Patent ID: 7183208

Claim:
An atomic layer deposition method for treating a plurality of discrete semiconductor substrates, comprising: providing an apparatus comprising a reaction chamber, the apparatus having an outlet port in fluid communication with the reaction chamber; placing the plurality of discrete semiconductor substrates in the reaction chamber; simultaneously exposing the plurality of discrete semiconductor substrates to a first reactive material within the reaction chamber to form a first mass across at least some exposed surfaces of the plurality of discrete semiconductor substrates, the discrete semiconductor substrates being at a first temperature during the exposing to the first reactive material; removing the first reactive material from the reaction chamber through the outlet port and through a valve in fluid communication with the outlet port, the valve being a structure that is separate and spaced from the outlet port, the outlet port having a size relative the reaction chamber wherein the size is adjustable relative the reaction chamber; after the removing, simultaneously exposing the plurality of discrete semiconductor substrates to a second reactive material within the chamber to convert the first mass to a second mass, the discrete semiconductor substrates being within 100° C. of the first temperature during the exposing to the second reactive material; and wherein the reaction chamber comprises about the same temperature as the plurality of the discrete semiconductor substrates during at least one of the respective exposures to the first and second reactive materials.