Patent ID: 7422636

Claim:
An atomic layer deposition system for forming a thin film on a substrate comprising: a processing chamber comprising a process space in an upper region of said processing chamber configured to facilitate said thin film deposition, and a transfer space in a lower region of said processing chamber having an opening to the upper region at the top thereof, the lower region being configured to facilitate transfer of said substrate into and out of the upper region of said processing chamber; a substrate holder coupled to said processing chamber and configured to support said substrate and to translate vertically between a first position to locate said substrate in said transfer space and a second position to locate said substrate in said process space, said substrate holder comprising a sealing device configured to seal said substrate holder with said processing chamber to seal the opening and to isolate the transfer space from the process space when said substrate holder is in said second position; at least two pressure control systems, including: a first pressure control system coupled to said transfer space and configured to provide a substantially contaminant-free environment in said transfer space when isolated from said process space by the sealing member of the substrate holder when in said second position; a second pressure control system coupled to said process space and configured to evacuate said process space during processing; a gas injection system coupled to the upper region of said processing chamber, and configured to alternatingly introduce a first process material and a second process material to said process space; a power source coupled to said processing chamber, and configured to couple power to said first process material, or said second process material, or both in said process space to facilitate the formation of plasma; a temperature control system coupled to said substrate holder, and configured to control a temperature of said substrate; and a process controller operable to control the deposition system to perform a plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition process on the substrate.