Patent ID: 7378127
Filing Date: 2008-05-27
Classification: C23C

Abstract:
1. An atomic layer deposition method comprising: injecting a deposition precursor into a deposition chamber defined at least in part by chamber walls and comprising a substrate holder inside the chamber, a first of the chamber walls comprising a lid having an outer surface outside the chamber and an inner surface inside the chamber and a second of the chamber walls comprising a body; exposing a substrate on the substrate holder to the precursor and chemisorbing only one monolayer of precursor material on the substrate in the absence of another deposition precursor; while injecting the precursor and chemisorbing the monolayer, separately injecting a purge material at a first flow rate through at least one purge passageway through the lid from the outer surface to the inner surface and through a purge exit port into the chamber, the injected purge material flowing along at least a portion of the chamber walls, the purge exit port including one annular exit port, and the injecting the purge material through the purge passageway through the lid including injecting through an enclosed annular channel and through a plurality of enclosed radial channel extensions from the annular channel to the one annular exit port along radii of the annular channel; separating the injected purge material from the substrate holder with a flow director provided inside the chamber and minimizing backflow of the injected purge material towards the substrate holder, the flow director extending downward from elevationally above the substrate holder to elevationally below a substrate on the substrate holder; and ceasing the precursor injection, substituting the precursor injection for additional purge material injection, and adjusting the first flow rate to a second flow rate different from the first flow rate.