ALD Injector Head with Dynamic Actuation for Non-Planar Substrates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional atomic layer deposition (ALD) apparatuses face challenges in maintaining a consistent gap height and good gas separation when handling substrates with varying thicknesses, particularly those with non-planar surfaces like wedge-shaped glass sheets, leading to inefficiencies in the deposition process.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates a sub-frame with air bearing pads and actuators to suspend the injector head, allowing for precise adjustment of the working distance and orientation relative to the substrate, along with a measuring device using coherent radiation to determine substrate topography and adjust the injector head accordingly, enabling accurate deposition on substrates with varying thickness and surface orientations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the gap height between the injector head and substrate is maintained using conventional gas bearings, then the apparatus can support substrate movement, but the gap height becomes difficult to maintain consistently when substrates have varying thicknesses
Solution Approach 1:
The injector head is made dynamically adjustable through actuators that can change its position and orientation in real-time. This allows the system to adapt to varying substrate thicknesses while maintaining consistent gap height, resolving the contradiction between reliability and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
A measuring device detects substrate topography and provides feedback to the control system, which then adjusts the injector head position via actuators. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures consistent gap height despite substrate thickness variations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the injector head is moved relative to the substrate to accommodate thickness variations, then adaptability improves, but gas separation between deposition spaces deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Gas barriers are introduced as intermediary elements between the longitudinal slots to prevent gas mixing. These barriers maintain effective gas separation even when the injector head position is adjusted to accommodate substrate thickness variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces purely mechanical positioning with a combination of optical measurement and controlled actuation. This allows precise positioning that maintains both adaptability and gas separation reliability.
3Device complexity
If the apparatus uses fixed longitudinal slots for gas supply, then the structure is simple, but it cannot maintain consistent deposition on substrates with non-planar surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The injector head is transformed from a fixed structure to a dynamically adjustable one, capable of changing position and orientation to match substrate topography. This maintains manufacturing precision without significantly increasing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameters of the injector head (position, orientation) in response to substrate topography measurements. This allows consistent deposition on non-planar surfaces while keeping the basic longitudinal slot structure intact.
4Manufacturing precision
If actuators are added to adjust the injector head position, then manufacturing precision improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator system is designed to perform multiple functions: adjusting injector head position, controlling orientation, and maintaining gas barrier integrity. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by delivering comprehensive precision control.
Solution Approach 2:
The measuring device provides feedback that enables precise control of the actuator system. This closed-loop control ensures that the added complexity of actuators translates directly into improved manufacturing precision.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution allows for precise control of the deposition process, ensuring uniform atomic layer thickness even on substrates with significant thickness variations and non-parallel surfaces, enhancing the overall efficiency and accuracy of the ALD process.
Implementation Method 1
gas pads positioned at the sub frame outside the injector head between the sub frame and the moveable carrier to bear the sub frame on the moveable carrier for the movement in the first direction
Implementation Method 2
a beam splitter positioned between the radiation source and the radiation guide arranged to direct the radiation beam to the radiation guides and to direct a radiation beam reflected from respectively the reference glass and the substrate to a radiation sensor
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is apparatus for atomic layer deposition including a frame, an injector head with longitudinal slots supplying gases to deposition spaces confined by the longitudinal slots and a substrate. The slots are transverse to a movement in a first direction of the substrate, a subframe suspending the injector head; a movable carrier supporting the substrate for movement in the first direction; and gas pads at the subframe outside the injector head between the subframe and the moveable carrier, bearing the subframe on the carrier for the movement in the first direction. Actuators suspend the injector head from the subframe, and a control device connected to the actuators controls the actuators to adjust a working distance between a reference plane of the injector head and the surface of the substrate corresponding to a predetermined distance and to adjust an orientation of the injector head corresponding to an orientation of the substrate.