition apparatus (1) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the frame structure (11) is movably arranged so that it can be moved in and out of the vacuum chamber (9).
8. In an atomic layer deposition apparatus (1) for forming a coating on the inner surface of a substrate tube (4), a method for providing the inner surface of the substrate tube (4) to a continuous surface reaction by at least a first precursor and a second precursor, in accordance with the principle of atomic layer deposition, the method comprising the following steps: A step of providing a substrate tube (4) to an atomic layer deposition apparatus (1), wherein at the first end of the substrate tube (4), the substrate tube (4) is connected to a first gas connection fitting (5), the first gas connection fitting (5) is fluidly connected to an inlet tube (2), and at the second end of the substrate tube (4), the substrate tube (4) is connected to a second gas connection fitting (6), the second gas connection fitting (6) is fluidly connected to an outlet tube (3), and so on. A step of forming a coating on the inner surface of the base tube (4) and Includes, The step of forming a coating on the inner surface of the base tube (4) is: By supplying the first precursor from the inlet tube (2) through the base tube (4), the first precursor is supplied to the inner surface of the base tube (4), and the supplied first precursor is discharged through the base tube (4) to the outlet tube (3), and The second precursor is supplied from the inlet tube (2) through the base tube (4) to the inner surface of the base tube (4), and the supplied second precursor is discharged through the base tube (4) to the outlet tube (3). A method characterized by being a process involving the following.
9. The atomic layer deposition apparatus (1) comprises a first gas manifold (7) and a second gas manifold (8). The first gas manifold (7) comprises at least two first gas connection fittings (5), the at least two first gas connection fittings (5) connecting a corresponding number of substrate tubes (2) to the atomic layer deposition apparatus (1), and the first gas manifold (7) is fluidly connected to the inlet tube (2) to supply the first precursor and the second precursor from the inlet tube (2) to the substrate tube (2). The second gas manifold (8) comprises at least two second gas connection fittings (6), the at least two second gas connection fittings (6) connecting a corresponding number of substrate tubes (2) to the atomic layer deposition apparatus (1), and the second gas manifold (8) is fluidly connected to an outlet tube (3) to discharge the first and second precursors supplied through the substrate tubes (4). The method involves the following steps: The process of connecting at least two base tubes (4) to the first gas connection fitting (5) and the second gas connection fitting (6) such that at least two base tubes (4) extend between the first gas manifold (7) and the second gas manifold (8), A step of supplying a first precursor from an inlet tube (2) to a first gas manifold (7), and simultaneously supplying the first precursor from the first gas manifold (7) to at least two base tubes (4), A step of discharging a first precursor supplied through at least two base tubes (4) from a second gas manifold (8) to an outlet tube (3), A step of supplying a second precursor from an inlet tube (2) to a first gas manifold (7), and simultaneously supplying the second precursor from the first gas manifold (7) to at least two base tubes (4), and The process of discharging the second precursor, supplied through at least two base tubes (4), from the second gas manifold (8) to the outlet tube (3). The method according to claim 8, further comprising:
10. The method involves the following steps: In an atomic layer deposition apparatus (1), the step of arranging at least two substrate tubes (4) in parallel, or The process involves arranging at least two substrate tubes (4) in parallel inside the vacuum chamber (9) of the atomic layer deposition apparatus (1). The method according to claim 9, further comprising:
11. The atomic layer deposition apparatus (1) comprises a first gas manifold (7), a second gas manifold (8), and an adapter module (10). The first gas manifold (7) comprises at least two first gas connection fittings (5), the at least two first gas connection fittings (5) connecting a corresponding number of substrate tubes (2) to the atomic layer deposition apparatus (1), and the first gas manifold (7) is fluidly connected to the inlet tubes (2) to supply the first precursor and the second precursor to the substrate tubes (2) from the inlet tubes (2). The second gas manifold (8) comprises at least two second gas connection fittings (6), the at least two second gas connection fittings (6) connecting a corresponding number of substrate tubes (2) to the atomic layer deposition apparatus (1), and the second gas manifold (8) is fluidly connected to an outlet tube (3) to discharge the first and second precursors supplied through the substrate tubes (4). The adapter module (10) is positioned in the atomic layer deposition apparatus (1) between the first gas manifold (7) and the second gas manifold (8), and the adapter module (10) comprises a corresponding number of gas connection fittings (5) and a corresponding number of gas connection fittings (6), the gas connection fittings (5) and (6) corresponding to the base tube (4), the base tube (4) extending from the first gas manifold (7), thereby connecting the base tube (4) to the adapter module (9), The gas connection fittings (5) and (6) correspond to the base tube (4), which extends from the adapter module (10) to the second gas manifold (8), thereby providing a precursor flow path from the inlet tube (2) through the base tube (4) to the adapter module (10), and further through the continuous base tube (4) to the outlet tube (3). The method involves the following steps: A step of connecting at least two base tubes (4) to the first gas connection fitting (5) of the first gas manifold (7) and the second gas connection fitting (6) of the adapter module (10) such that at least two base tubes (4) extend between the first gas manifold (7) and the adapter module (10), A step of connecting at least two base tubes (4) to the first gas connection fitting (5) of the adapter module (10) and the second gas connection fitting (6) of the second gas manifold (8) such that at least two base tubes (4) extend between the adapter module (10) and the second gas manifold (8), The process involves supplying a first precursor from an inlet tube (2) to a first gas manifold (7), simultaneously supplying the first precursor from the first gas manifold (7) to at least two base tubes (4), and supplying the first precursor to at least two consecutive base tubes (4) through an adapter module (10). The process of discharging the supplied first precursor from the second gas manifold (8) to the outlet tube (3) through at least two base tubes (4), through an adapter module (10), and further through a continuous base tube (4), The process of supplying a second precursor from an inlet tube (2) to a first gas manifold (7), simultaneously supplying the second precursor from the first gas manifold (7) to at least two base tubes (4), and supplying the second precursor to at least two consecutive base tubes (4) through an adapter module (10), The process of discharging the supplied second precursor from the second gas manifold (8) to the outlet tube (3) through at least two base tubes (4), through the adapter module (10), and further through a continuous base tube (4). The method according to claim 8, further comprising:
12. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the method is carried out using an atomic layer deposition apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7.