US 12,460,292 B2
Atomic layer deposition apparatus and a method
Mika Jauhiainen, Espoo (FI); and Pekka Soininen, Espoo (FI)
Assigned to BENEQ OY, Espoo (FI)
Appl. No. 18/248,424
Filed by BENEQ OY, Espoo (FI)
PCT Filed Oct. 11, 2021, PCT No. PCT/FI2021/050672
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 10, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/079350, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 21, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 20206000 (FI), filed on Oct. 12, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0392256 A1, Dec. 7, 2023
Int. Cl. C23C 16/44 (2006.01); C23C 16/455 (2006.01); C23C 16/458 (2006.01)
CPC C23C 16/4412 (2013.01) [C23C 16/45551 (2013.01); C23C 16/45563 (2013.01); C23C 16/4584 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An atomic layer deposition apparatus for processing a surface of a substrate successively with at least a first precursor and a second precursor according to principles of atomic layer deposition, the apparatus comprising:
a substrate support having a support surface, the support surface being provided with one or more substrate holders for supporting one or more substrates; and
a precursor supply head having an output face, the output face being provided with at least one reaction zone comprising a precursor supply zone open to the output face of the precursor supply head and arranged to supply precursor;
the support surface of the substrate support and the output face of the precursor supply head being arranged opposite to each other to a process position such that a reaction gap is provided between the support surface of the substrate support and the output face of the precursor supply head;
a moving mechanism, in the process position, the substrate support and the precursor supply head are arranged to be rotated relative to each other with the moving mechanism such that the support surface of the substrate support and the output face of the precursor supply head are arranged to be rotated relative to each other; and
a process chamber having chamber walls forming a chamber space inside the process chamber, the substrate support and the precursor supply head being arranged inside the process chamber, wherein:
the substrate support comprises a back surface opposite the support surface, and the one or more substrate holders comprising a through hole extending through the substrate support between the back surface and the support surface;
the at least one reaction zone of the precursor supply head further comprises a suction zone open to the output face of the precursor supply head for discharging gases from the reaction gap between the support surface of the substrate support and the output face of the precursor supply head; and
the process chamber is provided with a discharge connection open to the chamber space for discharging gases from the chamber space of the process chamber,
wherein, in the process position, the through hole of at least one of the one or more substrate holders is open to the support surface and to the reaction gap between the support surface and the output face, and is open to the chamber space inside the process chamber, and
wherein the discharge connection is arranged to provide underpressure to the chamber space and to direct a discharge force via the through hole of at least one of the one or more substrate holders to a lower surface of a substrate supported on the support surface of the substrate support.